French Fancies
Madeleines
These shell-shaped citrusy bites of heaven are a little like a tea cake crossed with a sponge.
Calissons d'Aix
If you like marzipan and candied lemon, these sweet little ellipses have your name written all over them! A true taste of Aix en Provence.
Tarte Tropezienne
Brigitte Bardot named the Tarte Tropezienne in 1955, when she was filming And God Created Woman. The original recipe for this creamy brioche tart has never been released to the public but here's one that looks pretty ridgy-didge.
Tarte Tartin
The tarte tartin is an accidental creation, dating back to the 1880s. It may have been an 'apple pie disaster' but the chef soon discovered it was such hit with the guests that it stayed on the menu at Hotel Tatin (hence the name) for years.
Tapenade
A briny melange of finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil, tapenade is perfect served with warm crusty bread as an apero with a chilled glass of rosé.
Provençal Lamb Stew
If you don't have all of the Herbes de Provençe handy, I've sussed out the cheat's version. You can skimp on the potatoes in the recipe, if you'd prefer to serve it with mash.
Gratin Dauphinois
This is the king of all potato bakes – rich, creamy and heavy on the cheese. For an authentic Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes version, add a French blue instead of gruyere.
Aubergine Caviar
The version we had substituted honey for sugar and apple cider vinegar for lemon juice (there were a few fresh black olives thrown in for good measure, as well).
Le Grand Aïoli
Le Grand Aïoli is a Provençal classic, served traditionally on Fridays. Paired with white fish, steamed vegetables and a boiled egg – it's simple, yet probably my favourite meal so far. The wait was worth it!
Gardiane de Taureau
Down in the Camargue, bull is a speciality that is often served with locally-grown rice. After a long day of flamingo-spotting by bike, this Gardiane de Taureau – a rich bourgignon-like stew, dotted with olives and anchovy fillets (they can be left out, if they do not suit your tastes) – really hit the spot! Bull meat is not widely eaten in Australia; if you prefer, beef can be substituted.
