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The humble lentil comes into its own in this simple, earthy dish flavored with gently sautéd onions, ground spices and fresh herbs. Lentils prepared in this way can be served as a flavor-packed side dish with meat, poultry or fish, or as part of a vegetarian meal. I served the dish recently with grilled guinea hen with walnut sauce, with a spinach salad alongside, and my guests were very happy. The full meal, with recipes, is described below. Lentilles épicées aux oignons / Spicy lentils with onions Lentils have been part of the Mediterranean diet since prehistoric times, when farming was first getting started. That dates back about 12,000 years… The variety used most often in French cuisine is the small green lentil, raised on the volcanic soil of the Auvergne region. Blonde lentils, used in today’s recipe, fell out of favor in France for a time but are now being grown again and are making their way onto the menus of celebrated chefs. I discovered this dish via a Paris friend who...

One of the delights of autumn is the baked apple — pomme au four in French. Served with cream or without, it’s a classic dessert that’s both healthy and easy to make. But is it so totally basic that it doesn’t belong on a French cooking blog? I thought it over, called a couple of friends and, with their hearty encouragement, decided to go for it. I’ve been wanting to add pommes au four to the desserts on this site for a very long time. Et voilà . Pommes au four / Baked apples The impulse behind this week’s recipe was a recent visit to my cottage in Burgundy, where apples are particularly abundant this year. They were falling off the trees, in many varieties. However, as the summer was very hot and very dry, they were smaller than usual. Although in the past I’ve tended to use large apples for this dessert, I decided to give it a try with the small ones, serving two or three per portion, as shown above and, with caramelized sauce but no cream, here. There were a few big apples le...

My friend Vera, a superlative cook, served this spicy slow-cooked veal dish on the occasion of her husband’s birthday last year. It was summer, and the birthday dinner was in the garden of their country house in Provence. There were many guests and many speeches, much wine and much merriment. Cheery lanterns hung from a mulberry tree over trestle tables festooned with patterned cloths. I loved it all, but what blew me away was the food. Veau braisé aux épices / Slow-cooked veal with spices Vera must have served ten dishes that evening, including another meat dish and many sides. It was a spectacular meal. I asked her for the veal recipe the next morning, but it took me all this time to get around to making it. It’s not exactly everyday cooking, as it takes … three days. And you need to have a crowd to consume it. But the effort is worth it. How did she come up with this recipe? Vera is a multi-culti, multi-lingual person whose culinary knowledge spans the world. Born in Czechoslov...

This dish gives an interesting twist to pumpkin that may be of interest as the holidays approach. Yes, I’m thinking Thanksgiving. The combination of pasta and pumpkin is popular in both France and Italy, and the walnuts add depth. This version also has a touch of Meg thanks to the spicing — not nutmeg, as my childhood friends delighted in calling me, but cumin which, combined with a spritz of lemon juice, adds a welcome zest. Penne au potiron et aux noix / Penne with pumpkin and walnuts Other squashes, like butternut, may be substituted for the pumpkin. In fact, in Italy, the word for pumpkin — zucca — covers a wide range of squashes. So you never know exactly what you’re getting when you order gnocchi with zucca, ravioli filled with zucca, etc. I chose pumpkin over butternut because I find it easier to handle — removing the peel from a butternut squash can be a bit of a bore. But butternut is sweeter, so you may prefer it. This recipe came my way via a favorite French cookbook, ...

This is a versatile salad featuring two types of greens that come into their own in late autumn and winter: mâche (aka lamb’s lettuce) and Belgian endive. Mustardy vinaigrette sauce and plenty of garlic turn the leaves into a zesty salad that may be served as is or enhanced with walnuts, Alpine cheese and/or country ham. This adaptability will allow you to enjoy it whatever your culinary proclivity — omnivore, vegetarian or vegan. Salade mâche-endives / Salad of mâche and Belgian endive I enjoy making this salad when the days grow cool and short. This is when mâche appears at farmers’ markets in Paris. In the old days, that was the only place to find it; now you can buy it in a bag, which simplifies matters. Mâche is grown in sandy soil, and washing it clean can be a bit of a chore. The difference between the fresh and packaged sort is not significant enough to matter except for purists. Likewise, Belgian endive (aka chicory) is a winter vegetable, grown in two stages, the second...

