Feel free to let me know in the comments if you enjoy this monthly gazette, and perhaps what you would like to read about next month!

Spring officially arrived in March, and Les Giboulés were here to stay this month! If you recall, I mentioned Les Giboulés had started earlier than usual in February, but it remained here in force throughout March. We saw an incredible amount of rain in Brittany – record levels – which continued to make it difficult to plan outings. 

Small Spring leeks are here!

We started the month of March off with another trip to our local Kerbastard dairy farm. I wrote an article a little less than a year ago about our first visit to this farm, about a 30min drive from our home.

This young family-owned farm produces some unbelievably tasty dairy products, so we stopped in to stock up on yogurt, fromage blanc, fromage frais (a bit like Boursin), kefir and skyr! Great quality products at great prices. I absolutely love supporting local businesses. Do you have any local dairy producer near you?

Artichokes have arrived!

Not too far down the road from the farm, we then visited a place my husband went crazy for – La Maison de l’Andouille. Literally translating to the “house of andouille” this revered smokehouse has been producing artisanal Andouille (which in France, is smoked pork tripe sausage) since 1931. As you walk in the front door, you’re greeted with a smack of smoke scent and literally hundreds of andouilles hanging overhead.

You can find andouille very commonly eaten on top of savory buckwheat crêpes here in Brittany, with egg and cheese (also known as La Complète Andouille). My husband eats andouille in omelettes, alone with fresh bread, and also adds it when he braises cabbage. It’s not my favorite thing, but those that love it, absolutely love it!

The absolute highlight of our month was our trip to Venice, Italy. A trip we had discussed for a long time, and finally decided to act on.

Venice’s beautiful Dorsoduro district

As you may or may not know, Venice is an incredibly popular tourist destination. Perhaps too popular. Overtourism has had some serious effects on the city, its environment and its population. In fact, the population of the island city today sits at around 50,000. This number was double (100,000) in 1980.

The sheer number of Airbnb rentals and foreign purchases of property have meant that many locals (and especially their children) no longer have a place to live, or move into. All these changes also mean that the youth of Venice tend to leave, in order to find work and a place to stay.

Amazing Pasta Carbonara at Bacaro Quebrado

This was a big part of the reason that we took so long to take our trip, as it was a question of morality for us. So, as we planned our vacation, we took every step we could to try and take as sustainable a trip as possible.

We sought out restaurants that were owned and operated by locals, shopped in small, local owned artisan shops (for gifts, masks and treats/snacks) and took tours owned and operated by lifelong Venetians. We used sources like Venetian food writer Skye McAlpine and Phil Rosenthal as “help” for planning our trip, and we’re glad we did.

I also took this trip as an opportunity to finally disconnect from everything – which included social media, work and email. In fact, it was the first vacation I have taken in the last 6 years without my laptop! I cannot tell you how liberating that felt!

Despite the fact that I wanted to share my trip and photos with readers, I vowed to myself to wait until we returned home, just to give my mind and spirit a rest. It worked wonders for my mental health – I am so very glad I did it. 

Typical Venetian ciccheti (small snacks)

I have already shared some photos and stops we took on our Venetian adventure on Facebook and Instagram, but in case you missed them, some highlights included our guided boat tour with Venetian local Paolo to explore the laguna, visiting St Mark’s square and Palazzo Ducale, stopping into nearly every church we walked by (my husband is fascinated with church architecture and artwork), the Murano glass museum, countless patios for a beer, Spritz, or Bellini… And of course, the absolutely wonderful restaurants (including Alla Madonna, La Zucca and Levante) that served some of the best pastas, cicchetti, and even pizzas, we’ve ever had.

Amazing pizza at Dai Fioi

Believe it or not, I think we can say we had the best pizzas we’ve ever had at at Tratorria Dai Fioi – and we say that having just visited Naples last summer.

And so as to not gatekeep any information, if you’re ever in Venice, make your way to Panificio Albonico, a very small and locally owned bakery, for some Cestini. For 1.50 euros you’ll have a tart that will knock your socks off. Only 2 flavors, pistachio and Nutella, and to this moment, I still can’t decide which was better. We went there each day to have one of each. I wish I had some right now!

Cestini tarts

View on San Giorgio Maggiore

Finally, the month ended with Easter celebrations at my parents’ home. Surprisingly enough, my mom decided to change things up this year, and my husband had to go without lamb… She cooked a paella! A delicious meal, no complaints, but not what we typically sit down to at Easter. That being said, we all absolutely love seafood, and we were all just happy to get to spend time together over delicious plates of food. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter too (if you celebrate it), and if not, a wonderful end of the month!

The famous Rialto bridge

Oh, and one last thing… Happy birthday to me! Today, April 1^st, is my 37^th birthday! I am truly blessed to be healthy, happy and living a good life in France. There are things I would like to be different, or change in my life, but the fact I am able to wake up each day to health and my family is the most important thing. I’m hoping and wishing the same for you.

Murano island, north of Venice

New articles added to the blog in February:

• A traditional French Easter Menu 
• Navarin d’Agneau (Lamb Navarin)
• Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake (updated) 
• Celery Root Remoulade (updated) 

10 seasonal recipes for April:

• Piemontaise Potato Salad
• Classic French Lentil Salad
• Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
• Classic French Sole Meunière
• Asparagus Goat Cheese Quiche
• Basque Risotto with Chicken, Chorizo and Peppers
• Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake
• Olive Oil Lemon Cake
• Almond Blanc-Manger with strawberries
• Lemon Poppy seed Yogurt Loaf

Links I am liking: 

• I have always been a fan of cookbook author Skye McAlpine, a Brit who grew up in Venice, Italy. She launched her new “La Dolce Vita” newsletter through Substack last month to share her recipes and Venetian tips, which could not have been better timing for me! I followed her recommendations for restaurants in Venice, and they did not disappoint.
• I always admire chocolatiers’ creations for Easter. This list provides some of the most beautiful Easter eggs from Paris this year. I love the chocolate otters by William Artigue – absolutely way too cute to be eaten!
• We loved watching the new season of travel food series “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix starring TV writer and producer Phil Rosenthal. We’ve been fan of this show since season 1, and this 7^th season did not disappoint – taking us to more amazing places like Kyoto, Iceland, Taipei and Scotland. This is always fun, light-hearted, and a great watch for all food lovers.
• I am very curious about Lelani Lewis’s newly release cookbook “Code Noir” celebrating afro-Caribbean recipes. French people do love the cuisine from the French Antilles (ie. Guadeloupe and Martinique) but this facet of French cooking is largely overlooked outside of the French borders. This book tells the complex historical context of Caribbean cooking through 80 recipes and is said to be an “accessible introduction to Caribbean food for novices”. Saveur has a great article diving into this book, which I really enjoyed as well.
• I am definitely trying this Blanquette de Poisson next month, a recipe shared by Amaury Bouhours, chef at the renowned Restaurant Le Meurice in Paris.

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