Travel Inspirations: The Lavender of Provence (Plus a Recipe)
Filed Under Destination Features, Recipes
Every summer tourists flock to Provence to see a sea of beautiful, purple fields ripping in the breeze. The lavender fields of Provence are so famous that most years you need to book well in advance if you want the chance to see these gorgeous blossoms in bloom. This year is of course an exception – if you could get to France (and those of you in Europe can!), you… Read
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Pistou or Pesto?
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes
What is pistou, how is it made, and is it different than pesto? Pistou is derived from the more known Ligurian pesto, but it is made without nuts. A cold condiment made of crushed or chopped basil and garlic mixed with olive oil, often with a hard cheese such as parmesan, pistou is a popular part of Provencal cuisine. Browse our culinary tours of Provence. A culinary vacation in Provence… Read
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Featuring France for an Amazing Culinary Vacation
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips
Besides Paris, where we often have clients doing one-day cooking classes, pastry-making lessons, and foodie walking tours, two of our most popular cooking vacations in France are in Provence and in the Rhone Alps. Now is a good time to travel to France. The recent election has, according to our travel partners, created a positive atmosphere as we head into the busiest travel season. People are feeling good in France… Read
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Rose Wines
Filed Under Wines & Spirits
What's a rose wine, and how does it get it's pink hue? First, as you (hopefully) realize, the dark color in red wines comes from the skins - when the grapes are crushed, the resulting "must" is left to macerate with the skins and seeds. For white wines, the skins are removed right away (or almost immediately), and for rose wines, the maceration is abbreviated, usually lasting one to three… Read
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Our Favorite Cities on our Provence Cooking Vacations
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips
This week we're featuring the south of France, and we thought we'd start with everyone's favorite: Provence! Everyone knows or has heard of the charms of the Provencal countryside: fields of lavender, perched rocky villages, acres of vineyards, and so much sunshine! But Provence features some really amazing cities as well, each worth exploring in its own right on our Provence cooking vacations. So what are our favorites? 1) Marseille… Read
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Provencal Pumpkin Soup
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Recipes
One of the mainstays in southern France during the Fall is pumpkin. Combine the popular ingredient with other fresh produce from Provence, and you have the makings of a delicious and hearty soup, perfect for the approaching cooler weather. This particular recipe for pumpkin soup comes from Chef Mark, who leads small group trips with his Cuisine and Culture of Provence cooking vacation. Since the gastronomy of Provence is highly… Read
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