After twenty years of living in France, there are still many items on my French fascination list. One of them is touching fruit or vegetables at the farmers’ markets. As a Paris new arrival, you can imagine my shock seeing ‘Ne touchez pas!’ prominently written on blackboards above stacks of grapes and bananas at our local street [...]
Lemon Cream Meringue Nests (Gluten Free)
It was time to return to France. Too much fun visiting family in Scotland had to come to an end – although I thought it had, after being hanged at the Edinburgh Dungeons! It could have been messy after these extra couple of kilos of Lucas’ ice cream, Tunnocks Teacakes, baked potatoes, cheese scones and Stornoway [...]
Spreading Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons with Ganache, Nutella or I’m a Hazelnut?
There have been a few disgruntled faces at Nutella recently. In the Autumn, Casino supermarkets in France brought out their own version of the famous hazelnut spread, called ‘Je suis noisette’. Casino claim their spread is better in that they don’t use palm oil and so it’s more ecologically friendly. What’s wrong with a bit of [...]
It’s Springtime in Paris with Sunny Lemon Macarons!
It has been a long haul this chilly winter. In fact, I think it has rained since October, making it the longest hiver – more than I’ve ever known after living in Paris for 20 years, 3 months and 3 weeks. It’s my birthday today so I’m particularly 40-something sensitive in counting the years. It’s [...]
Snapping White Asparagus for a French Clafoutis Recipe
When the asparagus season finally pokes its head out to say bonjour, it’s time to get totally asparagused. Hearing the calls of ‘Aspergez-vous!’ at our local market just outside Paris, I do what I’m told and end up buying so much asparagus that I could open a shop with all the elastic bands they’re bound [...]
A Chocolate Easter Walk in Paris
Come and join me on a brisk Easter chocolate walk in Paris’ Easter Playground! I say brisk, as it’s still remarkably chilly for this time of year but let’s be optimistic: it’s a great temperature for transporting Easter chocolates. Swinging over to Fauchon at Place de la Madeleine, it’s showtime in the City of Lights. [...]
A great gift for the ‘macaronivore’ in your life – 2nd edition out now!
"Mad about Macarons! Make Macarons like the French"