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A Mountain Vibe at Panier des 4 Saison Back in the summer of 2021, in the throes of Covid-19, Michelle and I had planned an international trip and were crossing our fingers that Europe would open up for travel for the U.S. Ten days before our scheduled departure date Europe gave the green light to travel and we were lucky enough to get out to the Alps for some hiking. Our first stop on that trip was the French Alps and Chamonix. While there we found a fantastic restaurant,

The First Course: Mussels & Celery in a Saffron Veloute with Pickled Beet & Onion August 8 Provence. An area of France centrally located where nature's bounties are plentiful and on full display. The markets feature local herbs, olives, tempenades, and seafood fresh from Marsaille. The expectations for excellent food in Provence are high and there are many good restaurants to chose from. We made an evening of it at Le Petit Henri located in the Grand Hotel Henri, a four s

Lunch on the Lutour Waterfalls July 30, 2026 Just two kilometers south of Cauterets sits the small village of Raillere. It is an incredible area that is a starting point for several waterfall hikes that go south to Pont d'Espagne and east to the La Fruitiere valley. Nestled along the Cascade du Lutour is a wonderful restaurant, L'Abri du Benques. As with all the restaurants located in Raillere they are only open for lunch. This restaurant is a must try. While there are ma

July 29 A day off hiking in the Pyrenees yielded more than we bargained for when we set out for a one hour drive to Pau (pronounced Poe). The small city of eighty thousand yields a beautiful food gem, L' Esprit des Halles, a two story food market that features farmers, local artisans and many cooked to order food stalls. The Sleek, Modern Food Hall in Pau We walked around in a delightful bliss trying to understand how such a small city in Southwestern France had a square blo

In The Gastronome Teaching Kitchen in Bordeaux July 22 There probably is no better place to get a tutorial on cooking duck than in the Southwestern Region of France where it is a staple of French Cuisine. We booked a dinner class at The Gastronome in Bordeaux with Chef Daniel Bowers, owner, and an Expat from the U.S.A. Along with the duck there was plenty of cremant, white and red Bordeaux wine to taste. The goal of the evening was to brush up on a couple of sauces as well

The Seafood Bar on Damrak July 5, 2026 The Seafood Bar in old town Amsterdam (family run business with multiple locations) is a great place to get a very tasty dinner in a city full of tourist trap restaurants. The dining room was bustling on a Sunday night and the line at the door was long but the staff handled the crowds with grace and efficiency. We called ahead with a reservation and were seated in the beautifully designed dining hall within ten minutes. Our order (mix