"provence"

This post is sponsored by Oliv. All text and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who help make Pardon your French possible! This Summer, I am partnering with Oliv to bring you delicious recipes that are bursting with Balsamics and Extra Virgin Olive Oils. These two ingredients are utterly prevalent in French cuisine, especially in Southern France. And like most French cooks, I always have a bottle of EVOO and a bottle of balsamic laying on my counter – which find their way into my vinaigrettes, …

Our next day in Marseille took us on a more “real” stroll through the city, in boroughs where locals live and gather, and where ethnic vibes are also more present. In this 2nd part of my Marseille Guide, I am sharing must-dos that don’t hold as much of a typical “Provencal Charm” or laid-back feel as in Part 1, but I feel there are just as essential if you want to see Marseille’s modern facets. And I have to admit, although I am more of a sucker for the cliché marvels …

They say Marseille is a city you either love, or hate. And for me, it was love at first sight. I fell hard for Marseille the first time I visited the city two years ago. And I have been bizarrely obsessed with it since then. Which, being a Brittany girl, was a bit against all odds – given how our two regions’ cultures, mentalities and lifestyles are so opposite (both on the French map and abstractly too). But somehow, for the past two years, there isn’t a day I haven’t …

2017 was of those years that was neither bad, nor particularly wonderful. It certainly had an amazing highlight: My yearly trip back home to France, where we ate our way through Brittany, Normandy and Provence, for two weeks. I already posted photos and stories about the trip here and here, and will surely post more in the New Year. The beginning of 2017 started off nicely with becoming a Food Bloggers of Canada member and being featured as one of the “Five Niagara Food Bloggers to bookmark now”.

The Classic French madeleines get a Holiday twist, and an American twist too!  Yes, most of you might not know it, but eggnog (in french “lait de poule”) is not common at all in France, apart from in the French Caribbean Islands. But while “French Christmas” and “eggnog” are terms usually not associated with one another, these French Eggnog Madeleines are the exception to the rule… And they are a match made in heaven!

A very slow-cooked beef stew with bright flavors that are meant to develop with time… It is said that Provençal Daube is best enjoyed re-heated the next day (perfect for cooking ahead). Since visiting and falling in love with Marseille two years ago, I have been on a Provençal cooking streak. Growing up in Brittany, on the opposite side of France, Provençal cuisine was mostly foreign to my palate as a child. But as I reached my twenties, I started to explore new recipes, and for some reason, have always …

Last month, part of my yearly trip to France, I spent a whole week in my hometown of Larmor-plage, on the southern Coast of Brittany. A whole week, filled with morning walks on the beach, seafood feasts and many (many!) stops by the bakery. And of course, there is one thing I wouldn’t have missed for the world – the Sunday morning farmer’s market. In France, the farmer’s market holds a special place in the week – and in the heart – of most people. The market is a place …

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 …