Saveur du Jour Blog

Calissons

2012-02-21T10:33:00.000-08:00

In 1420, when Provence was still a kingdom of its own, the king of Naples and Count of Provence, roi Rene, got married. Decades of wedded bliss later, his wife died, and rather than stay a swinging 44-year-old bachelor, he managed to find a 22 year old bride just a year later. The problem was that her dad arranged the marriage, and she wasn't thrilled. So Rene's chef decided that he'd invent a candy to cheer her up. That's how the Calisson was born!

The Calissons have been a specialty of Aix en Provence ever since. Nowadays, they are still made in Aix en Provence the traditional way, and are very popular in France. This exquisite treat made of almond, candied melon and sugar now comes in different varieties - with a chocolate icing, violet-flavoured, mini sized... Try some - you'll love them!

When Eiffel Tower meets Design

2012-02-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a very special Paris gift or trendy home decor? Our latest addition will be the perfect item for you: Gustave Eiffel's masterpiece revisited with pepsy colors and fun designs. Feel free to check out our selection here - and more to come soon!

Those beautiful and design collectibles are limited editions. Each drawing is numbered and comes in a beautiful matching box. Height 31.5 cm (12.2")

Crepe Day

2012-02-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

France is all about food and eating, and every tradition gives the Frenchmen an opportunity to bake, cook and eat! If January is the King Cake month, the month of February starts with Crepe Day or Chandeleur (Candlemas), which recalls the Presentation of Baby Jesus to the Temple.

Why Crepes? The round-shape and golden color of the crepes used to be the symbol of the Sun, and of the return of spring after a long, cold winter...

Not only do the French eat a lot of crepes on Chandeleur day, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them: if the cook can flip a crepe while holding a gold coin in the other hand, his family will enjoy prosperity for the rest of the year! How about trying it with our French recipe?

Sweet Crepes Recipe

Makes about 20 crepes.

- 1/2 cup all purpose flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup lukewarm water

- 1/2 cup milk

- 2 eggs

- 2 tsp melted butter

- 1 1/2 tsp sugar

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl or into a food processor, and, if possible, leave the batter to stand for at least 10 minutes before using it.
Then heat a crepe pan or nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until a few drops of water sizzle when sprinkled on the pan. With a paper towel, spread a little butter on the pan, being sure to wipe most of it off.
When the pan is warm, pour about 1/4 cup of batter into it, and spread it accross the bottom by tilting immediately the pan slowly in all directions.
When the edges start turning golden and peeling away from the pan, gently lift up the edge nearest to you using a spatula and flip the crepe over in the pan. The second side should cook much more quickly - less than one minute. Add more butter when needed with a paper towel.
Serve crepes sprinkled with sugar, or enjoy them spreaded with jam, honey, Nutella, melted chocolate, chestnut spread or ice cream... There are a thousand ways to fill sweet crepes, all easy to do and delicious. Bon Appetit!

Marrakech Half Marathon 2012

2012-02-02T00:41:00.000-08:00

Morocco is just a couple hours' flying time from France, and Marrakech is one of the favorite destination for French people looking for a bit of exotism. Last weekend, I (Veronique) ran the half marathon in Marrakech, Morroco. I really enjoyed the ambiance of the race with people and kids on the sidewalk, clapping and cheering us up! The race was also a nice way to discover Marrakech and meet great people.

There are lots of things to do and to see in Marrakech and I spent a couple of days with my friends exploring the souks (markets), walking around the Medina and the famous Djema el Fna place, and relaxing in a beautiful riad. Also, the Morrocan food is just delicious and exceptionally tasty. It includes couscous, tajines, pastillas, and fresh mint tea anytime of the day!

King Cake

2012-01-30T01:23:00.000-08:00

January is drawing to an end... Last chance to enjoy the French "Galette des Rois" - and that's what we did yesterday! This "King Cake" is a cake celebrating Epiphany but can be baked and enjoyed until the end of January. There are two versions of this delicious pastry: the Galette, made with puff pastry layers with a dense center of almond filling called "frangipane", and, in the South of France, the "Gâteau des rois", a crown-shaped brioche filled with candied fruits, which originates in Provence.

Tradition holds that the cake is “to draw the kings” to the Epiphany. A small porcelain favor, la fève, is hidden in the cake and the person who finds it in their slice becomes king for the day and is given a golden paper crown!

Maison & Objets Show in Paris

2012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

Just back from an exciting - and exhausting! - day in Paris, at the famous Maison & Objets Show, where we found many new ideas and inspiration. With a nice lunch break at the gourmet Oliviers & Co Boutique!

We have sourced for you lots of unique French items that we are looking forward to present you on Saveur du Jour... Stay tuned!

Provence Olive Oil

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

I had the great chance this year to take part in an olive picking party, which is a tradition in Provence: people who own olive tree fields gather their family and friends for an olive picking time, followed by a party. Olives are hand picked and sent to a local mill to be grinded and turned into olive oil.

That's how we got the idea to source a fine Gourmet Olive Oil, traditionally processed and really tasty. After tasting several olive oils, we came accross one of those amazing authentic shops, that can only be found in traditional areas of France. The "Maison Auffan" was founded near Marseille, in Provence, in 1875.

Over the years, Auffan has developed an incredible expertise in traditional Provence products such as specialty olive oils, tapenade and Marseille soap. They have a great selection of high quality Gourmet Olive Oils.

Check it out! - And you'll get a 10% special discount on our selection of Olive Oils by entering the coupon code OLIVE in the coupon field when checking out! For our readers and subscribers only...

French Valentine

2012-01-17T02:14:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is coming up! Treat your sweetheart to some French sweets... 6 milk Suchard Rochers in a nice heart-shaped ceramic dish are ready to be sent directly to your Valentine. Those delicious Suchard Rochers are made of milk chocolate praline and covered with milk chocolate and crushed hazelnuts.

The ceramic dish is red outside and white inside and reads "Bon Appetit" on the bottom, for a romantic french touch. And we've thrown in a nice complimentary card in a Paris envelope, so you can write a few love words of your own!

A glimpse of Marseille

2012-01-10T23:39:00.000-08:00

From our French location in Aix en Provence, near Marseille, we came accross this video, which will give you an insight of this colorful and typical French Mediterranean city. Located on the southeast coast of France, Marseille is France's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the second largest city after Paris. It is the capital of the Provence region, and has been designated as European Capital of Culture in 2013.

Best wishes from Marseille video / CLICK HERE

The "Marseillais" -the Marseille inhabitants- are know to be particularly proud of their city, and have developed over the years many specificities, like their language and accent, which are sometimes hard to understand, even for a French native!

Marseille is famous for its traditional soap, which has been made from vegetable oil for about 600 years!

It is also know for its gastronomy, like Fougasse, typical Provençal bread made with olive oil, Tapenade, an olive spread made from capers, chopped olives and olive oil, or Navette, a delicious hard biscuit in the shape of a boat, flavoured with orange blossom.

The traditional drink in the Marseille region is Pastis, a refreshing alcoholic beverage made with anise and spices. And if you want to serve Pastis the French way, we have sourced for you this vintage Pitcher and a wonderful set of Pastis glasses!

Tchin Tchin! / Cheers!

Happy New Year from Saveur du Jour!

2012-01-01T06:18:00.000-08:00