Rosa Jackson's Edible Adventures

Cockerel with chestnut honey and peaches
It 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. 4 comment(s)

Les Cévennes
Staying 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. 11 comment(s)

The Arles market
My first visit to the medieval city of Arles happily coincided with the Saturday market along boulevard des Lices. 4 comment(s)

Deadlines
As 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. 9 comment(s)

Keeping cool
The 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. 3 comment(s)

Chocolate mousse with fleur de sel
A 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. 7 comment(s)

Salad days
People 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. 5 comment(s)

A perfect morning in Paris
How 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. 8 comment(s)

Strawberry and tomato gaspacho with pistachio oil
Pistachio 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. 5 comment(s)

Perfume
Considering 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. 2 comment(s)

A strawberry and cream birthday cake
Never 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. 5 comment(s)

Les petits farcis
What I love about these little stuffed vegetables, known affectionately as "les farcis" ("the stuffed") in Nice, is how they reflect the personality of each cook. 0 comment(s)

Ravioli with avocado sauce vierge
When I first came across this dish at the Château de la Chèvre d'Or, I thought it was sheer madness. Then I tasted it and decided otherwise. 1 comment(s)

Strawberry tiramisù
I first spotted this summery variation on classic tiramisù at the bakery Bread & Roses in Paris, and had been wanting to recreate their recipe for months. 3 comment(s)

Fava bean gnocchi
I've had some disasters in the past with non-potato gnocchi. Still, the knowledge that gnocchi and fèves are Sam's two favorite foods in the world - after chocolate, of course - gave me the incentive to try my luck. 0 comment(s)