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

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

Welcome to The French Fork

The French Fork is a story-driven newsletter about real French cooking, market days, and the small rituals that make a table feel like home.

Which French region is the only one to officially protect a chili pepper with its own AOP status?

Flavors of the French Basque Table

Sweet peppers, slow-cooked chicken, and a gâteau that whispers of almond and rum

In the southwest of France, near the Spanish border, cooking becomes warmer.

Not in temperature, but in spirit.

Peppers simmer longer. Sauces deepen. Conversations stretch into the night.

This is not the France of butter and cream alone.

This is a table filled with color, quiet spice, and generosity.

Tonight, we cook like they do in the Basque country.

Starter – Piperade

A dish of gently stewed tomatoes, onions, and sweet peppers, softened into something almost jam-like. Often served with eggs, but just as beautiful on its own with bread.

Wine suggestion

A dry Irouléguy Blanc or a fresh Côtes de Gascogne

Recipe – Piperade

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 red bell peppers

2 tomatoes

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp mild paprika

Salt and black pepper

Preparation

Slice the peppers and onion into thin strips.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook slowly until soft.

Add garlic and peppers and cook gently for 10–15 minutes until softened.

Peel and chop the tomatoes, then add them to the pan.

Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Let everything simmer gently for another 15 minutes until it becomes rich and slightly thick.

Serve warm with crusty bread.

Main Course – Poulet Basquaise

This is the heart of the region. Chicken slowly simmered with peppers, tomatoes, and a touch of Espelette pepper.

It tastes like late summer, even in the middle of winter.

Wine suggestion

A red Irouléguy or a Madiran (for something more powerful)

Recipe – Poulet Basquaise

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 chicken thighs

2 red bell peppers

1 green bell pepper

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

400 g (14 oz) canned tomatoes

100 ml (⅓ cup) white wine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp piment d’Espelette (or mild chili)

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan cook onion, garlic, and sliced peppers until soft.

Add tomatoes, white wine, and piment d’Espelette.

Return the chicken to the pan and let it simmer gently for 35–40 minutes until tender.

Serve with rice or bread to absorb the sauce.

Dessert – Gâteau Basque

Golden, slightly crumbly, filled with pastry cream or black cherry jam.

A dessert that feels like something a grandmother would guard closely.

Wine suggestion

A small glass of Jurançon Doux or even a light Armagnac on the side.

Recipe – Gâteau Basque

Ingredients (serves 6–8)

250 g (2 cups) flour

150 g (¾ cup) sugar

150 g (10 tbsp) butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

Filling

150 g (½ cup) black cherry jam

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt to form a soft dough.

Divide dough in two parts.

Press the first half into a buttered baking tin. Spread the cherry jam evenly.

Cover with the second half of dough and smooth the top.

Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden.

Let cool before slicing.

This week's article recipes

Discover the authentic Boeuf Bourguignon recipe from Burgundy, France. Beef braised in red wine with mushrooms and pearl onions.

Discover the classic French dish that made Julia Child famous. Coq au vin transforms humble chicken into something extraordinary through slow braising in Burgundy wine.

At the Tablel

In the Basque country, meals are not rushed.

They stretch, they breathe, they linger.

A pan on the stove. A bottle on the table.

And always, just a little more to share.

And if you ever find yourself near Bayonne on a warm evening, follow the scent of peppers and garlic drifting through an open window.

You’ll know you’re close.

Follow us also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefrenchfork

Entrepeneur? Do The Quiz:

https://quiz.thefrenchfork.com/start

The French Fork

For lovers of real French food, from rustic villages to buzzing boulevards.

The Basque region, with the famous Piment d’Espelette, the only chili pepper in France with AOP protection.

P.S. : A simple "Got it" reply lets us know everything worked !