French Food & Wine

We have explored last week-end, le Sancerrois at the East end of the Loire Valley. This region is mostly famous for the vineyards of Sancerre where, since the Kings of France, the make one of the best white wine in France. They also make red wines, less famous, maybe not worth the detour. They might remind you of the Burgundy white wine…Beaune is only 130 miles east. Arrival to Sancerre - ©FJFY Sancerre is a little town, perched on a rolling hill…which is kind of unusual in this area which is quite flat (mostly cultivated with cereals). The vineyards are on the hillsides, perfectly exposed to...

This is a recipe that is passed from generations to generations in Emilie's family. Pauline, our 6-month-daugther already learns how to make good pate. The pork paté is the best of all, the tastiest and the easier to prepare (compared to other types of meats that are more difficult to bone. To make about 15 preserving jars, like on the picture, you’ll need about 5 kilos of meat (11lb). - 3 kilos (7lbs) of mixed pork meat: pork belly and throat (greasy) - 2 kilos (4lbs) of pork/poultry liver - 2 onions, 1 shallot, 2 garlic cloves, a lot of parsley - 1 small glass of brandy, 1 small glass of...

Because Bayeux and Normandy are not only the place where D-Day happened on June 6th, 1944 ; we have been back to Normandy looking for new sightseeing, activities and nice restaurants for our travelers ! Norman gastronomy is varied: from the seafood platter on the seaside to the Poulet Vallée d'Auge (chicken with cider sauce) in the interland. One of the most famous dishes remains the Tripes à la mode de Caen...that you can find in all Calvados region. I love the tripes even if I know what they are made of...Do YOU know what tripes are made of? You're sure you want to know? The tripes are...

Do you know that there are 70 different AOC (Protected Appellation of Origin) for Loire Valley wines? From the fruity reds to the sweet whites…From Anjou region to Chinon red wines or Vouvray sparkling white wines…Why don’t you come in the Loire Valley for the VitiLoire event? Each year, VitiLoire festival gathers about 30,000 wines lovers and 130 wine makers. Whether you are a wine expert or just an “amateur”, you will have a great time in a very convivial ambiance. The program is simple: meet with wine makers and taste some wine! You’ll also have the opportunity to savor the “gastronomie...

Last Sunday was the opening day for the Foie Gras market in Gers (near Toulouse), in the little town of Samatan. You wouldn't find there Foies Gras ready to eat but "Canards Gras" (fat duck) to prepare "Confits" and "Magrets" (Duck Breast) and fat livers to prepare the Foie Gras for Christmas! The average price for fresh livers was 30 euros/kg. When processed Foie Gras average price is 90 euros/kg…This is worth making your own Foie Gras ! The same way Americans start looking for the perfect Turkey for Thanksgiving in advance…the French people conduct several investigations to find out the...

Chocolate eggs and rabbits…Easter lamb…where do all these traditions come from? Easter week-end is behind us, and like every year we have spent half of our time seated at the family table….eating! Why do the bells ring on Easter Sunday ? French children would answer you: to announce the opening of the eggs' hunting. This is true, but there is a second reason coming from Christianity: since the Holy Thursday (last meal of the Christ) the bells of the French churches remain silent as a period of mourning. In France, we tell the children...

We all have our go-to comfort food dishes when the winter season arrives and this delicious mustard soup is one of ours. There's nothing like it for keeping warm on a cold day! Here's our favorite mustard soup recipe, and it's super easy to prepare. We hope you enjoy it! Serves: 4 people Ingredients: a pound of fresh mushrooms 1 leek 1 onion 1 liter of vegetable stock 100 ml (just under half a cup or 3.4 oz) of dry white wine 3 soup spoons of mustard 1 soup spoon of flour 1 soup spoon of butter Tarragon (fresh or dried) Cooking instructions Cut the leek, onion, and mushroom...

This is a delicious and very easy recipe for two people to share. Ingredients: - a small red kuri squash - 5 to 7 table spoons of sour cream - bacon strips (200 gramms) - some grated cheese 1. Cut the bottom of the squash so it remains stable in the serving dish. Then cut the top of the squash and take out the seeds 2. Fill it with the bacon strips and the sour cream up to the top. Add some pepper and put back the top of the squash. 3. Cook it in the oven for an hour at 200°C (about 400°F) 4. Take out the top of the squash and add the grated cheese. Put under the grill until it is melted. 5...

This is an easy recipe and you shouldn't have any problems finding the ingredients. You can trust Karine, it is delicious! INGREDIENTS 1 pound of salmon fillet (without skin) 1 large yellow onion (diced) 1 red bell pepper (diced) 1/2 lemon juice 2 to 3 ounces of crumbled goat cheese (according to taste) a few leaves of fresh basil (chopped) - optional 4 ounces of sour cream 4 ounces of heavy whipping cream grated swiss cheese (sprinkle on top of the dish for the "gratin") PREPARATION Place all the ingredients in the same order as above in a medium-sized baking dish (ideally a square glass...

Here we bring you Vincent's delicious Lemon Meringue Pie recipe! We didn't get a chance to take close-up pictures of Vincent's pie... it had already been devoured! Ingredients For 1 big pie or 6 individual servings: Pastry 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter water a pinch of salt. Cooking Instructions Cook the pastry covered with aluminium foil for 15 minutes at 350°F. To Make the Lemon Filling: In medium saucepan bring to a boil 2 cups of water + 2 tablespoons butter. Meanwhile, mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 1/5 sugar, 4 egg yolks, the zest...

This is my mother’s orange marmalade recipe and it has been improved over the years. This marmalade tastes sweet rather than bitter. It’s delicious to have on toast for breakfast. Ingredients For 7 to 9 jars of marmalade: 2.5 lbs of oranges (weigh the oranges with both ends cut off) 1 yellow lemon granulated sugar The preparation of this orange marmalade does not take too long, but it's spread across 3 days. Cooking instructions Day 1: Cut the entire oranges and the lemon into small pieces. (Do not peel the fruit) Add 7,5 cups of water. Let it rest for 24 hours. Day 2: On a preserving pan,...