What’s in season at French food markets in February?
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1M ago
February makes the winter feel even longer. And February at food markets in France means the season for game is over (think pheasant or boar, not football), but there’s still a lot of chicken, duck, and other meat around. The French pay attention to seasonal ingredients when shopping at their food markets and preparing meals. They get through the long winter months by cooking various recipes based on availability. However, there’s not much fresh produce from fruit and vegetable growers at this time of year. Most of it has been stocked in warehouses before winter began. Is anything at its best ..read more
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What’s in season at French markets in December?
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
4M ago
The French are known for their attention to seasonal ingredients, and they have a huge variety of recipes as a result: the ingredients savvy French home cooks shop for and the dishes they make with them change from season to season, just as we change our clothes. This was a surprise to me: I grew up largely on packaged food and was clueless about what was in or out of season from one month to the next. But adopting this cultural tradition after moving to France was enriching: I learned to live a bit more with the rhythms of nature – even in a big city like Paris. And I expanded my food repert ..read more
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French “Pot au Feu”: A Classic Beef Stew Recipe for Winter
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
This is the perfect time of year for a classic cold-weather recipe: French “Pot au Feu” (literally a “Pot in the Fire”). This French beef stew is a great winter dish of stewed meats, beef broth, and vegetables. It’s simple to put together but does take a few hours to cook. However, the investment in time and effort is worth it: you can serve it in several ways, freeze any leftovers, and your kitchen will smell wonderful! A versatile dish that can be served in several ways: The French traditionally serve this dish with the stewed meat and vegetables on a platter and the beef broth placed separa ..read more
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What’s in season at French markets in January?
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
Is there anything seasonal to eat in France in the middle of winter? Like in other months, products are coming into season at French markets in January, others are at their best, and some are going out of season. But do the French want to eat anything after all those long, rich meals they had during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays? But of course! This is France! The French pay attention to the seasons when food shopping: The French are known for their attention to seasonal ingredients when preparing meals. This surprised me because I grew up mainly on packaged food. I was clue ..read more
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5 Healthy French-Inspired Food Resolutions for 2023
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
It’s that time of year when we all want to start 2023 off right by upgrading our habits. So here are my 5 New Year’s Food Resolutions inspired by good habits I’ve observed among savvy French home cooks. First of all, there seems to be a new food service or home delivery app coming out every month in France. But the objective is always the same: to convince you that cooking is difficult, complicated, and time-consuming. Best leave all that work to the professionals. I didn’t think much about it until I did a few quick calculations: financially and quality-wise, even decent take-out food i ..read more
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Walnut Oil: How To Up-Level Simple Meals The French Way
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
I’ve noticed a hack the French use to elevate their everyday meals to fantastic while keeping them healthy and easy to prepare: They add an unusual, high-quality ingredient to a simple recipe to up-level the taste and avoid boredom. This also helps them avoid the temptation to buy unhealthy takeaway meals or turn to packaged food for a quick dish. With a touch of a well-made product, they know they don’t need to outsource to anyone for delicious food.   Case in point: walnut oil. When I was growing up in the US, I  loved walnuts. My father would bring home cases of t ..read more
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Easy French Barbecue Marinade Recipes
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
Marinades are a great resource to have on hand for barbecues. They’re easy to prepare and will quickly up-level the flavor of your meals.  I’ve highlighted just 4 ingredients from the French Pantry Checklist to use in the 2 marinade recipes below. But you can also use many of the other items on the list for a variety of marinades to give you a rich range of flavors!  The History of Marinades: The main function of marinades historically was to preserve the quality of the meat being cooked. The word “Marinade” takes its root from “seawater”, which described the brine used in antiquity ..read more
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Easy French BBQ Marinade Recipes
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
The French Pantry Checklist meets summer marinade recipes! Marinades are a great resource to have on hand for summer barbecues. They’re easy to prepare and will quickly up-level the flavor of your summer meals.  I’ve highlighted just 4 ingredients from the French Pantry Checklist to use in the 2 marinade recipes below. But you can also use many of the other items on the list for a variety of marinades to give you a range of rich flavors!  The History of Marinades: The main function of marinades historically was to preserve the quality of the meat being cooked. The word “Marinade” ta ..read more
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One Easy Fix for Delicious Cooking: Artisanal French Olive Oil. How to Select the Best
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
1y ago
For a long time, I thought the French olive oil I was buying in the supermarket here in Paris was terrific. Then I had two surprises: When I read the label in detail there was nothing that said the olive oil was actually from France! The fine print stated the oil was from the European Union and outside the European Union. So basically, it was from anywhere in the world! I felt tricked. Well-known brands from Italy sold in US supermarkets revealed a similar situation a few years ago which shocked US consumers: only a portion of what was in the bottle was from Italy. Mass-produced brands turn t ..read more
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Bouquet Garni 101: How To Use These Traditional French Herbs
Nancy Conway
by nancyconway
2y ago
French women will regularly pick up several different types of herbs when food shopping, either in bunches or in small flower pots for their kitchens. Fresh herbs have a natural spot on their grocery list when buying produce.  They also use dried herbs, especially mixes of dried herbs typical to French cuisine. They know how to use them in modern as well as traditional recipes. This is one of the French “secrets” to making simple home-cooked meals taste like a dish you’d find in a restaurant.  “Bouquet Garni” is a combination of herbs in French cuisine that is used either dried or f ..read more
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