Spring

Here it is, the infamous Calvados and Apple Flan from Normandy! On a recent trip to Normandy, we ate at La Ferme St Michel, and I had the most amazing Calvados and Apple Flan for dessert. It was tender, fruity and intensely fragrant, thanks to the Calvados Apple Brandy. So of course, as soon as I was back in in my kitchen in Canada two weeks later, I couldn’t resist making one (and it certainly won’t be the last one I will be making this fall/winter)! Being from Brittany, I …

The classic French Apple Cake gets a twist with the use of spelt flour; adding nutty notes to its signature buttery crumb filled with big apple clusters. Like in many countries through Fall and Winter, the apple cake is a classic in households. Of all, the French version is probably one the most unpretentious and bare. With no use of cinnamon like in America, nor crumble top, nuts or glaze. A cake reminiscent of the German Versunkener Apfelken or the Russian Sharlotka, both made in similar ways, with more fruit …

Known in French as a “Fallue”, this old-fashion brioche from Normandy is a staple of regional French baking. Traditionally made with “crème fraîche”, it is known for its thorny top and scrumptiously creamy crumb.   Brioche comes is so many variations in France, and this one is the most treasured ones of Normandy. And I just couldn’t share any other recipe than the one from French baker Philippe Gouley – awarded several gold medals for his “fallue” recipe, by the official “fallue and teurgoule brotherhood”. Needless to say, this recipe …

This Tomato Trio and Dijon Mustard Tart is effortlessly delicious, and a true ode to fresh, juicy, sun-ripe tomatoes. A favorite late-summer French classic! As I was saying on my last Instagram post, this Tomato Trio and Dijon Mustard Tart was one the first savory dishes I ever learned to make, as a child in France (and I am sure this is the case for a lot of French kids). Since then, it remained as one of my favorite summer tarts to create. When late summer peaks and tomatoes are …

The Pepper Steak with Brandy Sauce is a classic of Bistro-style French Cuisine. A thick and juicy steak, adorned by a creamy and fragrant peppercorn sauce, with subtle notes of cognac… It must be enjoyed with a side of French fries, of course! Bastille Day is just around the corner (it’s July 14)! And what better time than the French National Day to cook the iconic Pepper Steak with Brandy Sauce, with a side of French fries? Or as the French would say, the “Steak Frites”. “Un Steak Frites, s’il …

From our last recipe – Crepes From Brittany – to today’s recipe, a Corsican Caccavellu sweet bread. Yes, it’s quite a far stretch, with as many kilometers as there are cultural specificities that separate these two regions – which sit literally opposite on the French map. But on many levels, they are not so different, if you ask me. Both the Brittany and Corsican people are known to be proud, tremendously proud, of their origins, dialect and people. Both deeply attached to their roots and unique cultural heritage, these regions …