A preparation that is always found in my refrigerator — Tomato confit is a foundational element in my cooking. I love the way tomato flavors intensify and sweeten after long, slow cooking. They marry beautifully with almost everything, from lamb, chicken, and fish to pasta. As a consequence, they find their way into a lot of my dishes. Tomato Confit Tomatoes intensify…

Become the Creator of Your Own Success — In the wake of Covid’s turbulence, my life took unexpected turns. Like countless others, I bid farewell to the secure haven of the reliable paycheck, choosing instead to pursue my heart’s desires. This journey led me from a stable income in food sales to the realm of commercial real estate…

Coping With The Loss of a Parent — My sister’s phone call felt like a punch in the gut. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I knew my mother had started her hospice care; I just didn’t think the end would come so quickly. Just a few days before, she had come home from the hospital and seemed…

A Farmhouse Chicken Stuffed with Foie Gras and Truffles — I fear that I may lose a few of you when I recount this next story. My more sympathetic friends might even start a GoFundMe page to help raise money for my orphaned son. The hedonism did not end after the bouillabaisse. Non, that would have been far too prudent. …

Eating Bouillabaisse at L’Esplaï du Grand Bar des Goudes — There always comes a moment on a French vacation when I realize that this level of overindulgence cannot continue for too much longer. Most of my travel mates have already succumbed to their first ‘Crise de Foie’. A few have converted to devout veganism and one even went as far…

Eating at My Favorite Restaurant in the World — When the Good Lord begins to doubt the world, he remembers that he created Provence. — Frederic Mistral We all have our own versions of Heaven. Some imagine a peaceful place where they will live out eternity with God; others imagine a world where they get everything they ever lusted…

Celebrating the End of Truffle Season with a Back Alley Deal — The call came while we were touring the ancient Greco-Roman city of Glanum on the outskirts of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. ‘Come quick if you want the last truffle of the season. Bring cash.’ Click; the line went dead. My heart began to race as I stuck my phone back into my pocket…

A Cassoulet Crisis Averted — Dear readers, by the time you see this post the storm will have passed and bright skies are prevailing again in my life. Rest assured that I am still very much alive, although I won’t lie, it was touch and go there for a while. The infamous ‘crises de Cassoulet’…

A Gastronomical Map of France —