Fall in love with France, one recipe at a time.

A weekly recipes letter for those who love French food in all its glory.

A Supper in Early Autumn

Chestnut light, golden wine, and a table set for three perfect courses.

There’s a moment in early autumn — just as the sun begins to tilt its golden gaze and the shadows grow longer — when everything slows down. The markets are caught between seasons: baskets still brim with late tomatoes and sun-warmed herbs, but nearby, a crate of chestnuts whispers of what’s to come. It’s a time to set the table for something special, something that holds on to summer’s perfume while welcoming the first cool sighs of fall.

So let us take you to such a table. The shutters are open, the white cloth rustles in the breeze, and a bottle of chilled white Bordeaux stands sweating softly beside three dishes that speak to each other like old friends.

Starter

Tarte Fine aux Tomates, Chèvre et Herbes de Provence

(Crisp Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese & Provencal Herbs)

A whisper-thin puff pastry base, baked to golden flake. On top: slices of sun-ripened tomatoes, a scattering of soft goat cheese, and a generous pinch of thyme, rosemary, and crushed pink peppercorns.

You bite in and the crunch gives way to warmth — the last song of summer in every mouthful. Serve it just warm, with a swirl of olive oil and a few torn basil leaves for brightness.

🍷 Wine pairing: A Graves Blanc — dry, floral, and with just enough acidity to balance the creamy cheese and sweet tomato.

Recipe 

Tarte Fine aux Tomates, Chèvre et Herbes de Provence

(Crisp Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese & Provencal Herbs)

Serves: 4 as a starter

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of puff pastry (250g / 9 oz), thawed if frozen

• 3 ripe tomatoes (medium-large), thinly sliced

• 120g (4 oz) fresh goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence

• A few pink peppercorns, crushed (optional but delightful)

• Salt and black pepper

• Fresh basil to finish

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F (fan 180°C / 375°F).

2. Roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Score a 1cm border around the edge with a knife, being careful not to cut through.

3. Prick the center with a fork to prevent puffing. Brush lightly with Dijon mustard.

4. Arrange tomato slices over the mustard, overlapping slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Sprinkle goat cheese evenly across, then the Herbes de Provence, crushed peppercorns, and drizzle with olive oil.

6. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the edges are golden and the cheese has melted into little browned clouds.

7. Let cool slightly, top with torn basil, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Main Course

Poulet à la Moutarde et au Vin Blanc

(Mustard & White Wine Braised Chicken with Autumn Vegetables)

This is comfort on a plate. Chicken thighs, browned until golden, then gently braised in Dijon mustard, white wine, and cream, alongside shallots, carrots, and a touch of garlic. The sauce becomes velvety, perfumed with bay and tarragon.

Serve it with buttery pommes de terre vapeur — small steamed potatoes, their skins cracked just enough to drink in the sauce.

🍷 Wine pairing: The same Graves Blanc from the starter carries through — its harmony of fruit and minerality enhancing the mustard’s gentle heat and the depth of the dish.

Recipe 

Poulet à la Moutarde et au Vin Blanc

(Mustard & White Wine Braised Chicken with Autumn Vegetables)

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (optional, for texture)
• 200ml (¾ cup) dry white wine
• 150ml (⅔ cup) crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 4 shallots, halved
• 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried tarragon or a few fresh sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add shallots, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the mustards, then deglaze with white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, add bay leaf and tarragon. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the lid, stir in crème fraîche and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste.
7. Serve with steamed potatoes, crusty bread, or even rice if you must.

Tip: It’s even better the next day. As most French stews are.

Dessert

Poires Pochées au Sauternes et Épices Douces

(Poached Pears in Sauternes with Gentle Spices)

And finally, something elegant — a dessert that floats rather than lands. Ripe pears, poached slowly in sweet Sauternes wine with cinnamon, star anise, and a twist of orange peel. Cooled and served with their syrup, they glisten like jewels.

A spoon cuts through the tender flesh, and the flavor is… golden. Honeyed. Whispered with spice.

Add a dollop of crème fraîche or a shard of almond tuile if you’re feeling decadent.

🍷 Wine pairing: A glass of the Sauternes used for poaching, naturally — chilled, and poured like a benediction.

Recipe

Poires Pochées au Sauternes et Épices Douces

(Poached Pears in Sauternes with Gentle Spices)

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Cooling time: At least 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 4 firm pears (like Williams or Bosc), peeled, stems left on

• 500ml (2 cups) Sauternes or another sweet white wine

• 100g (½ cup) sugar

• 1 strip of orange peel

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 star anise

• 3 whole cloves

• Optional: crème fraîche or almond biscuits to serve

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine wine, sugar, orange peel, and spices. Bring to a gentle simmer.

2. Add the peeled pears, making sure they’re mostly submerged (add a splash of water if needed).

3. Cover with a lid or parchment and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, turning pears occasionally, until tender when pierced.

4. Remove pears and reduce the syrup uncovered for 10–15 minutes until it thickens slightly.

5. Cool both pears and syrup. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

6. Serve the pears draped in their golden syrup, with a spoonful of crème fraîche if desired.

Recipe Articles

Petits farcis Niçois is a beloved dish from the hills behind Nice, where fragrant lavender and olive groves shape the landscape.

Rooted in tradition, this humble meal celebrates the art of making the most from garden produce and simple leftovers.

Locals gently hollow out tomatoes, courgettes, onions, and aubergines, filling them with a savory blend of ground meat, herbs, breadcrumbs, and sometimes a dusting of cheese.

The stuffed vegetables are roasted to golden perfection—edges soft, tops just crisp—and can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

A glass of chilled Côtes de Provence rosé or a white wine from Bellet is the perfect companion.

For a true taste of Provence, savor them with a leafy salad, crusty bread, and perhaps laughter shared beneath the Mediterranean sun.

The Tarte Tatin is a rustic French dessert born from a happy accident in Lamotte-Beuvron, where two sisters forgot the pastry and crafted a masterpiece.

Imagine apples sizzling in butter and sugar, filling your kitchen with the scent of caramel and home.

This unpretentious tart brims with golden apples, kissed by caramel, and is best enjoyed warm with a dollop of thick crème fraîche melting on top.

Making Tarte Tatin is simple: caramelize apples with butter, sugar, and a hint of vanilla in a heavy skillet, top with buttery puff pastry, and bake until golden.

After a daring flip, serve it straight from the pan.

Pair with a glass of Cidre Brut or late harvest Monbazillac, and let autumn’s flavors shine.

The true essence of this tart, though, begins not in the oven but in the orchard, where apples ripen under a fragrant September sky.

And so…

The evening lingers. Plates are scraped clean, the last drops of wine swirled and sipped, and the wind begins to hint at wool coats and firelight.

But tonight, we’ve eaten with the last warmth of summer still on our shoulders. And what a meal it was — each course singing softly into the next, like a chanson fading into dusk.

And if you ever find yourself in the southwest of France, when the vines are turning gold and the pears are heavy on the branch — We’ll be there, at a table under the fig tree, holding a spoon above a bowl of poached fruit.

Come hungry. And come with time.

A bientôt 

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