A Niçois dinner at Paule's Parisian padWhen people ask me how I met
Paule Caillat, I usually laugh and say it was thanks to our hairdresser.
Fridge doorThank you to
Wendy for holding a fridge door
contest, with a cookbook to win.
Secret sushiA few weeks ago I would have sworn that there was no good sushi in Nice. It turns out that I just hadn't looked in the right place.
The best fruit vinegarsIt all started with a few tiny bottles, small enough to slip into my hand luggage without causing suspicion at the airport.
Cockerel with chestnut honey and peachesIt has always come naturally to me to throw fruit into a salad - raspberries with asparagus, figs with feta cheese, blood oranges with beets - yet in France this makes me something of an eccentric.
Les CévennesStaying in a chambre d'hôtes with breakfast and dinner included would be a new way for us to spend a summer holiday, but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of leaving the cooking to someone else - especially when that someone seemed to love food as much as I do.
The Arles marketMy first visit to the medieval city of Arles happily coincided with the Saturday market along boulevard des Lices.
DeadlinesAs I struggle to meet guidebook deadlines, I invite you to have a look at the piece on zucchini (courgettes to some of you) and other summer squash that I've just published on the BBC Food website.
Keeping coolThe sun is far too dazzling here in Nice so I'm off to England for a few days, where it promises to be cold and wet.
Chocolate mousse with fleur de selA recipe for chocolate mousse with fleur de sel in an old issue of
Régal magazine reminded me of the remarkable way that salt can
accentuate the character of good chocolate. It also made me wonder why it had been so long since I last made chocolate mousse.
Salad daysPeople often ask me why I'm not enormous. Even if I do have a penchant for
cakes, I think what saves me is that my idea of a perfect meal is some variation on this.
A perfect morning in ParisHow would I spend a perfect morning in Paris? I found out on Saturday when I realized that I had several hours stretching in front of me with no obligations.
Strawberry and tomato gaspacho with pistachio oilPistachio oil brings an extra touch of originality to strawberry and tomato gaspacho, which I came across at Le Mirazur's new tapas-style bar and couldn't wait to recreate.
PerfumeConsidering the the importance we attribute to aromas in wine, it's funny that leaning over and sniffing your plate in a restaurant is still not considered the height of politeness.
A strawberry and cream birthday cakeNever answer the phone when you're cooking. This rule can save a lot of heartache, such as the sight of Sam's comically deflated birthday cake a few minutes after I pulled it out of the oven.