Alsacian Pasta salad

Alsacian Pasta salad

IMO, this Pasta salad is an absolute must have for an outdoor BBQ. It is one of the most popular side dishes and convinces as a party salad as well as a simple lunch or dinner. Here you will find my favorite pasta salad recipe, the one I ate while in the French Alsace (Colmar) region. A classic pasta salad belongs on the barbecue buffet! … Continue reading Alsacian Pasta salad

Bouillabaisse, french fish soup

Bouillabaisse, a tasty French Fish soup

While making a stop in Marseille in October 2022, I ate this very tasty Fish soup. In France it is called Bouillabaisse and was originally the sailor’s and poor man’s food. Now it is served mostly in fine restaurants. Back then, the lesser quality fish or seafood leftovers have been boiled for a long time to elicit the full flavor of the ingredients. This kind … Continue reading Bouillabaisse, a tasty French Fish soup

St. Michel, Normandy

A Trip to Normandy, Well Worth the Wait

By Guest Author Claudia Clark. Visiting the Northern region of France known as Normandy is somewhere I had always wanted to go because my mother had been a French teacher and spent several years there as part of an exchange program while she was in college and was quite fond of the area. From the time I was a small child she showed me photos and shared her stories of the time she spent there.  Continue reading A Trip to Normandy, Well Worth the Wait

Quiche

Quiche Lorraine, a classic French-German dish

The word Quiche derives from German “Kuchen”, meaning “cake.” In the Lorraine region (now France), the mixture was made from everyday ingredients and was reduced to the bare minimum: beaten eggs with cream and a little butter. In the summer the people of Lorraine harvested Spring onions from the garden, which they chopped and enhanced the taste of the mixture. Continue reading Quiche Lorraine, a classic French-German dish

Tarte Flambée, Flammkuchen

Flammkuchen or Tarte Flambée 

Tarte flambée, as the French call it, is proof that good recipes don’t need tons of ingredients. But good ones! Tarte flambée is always on our table when we don’t really feel like cooking. This is done so quickly, that it does not require a long rise time or the cumbersome preparation of other ingredients. Continue reading Flammkuchen or Tarte Flambée 

Chamonix, France

Chamonix-MontBlanc, the highest Mountain in Western Europe

The charming French town Chamonix initially rose to international fame in 1924 as the first host of the Winter Olympics. Located in the Haute-Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France between the peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and Aiguille du Midi. By guest author Claudia Clark Continue reading Chamonix-MontBlanc, the highest Mountain in Western Europe

Croissants aux Amandes, Almond Croissant

Croissants aux Amandes in Paris

I ate these decadent Almond Croissants while in Paris at the Les Deux Magots. They are also called croissants aux creme d’amandes or simply croissants fourrés. We arrived at the Parisian district with a special charm, an atmosphere of character and a renowned café name Les Deux Magots! With a patio facing the church, and its waiters in black and white clothes set the tone of Saint-Germain. Continue reading Croissants aux Amandes in Paris