French with Nicole

  It is delicious, unique and French! What’s not to like? Having travelled far and wide, Justin and Anna-Carin Kandimaa Matterson fell in love with Provence and all it has to offer. The land of lavender fields, olive groves, historic villages and vineyards have inspired many writers and painters including Picasso and Vincent van Gogh. Caught up in the spirit of Provence, Anna and Justin decided to settle in the region. Having spent many years abroad and being keen gin and tonic fans, they soon discovered that gin was not available amongst the wide range of local spirits. The idea of opening a distillery using the local botanicals to capture the essence of the region in their own gin was born. After 5 years studying and researching the process of distillation, seeking advice from qualified professionals and   18 months developing their unique brand, QVT was born. What does QVT stand for? Quatre Vingt Trois (83 in English) is the answer. This is the department number (a unique nu

A delicious soup to be enjoyed anytime Serves 4 Cooking time:40 to 45 minutes Ingredients: 500 g of carrots peeled and sliced 1 onion finely chopped 6 portions of The Laughing Cow Original or Light if you are watching the calories 30 g of butter 1 tsp. of curry powder 2 tbsp. of olive oil fresh coriander to serve   Method : Fry the onion gently in a pan with the olive oil until soft Add the curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes Add the carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring occasionally Add salt, pepper and butter Add enough water to cover the carrots Simmer on low heat until carrots are soft (30 to 35 minutes) Blend using a soup blender or stick blender Add the Laughing Cow cheese portions and blend a second time until creamy. Serve in a bowl topped with fresh coriander leaves My tips: For a creamier texture, add a spoon of crème fraiche or double cream I remember trying the same recipe at a cookery workshop in Provence. We used cou

  The iconic “ Vache qui Rit ” (Laughing Cow cheese) celebrates its 100 th birthday in 2021. One of my favourite snack as a little girl was a slice of fresh baguette ( Baguette put forward as France cultural status at UNESCO )   and a triangle of “V ache qui Rit!”    “La Vache qui Rit” is a brand of processed cheese famous for its spreadable texture and wedge shaped portions. The cheese consists of a blend of cream, milk and fresh and aged cheeses, particularly Comté, which is then pasteurized. Leon Bel, a cheese maker based in the Jura, originally created the famous cheese triangle in 1921. The product was revolutionary, both for its wrapped individual portions and the special formula (still a secret to this day) which enables the cheese to stay fresh for a longer period.   Initially, “ La Vache qui Rit ” (Laughing Cow) was sold in a round metal tin featuring an image of a white cow on a red background behind a black gate. In 1924, Benjamin Rabier created the new branding fea

    “La pièce montée”, more commonly known as croquenbouche, literally translates as ‘the assembled piece’. This eye-catching cake usually takes centre stage at French weddings as well as other family events such as baptisms and communions. Very different from a British traditional three-tier cake, it does not feature fondant icing or marzipan. Instead, it is made up of “choux à la crème” ( cream puff pastries ) that are arranged in a cone shape and bound by threads of caramel. This iconic cake first appeared in Paris during the era of Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 1800s. It was created by one of France’s first celebrity chefs, Alain Carême, The traditional “pièce montée” comprised mainly of vanilla “choux à la crème”, however a range of flavours (chocolate, praline, pistachio etc.) are more common in the modern version. I can clearly remember watching my cousin (who was a baker) building the “pièce montée” for my communion. I was in awe; fascinated by his ability to work with b

  Well worth the extra effort for a delicious meal. Serve French onion soup as a starter for a truly Parisian supper! Serves 2 Preparation time: 30 minutes maximum Cooking time: 25 minutes   Ingredients For the béchamel sauce 200 ml warm milk 20 g plain flour  20 g butter 1 tbsp. Dijon  mustard  Salt and pepper 1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg (or use ground)          For the croque monsieur 4 slices bread 4 slices of ham 100 g of Emmental cheese  or Gruyere (or a mixture of both) + 50 g for topping Method Melt the butter in a pan and then add the flour before cooking over a gentle heat until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and bring to a gentle boil, stirring regularly. When thickened add the Dijon mustard, a little grating of fresh nutmeg and seasoning. It should be a lovely thick creamy sauce. Set aside to cool slightly. Place the bread on a baking tray and toast one side under the grill until golden. Preheat the oven to 200C Fan. On the non-toas