French cheese is delicious, but some is…hm, how to put this… aromatic . Why is that? One French cheese has officially been named the smelliest in the world. Another has been banned from public transportation. A third was discovered when a cheese sandwich was accidentally left in a cave. Read all about these aromatic cheeses at Frenchly! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

In the old days in the US, doctors were kind of like gods–Me Important Doctor, you lowly patient, that sort of thing. You certainly didn’t ask questions or share what you learned on the Internet. It’s still like that in France. So imagine visiting a French doctor and being interrogated…in French. It happened to me, with a surprising result. You can read all about it at Perfectly Provence . tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

In the old days in Provence, flocks of sheep were marched hundreds of miles, to cool mountain pastures, where they would graze during the hot summer months. They passed through village after village in what was called the transhumance , and all the villagers would come out to watch the spectacle. In the 1960s and 70s, the transhumance faded away as shepherds began to transport their flocks by truck, but then towns like St-Rémy-de-Provence revived the tradition with annual festivals. Held every year on Whit Monday, the modern  transhumance features thousands of sheep circling the town, along with shepherds, sheepdogs and the occasional goat. It is like a river of sheet flowing past, a sight not to be forgotten! Read all about this link to the Provençal past in The Good Life France . tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

Since November, thousands of people known as gilets jaunes  (yellow vests) have blocked roads and marched through cities to demonstrate against the French government. What began as a protest against a gas tax quickly metastasized into a general protest against rising inequality, lack of economic opportunity, the elitism of the French ruling class, and more. After months of sometimes-violent protests, what do the French people think of the gilets jaunes these days? The answer might surprise you. Read all about it at Frenchly! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

One day our Provence friends Xavier and Marie-France decided that Val and I should join them at an avant-garde theatrical performance. They said it would improve our “cultural appreciation.” The show was being put on by a private group, the kind that rarely opens its doors to foreigners like us, so we were thrilled to be invited. But I have to say, it was about the strangest piece of theater I’ve ever seen! Read all about it in Perfectly Provence . tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

How would you like to travel to France but not have to get on a plane? The best way to do it, unless you have a friend with a yacht, is by reading a book. I love books by foreigners who’ve lived in France. They see the country differently than the French do, and living abroad helps them see their own country through new eyes. I’ve put together a list of my favorite books about France. Some are funny, some are touching, and all are excellent reads. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite yourself! Read all about it at Frenchly! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

Val and I are traveling around Europe and have been in France for the last month. I am responsible for doing the laundry in our family, and French washing machines present a special challenge. Every time we land in a new place, I have to figure out a new washing machine. You would think they would be standardized—or at least kind of similar—but you would be wrong. Charles de Gaulle famously said of the fractious French, “How can you govern a country with 246 types of cheese?” He could easily have been talking about French washing machines, but I suspect it was Madame de Gaulle doing the laundry while Monsieur le Général sat around eating cheese. The trick is to find a wash cycle that doesn’t take all day, because French washing machines are a lot like French bureaucrats—they take a long time to get anything done. Read all about my French laundry adventures in The Good Life France! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

Val and I live part of the year in St-Rèmy-de-Provence, a charming town between Marseille and Avignon. I’ve written a guidebook about the area, An Insider’s Guide to Provence , where I share some of our favorite things to see and do. Now I’ve put together a series of articles I call Secrets of St-Rémy , based on that book. I think the best part of St-Rémy is just wandering its winding streets, but there are three sights I recommend that every visitor see—the outdoor market; the asylum where Vincent van Gogh was treated, combined with the van Gogh walk; and the Roman sites of Glanum and les Antiques . Let me tell you more about them in My French Life! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

