And there they were, the shining black gold of the southwest finally at the local market sold by the mushroom man among his golden trumpets and chanterelles. I learned that unlike our Itailian neighbors to the east, the people of Gascony like to prepare these shaved over crème fraîche and pasta, and this was a very good recommendation!

Who says your day can’t begin with Champagne, caviar and foie gras? I say that it can, and will on A Taste of Gascony tour! Today we had a magnificent time. Following the morning snacks we visited a local market in a vibrante bastide village that was under siege by the Black Prince of England in the 100 year war during the 15th century. There we had a lovely lunch prepared by a young and enthusiastic chef doing great things with local food. Over lunch we were joined by my Fre

Fate sometimes has it when you are turned away from the packed village bistro because you did not make a lunch reservation and the only place that will take you on a random Wednesday is an Abby turned hotel and spa, then we shall be destined to enjoy an incredible meal! I generally feel that the best food is served home style, fresh, local and prepared with lots of love, but then there are those occasions where a little bit of fancy and over the top creations are what is nece

Escargot is the gateway into French food, lord knows I’ve had a ton of it and can not resist when I see it on a menu. It’s that dish that just makes you want to compulsively lick the plate clean of each little chopped parsley flake soaked in that delicious earthy, garlicky oil. But enjoying these little nibbles on the tour from snails that were raised and harvested on the farm next door raised the bar to a whole other, higher level. We got to hear from the master himself how

We had the great honor and pleasure to learn from the owner and Master baker of the Mendez-Nouven Boulangerie-Pâtisserie  how to make special anise seed holiday bread and baguettes. When you come to visit on my tours, we can take a baking class together. It is amazing how simple and few the ingredients are (water, yeast, pinch of salt and local flour) for the most incredible and delicious bread. When you come to visit on my tours, we can take a baking class together, where yo

At the Victor Hugo Market in Toulouse Someone got me really obsessed on the preparation and various styles of Coquille Saint-Jacques. One could not possibly ask for a more local dish, after-all it was named from the pilgrimage of Saint James or the Camino de Santiago which passes through the region. How sea scallops ended up in an area that is so landlocked I may never know, perhaps the pilgrims used them for trade for shelter along the way and to this day one can recognize a