fougasse

Fougasse

After a couple of unusually hot days in California, I couldn’t help but feel some anticipation for summer. I spent the weekend by the pool, bbq-ing, indulging in my favorite ice cream, and watching travel videos of the French Riviera. I love watching those travel guide films, especially when they share views of the beautiful lavender fields of Provence and glimmering turquoise waters of the Cote d’Azur. To quell my pressing need for a dose of Southern France, I made this Provencal olive bread called fougasse. Eating the flavorful bread, warm out the oven, I could almost feel the sea breeze on my face and smell the lavender trailing through the air.

french baguettes

French Baguettes Made at Home

On my last trip to Paris, I reserved dinner at a cozy piano bar/restaurant in the 6th for the night of my arrival. When we sat down, I was still pretty delirious and jet-lagged, so I wasn’t really paying attention to anything other than my friends who were chatting with me. In fact, for a moment there, I completely forgot I was sitting in a cafe in Paris, France. It wasn’t until I absent-mindedly tore a piece off of the baguette on the table and put it in my mouth that I realized I was in my favorite city in the world. I immediately thought oh my goodness! The bread tasted incredible! Seriously, truly incredible. It tasted the way bread in France can only taste. A lot of people ask me how to make homemade baguettes like that, but non, ce n’est pas possible.

cranberry stuffed brioche wreath

Cranberry Stuffed Brioche Wreath

I’m back from Paris, and while I always wish I could linger just a little bit longer along the Boulevard Saint-Germain, I am so happy to be home. I missed my family, friends, and the little love of my life (my doggy!) so very much. I joke that now I know what it feels like to be that overbearing mother who is obsessed with her child because I always feel overwhelming separation anxiety when I am apart from my dog. I just miss his cute little face far too much! The abundance of good food and holiday cheer in Paris, however, really helped keep me distracted. It just never ceases to amaze me how much the French eat during the day and how absolutely delicious it all is. My first stop in Paris is always the bakery, and it usually includes a baguette, some kind of croissant – butter or chocolate – and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth brioche. Kind of like this cranberry stuffed brioche wreath. Because this brioche? It will totally melt in your mouth and having you reaching for more.