When tourists take day trips from Paris, it’s usually to Versailles or Fontainebleau or maybe Giverny. But a hidden gem is the Château de Chantilly. It’s as elegant as Versailles but more intimate, and is just a short hop from Paris. The château and its vast grounds were the main estate of the Duke of Aumale, son of the last king of France and one of the country’s richest men. He donated it to the Institut de France in 1884 and it has been a tourist attraction ever since. What’s there to see? Lots! There’s the château itself, in pristine condition, which houses one of France’s most important art collections. There are the exquisite gardens with their mile-long grand canal. There is the equestrian center with its racetrack and fabulous stables. And you can have strawberries with, yes, chantilly cream! Read all about it in Frenchly! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

Val and I live part of the year in St-Rèmy-de-Provence, a charming town between Marseille and Avignon. I’ve written a guidebook about the area, An Insider’s Guide to Provence , where I share some of our favorite things to see and do. Now I’ve put together a series of articles I call Secrets of St-Rémy , based on that book. St-Rémy is full of excellent restaurants and cafés, and Val and I love enjoying their meals, lingering over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. I’ve made a list of our seven top favorites, places we’ve been to many times, from simple cafés to special-occasion restaurants. Read all about them in My French Life! tiktok unlimited coins tiktok mod apk unlimited coins tiktok coins free

Lors de ce webinaire gratuit d’une heure, Nicolas Simon, Responsable du département Offre de services internationale, et Claire Arenales Del Campo, Responsable d’équipe Mobilité internationale, tous deux à la direction générale de Pôle emploi, vous présenteront les outils et services à votre disposition pour trouver un emploi à l’étranger, ou encore pour préparer un retour en France après une période de travail à l’étranger. Rendez-vous en ligne mardi 15 novembre à 12pm ET · 11am CT · 9am PT · 18h en France [ Inscription gratuite ] Pôle emploi agit au cœur d’un vaste écosystème à l’international pour accompagner la mobilité professionnelle des demandeurs d’emploi à l’étranger et les entreprises qui recrutent à l’international. Avec des équipes dédiées à la mobilité internationale, Pôle emploi déploie une offre de services à distance et accompagne aussi les Français à l’étranger qui veulent préparer leur retour en France. Vous aurez l’occasion de poser vos questions en direct. Vous ...

[Article partenaire] « Le fait d’avoir le baccalauréat et le US High School diploma est un plus indéniable qui permet d’étudier partout dans le monde » . Nicolas , en Terminale au LFSF, le Lycée Français de San Francisco , garde ses options d’études supérieures ouvertes pour l’an prochain. August , un junior (première) à LFSF High sait, lui, déjà qu’il restera aux États-Unis: « on travaille avec des conseillers d’orientation depuis la fin de la 4ème, et le fait d’avoir le bac est aussi une manière de se distinguer des autres candidats américains  » . 60% de ses camarades en Terminale l’an dernier ont également décidé d’aller dans une université ou un college américain. 19% ont choisi d’aller au Canada et 6.5% en France. Tous ont obtenu l’un de leurs trois premiers choix d’études. Naya, une Lifer (au LFSF depuis la maternelle), à sa cérémonie de remise de diplôme du baccalauréat en juin 2022 Et pour cause, les résultats au baccalauréat sont excellents. Ceux de la promoti...

Du 14 au 18 novembre, French Morning Media Group organise un salon en ligne dédié aux étudiants francophones vivant à l’étranger et souhaitant venir -ou revenir- en France pour leurs études. Tout au long de la semaine, nous vous proposons de découvrir une dizaine d’établissements d’études supérieures français, à travers des présentations par catégories : commerce, cuisine et hôtellerie, design et arts appliqués ou encore sciences politiques et relations internationales. 👉 Inscrivez-vous à la session dédiée aux études de design & arts appliqués Elle aura lieu jeudi 17 novembre à 12:30pm ET. Avec AUTOGRAF Un événement French Morning Media Group.

