Blog Designer

After 40 years at the helm of one of Provence’s most renowned restaurants, La Fenière, Chef Reine Sammut and sommelier husband Guy are handing over the reins of the cuisine to Nadia Sammut in October. Nadia, who is the third generation of Sammuts at La Fenière, credits her grandmother and her parents for her culinary knowledge and passion for food but brings her own personal experience and education to the table, too: growing up with celiac disease and learning to cook creatively sans gluten...

It's been a long hot summer, at least where I've been hanging my hat. I was in Provence for the hottest July on record, returned to New England where heat and humidity dominated many summer days, ditto for my visits to New York--in August what else would I expect?-- and

In all the summers we’ve spent in Provence, I have never seen any mention of summer truffles. Maybe I was drinking too much rosé to notice something I thought only surfaced in the winter—silly me—but, this summer, Tubera aestiva were on my radar…and on my...

Dans un écrin d’authenticité, entre campagne et bord de mer, le domaine oéli-viticole “La Tourraque” est un joyau rare, et - grâce à la famille Brun-Craveris - ce qui pouvait arriver de mieux à ce site d’exception, à deux pas du Cap Taillat (l’endroit le plus naturel de toute la presqu’île - accès seulement à pied), et à quelques minutes du zoo de Saint-Tropez (on dit que sur le quai Suffren, il n’y a que deux genres d’animaux : ceux qui se pavanent, et

Forty years ago, Georges Mazoyer (1925 - 1996) opened his Musée Extraordinaire in the tiny Luberon village of Ansouis. Deep-sea diver, artist, and world-wide traveler, this extraordinarily unusual man spent ten years refurbishing the small space--a former stable--adjacent to his studio and filling it with the souvenirs of his adventures. Encouraged by friends to share his passion for underwater life, the museum was a labor of love that today is carried on by his daughter, Nicole, and her husband...

I love arriving at a dinner party knowing that it isn’t going to be a “state affair.” I want to relax – from the apéros to the dessert – and none of it need be fancy, especially the food and wine. (N.B. I still want crystal, silver, and linen…) Today, I made a Crumble au Poulet – simple, elegant, and very tasty fare. To serve, I wanted something that would match the simplicity of the meal, and yet be sophisticated and complex. I also needed something to go with a bit of spice, as the crumble topping is laced with a sweet curry. I chose a 2013 Domaines les Fouques Cuvée de l’Aubigue, and was not disappointed. On the nose, I was greeted by honeysuckle and a dish of cinnamon.

With a trip to Provence on the horizon, I looked into the status of the legal requirement to carry  breathalyzers in one’s car. The answer, as I write this post, is that at least one is required. However, don't hold your breath, things could change by August.  Such is nature of this law and, to some extent, many of the laws pertaining to driving while in...

The 2015 Decanter World Wine Awards are in and I just got word from Alain Bonnefoy, of the House of Burgundy, independent fine wines & spirits importer and distributor in New York City, that Château La Tour de l’Evêque Rosé 2014 Cuvée Pétale de Rose took a Gold Medal

The battle began in a civilized fashion. The candles were lit; the table was set with a Provençal cloth. A large platter of Cailles aux Riz à la Provençale was set down in the center, and the guests were poured a glass of each vintage. Then, the gloves came off. I have been drinking Bieler Père at Fils rosé for quite a few years now. It has been reliable, easily found, and - in our most expensive stores - at a price point that makes me happy. This is, however, the first time

ver the weekend another Provence rosé lover, Cynthia Fenneman, and I invited some friends over for a blind tasting of five Provence rosés. Research for Provence WineZine, of course