No problem, Kecia… Better late than never! I try to release a Gazette each month, and usually a recipe every week or two will be emailed to you as a newsletter as well. Thanks for signing up and hoping you’ll continue to enjoy everything as much as you have been 🙂

So very kind of you, Enda 🙂 I really appreciate the boost of confidence!

Wine makes everything better! I’m sure you’ll get through it just fine. Best of luck to you!

Initially (1-year rental) Dordogne, but only because we could get an easy rental there. Exploring up into southern Normandy, down to Pau and various other spots. A lot of it is trying to anticipate the changing weather patterns. And, fortunately, retiring. As for bureaucracy – we’re aware and ready(-ish) – and figure that the wine will help when it all becomes too much!

Hello, Sue. Yes those measurements are about as accurate as possible, converting to cups. This is why I try to recommend as much as possible the weighing of ingredients. It’s also why in France, it’s nearly impossible to find a recipe using “cups” as measurements.

It’s a great question, and this is a perfect example of how the volume and weight of ingredients changes so much between them! Sugar is much “heavier” than ground almond is, and this is why a cup of each varies so much in weight. A cup of white sugar is 190-198gr (depending on the type). A cup of brown sugar is around 213gr. A cup of almond flour is around 98gr.

A kitchen scale can usually be found for around $10-15 and will elevate your baking to a whole new level. It removes so much potential for error, and believe it or not, there is a lot of error when using cups.

A fun experiement is, with a scale, grab a cup of flour and then weigh it. Now take another cup of flour and weigh it. It is very likely that the 2 cups you scooped will be anywhere from 5-15gr off from the other one. And in baking, this does make a big difference. You’ll also find that huge sites like King Arthur Baking provides weights in grams as well, as it’s essential for easier replication.

I hope this helps! 🙂

Is 1 part sugar to 2 parts ground almond correct? Why are they the same 250 g but not cups?

I really need to find more time to experiment with alternative grains/ingredients. Perhaps stopping in at a local boulanger and getting some tips might help me elevate my game. Things are a bit hectic right now, but I’ll definitely start sharing my journey.

Whereabouts will you be moving? Is it for work or retirement? I wish you all the best. If you haven’t been warned yet, brace yourself for French administration. My husband, after almost 2yrs, still can’t believe the processes here for most things. But you’ll survive it, it’s worth it!