En mars 2020, le choc de la crise sanitaire à laquelle le monde a du faire face a créé un violent désordre et mis à l’arrêt complet de nombreux pans de l’économie mondiale. Dans le podcast French Expat, on a traité de nombreuses histoires chamboulées par les conséquences souvent difficiles de la pandémie avec par exemple les récits de Marie-Laure bloquée en Chine par la politique « zéro Covid », Pauline coincée en Nouvelle-Zélande malgré l’annonce de la maladie de sa Maman, ou encore avec Charlotte et Jérémy qui s’étaient lancés sur les routes Américaines à la recherche de la ville idéale pour s’installer. Cette semaine, French Expat reçoit Estelle Tracy , sommelière en chocolat basée dans la région de Philadelphie. Elle était passée au micro du podcast en 2019 alors que son entreprise de dégustation de chocolat était en plein essor, elle nous avait raconté sa reconversion d’ingénieure chimiste au métier food blogueuse . Aujourd’hui, nous revenons avec elle sur l’impact de cette p...

Se rappelant à l’âge d’or des clubs privés des années 20, ainsi du Los Angeles Athletic Club où Charlie Chaplin, John Wayne, Mary Pickford et Clark Gable se retrouvaient, une nouvelle génération de social clubs ciblant une population d’actifs, créatifs (et aux revenus confortables), connaît aujourd’hui un développement inédit à Los Angeles. Des San Vincente Bungalows, territoire des stars en lunettes noires, aux pionniers et prolifiques Soho House, en passant par Aster, Heimat, Spring Place, The Britely ou Neuehouse, plus d’une dizaine de social clubs se partagent aujourd’hui un marché en pleine expansion depuis la fin de la pandémie de Covid-19. Des concepts « créateurs de sociabilités », revendiquent les établissements, mélangeant espaces de travail, hôtels, et programmes de divertissements, qui imposent une inscription en ligne et le respect de règlements intérieurs stricts (pas de photo, un dress-code spécifique, l’usage du laptop dans certaines zones seulement…), un budget co...

If you book well in advance, Eurostar tickets from Paris to London are usually well under €100 round trip. But if you wait until the last minute like yours truly, then it gets much, much more expensive (like, oh, €300). Even budget airline flights can climb up into the €250 range, which is horrible for the planet (and for your peace of mind, since you have to get to the airport three hours early). But there’s another option when all of the cheap seats from Gare du Nord are sold out. After a LOT of surfing around, I found a little back door to cheaper (and sometimes ONLY) fares to London when the regular tickets are sold out: alternative stations! The main Eurostar station in Paris is the Gare du Nord. But if you’re willing to schlep it out to the suburbs you have two alternatives that are sometimes a lot cheaper. Alternative Eurostar Stations from Paris to London The first one I found was Chessy/Marne-La-Vallée , aka Disneyland Paris. This is a 55-minute RER A ride from central Par...

For an original tour of Paris, check out Txango motorcycle and sidecar tours by the Franco-American tour guide and motorcycle enthusiast, Simon Burke. “Txango” is a Basque pronounced chang-go that means “excursion”, “leisurely outing” or “journey by unconventional means”. Simon’s grandparents are from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, and – like Simon – were motorcycle aficionados. After studying to become a history teacher, he began working in the Paris tourism industry as a guide in 2008, and hasn’t looked back. He’s currently offering sightseeing tours of Versailles and Paris, a Paris Picnic tour, and his signature “Vice and Violence” tour of Paris and Montmartre (including cocktails in a former brothel). Simon’s tours are fully licensed and insured for passengers. He can accommodate one in the sidecar and one on the back of the motorcycle, or up to 4 guests with a second sidecar. Prices start from €129 for one passenger. Txango at Place de la Concorde Txango Tours Te...

Forget about fictional bloody weddings like the ones in Game of Thrones or even Monty Python’s Holy Grail . Nothing compares to the very real wedding that set the stage for one of the bloodiest massacres in French history on August 24th, 1572: St-Bartholomew’s Day. If you have never heard of it, here’s the short version: in order to try and put an end to the ongoing French Wars of Religion between the Catholics and the Protestants (also known as the Huguenots), Queen Mother Catherine de Medici arranged for the head of the Protestants, Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre (future Henri IV) to be married to her daughter, the sister of King Charles IX, Princess Marguerite de Valois (the future Reine Margot). Thousands of Protestant nobles attended the wedding at Notre Dame Cathedral on August 18th, and festivities lasted for over a week to celebrate what many thought would be the beginning of peace. But they grew agitated after an assassination attempt on one of their leaders, Admiral d...