In the distant past when we lived in London, my Saturday morning reward after a weeks work would normally involve a tasty treat from the excellent Maison Blanc on Hampstead high street. The cafe, pictured below is sadly no longer there but my favourite menu item “tarte fine a la tomate” has stuck with me …
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We always make marmalade at this time of year, mostly because we like to use blood oranges which are at their best right now. Their combination of sweet, sour and bitter flavours work just perfectly in marmalade. This year I admit though it feels strange to be making large quantities for next winter when it …
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Most of Europe basked in sunshine throughout April which got the rhubarb growing much earlier than usual. 6 days after I spotted the first growth we had usable stems! Following on from my goal last summer not to waste a stick of rhubarb, here is the first rhubarb recipe of the season. What is a …
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Vin Chaud…Glühwein… Glögi…which ever name you use, this is the perfect winter’s day warming drink with the added benefit of it being alcoholic. Here in Châtel and across the French Alps it is a popular drink on the slopes and while the recipe is really quite simple, most of the restaurants will buy and serve …
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It’s cold here, really cold. I haven’t seen the outdoor thermometer go over -2 in over a week. The mornings are absolutely beautiful; the frost freezes all the bare branches of the trees turning them white so the whole valley looks like a winter wonderland. There is fresh snow on the ground from yesterday and …
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Autumn in the mountain is absolutely stunning. Most of the year you think that near enough all the trees you see on the mountains are pines and evergreens but it is only at this time of year that you realise how many aren’t. We were lucky this year to have blue skies most days, cold …
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Follow my blog with Bloglovin Homemade rhubarb gin anyone? I love a good G&T. I know it isn’t everyone’s tipple of choice but it is the only spirit I drink. Years ago, I got excited if I spotted a bottle of Hendricks on the bar man’s shelf and even more so if they offered lime …
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Basil for me is the smell of summer. I absolutely adore this wonderful aromatic herb and love to grow a number of plants so I can always cut it fresh to use, it makes a remarkable difference to both the taste and smell than using pre cut stems. Basil is mostly associated with Italian cooking …
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Spring comes late to us in the mountains of the Portes du Soleil, it isn’t unusual for us to get snow as late as the end of May. Luckily, other parts of France experience spring much earlier allowing us to enjoy the delicious new spring vegetables before we have even sown our veggie seeds and …
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Neither of us are really jam eaters. In fact, the only time either of us eat jam is when we are staying at a hotel! We started making jam for the breakfast we serve at Chalet Cannelle in the first summer we lived in Chatel. It was July, and I remember it well as I …
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