Did I ever tell you how much I actually enjoy visiting my dentist? It’s not just that he’s in the oh-so-chic 16th arrondissement with shops for the ladies, but I can’t help feeling cool knowing that I share the same dentist’s chair as the French TV celebrity chef, Cyril Lignac. In the waiting room, there [...]
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Roasted Vanilla Pineapple with Passion Fruit
As we’re enjoying the pineapple season, I can’t help noticing pineapples in all sorts of different forms on gateposts, staircases and even teapots. Ever since Christopher Columbus brought the pineapple to Europe from Guadaloupe in 1493, this exotic fruit has symbolised wealth and generous hospitality. By the 18th century, pineapples were such a rare, expensive delicacy [...]
Touching Moments at the French Market
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 [...]
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 great gift for the ‘macaronivore’ in your life – 2nd edition out now!
"Mad about Macarons! Make Macarons like the French"