Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Terre Adélice: Ice cream in Lyon

Have you ever had poppy ice cream?  Or pine nut or verbena ice cream, or Jura "vin jaune" sorbet?  We stopped by an ice cream shop in Lyon that had all of these, plus every other flavor you could imagine, from the classics (Valrhona chocolate, raspberry, hazelnut) to the exotic (wasabi, ... continue reading...


L’Ourson qui Boit, Lyon France

I planned only one dinner in Lyon - at L'Ourson qui Boit, a small restaurant on the Presque'île, just a bit north of the Opéra.  It's run by a Japanese couple - the husband cooks and the wife runs the front of the house - but the food is French, with a touch of Asian influence. The adventure ... continue reading...


Going to market in Bonnieux, France

I've been dreaming about Provence - and the Luberon specifically - for a long time, ever since I first read Peter Mayle's books.  Most of all, I wanted to visit one of the weekly village markets, which he wrote about in such lush detail: "…the tables were piled high with vegetables, small and ... continue reading...


Numéro 75, Avignon France

Avignon was our base for our time in Provence, but we only ventured inside the fortified walls of the old city once, for dinner. (Well, technically we ended up inside once or twice more while trying to leave town, thanks to some confusing roundabouts and signage!) Numéro 75 is located in the old ... continue reading...


Lunch (and wine, of course!) in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Our drive from Lyon to Avignon took us past Châteauneuf-du-Pape, so naturally we had to stop at this famous wine town. After stumbling upon a prime parking spot, we walked up the street to the town square to choose a restaurant for lunch.  La Part des Anges won out - I was tempted by the cold ... continue reading...


Three French drinks

I'm just back from France – it was a wonderful trip filled with good food, beautiful scenery, and lots of walking.  We spent a few days in Lyon, then headed south for a stop at the Michelin 3 star Maison Pic, then continued on through Provence and to Marseille before returning home. As you might ... continue reading...


En vacances

I've winged my way to France and will be back in just over a week.  See you then... ...Or, as the French would say, à bientôt! ... continue reading...


Morimoto, Napa CA

Japanese food isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Napa Valley, but even I need a break from "California cuisine" and wine sometimes.  So we headed to Morimoto for dinner after a day of winery touring. Along with Nobu, Morimoto is one of the best-known Japanese names in the ... continue reading...


Uncle R’s birthday lunch

After the French Laundry, D and I had an even more special meal to look forward to in California. My uncle held a series of dinner parties and lunches to celebrate a milestone birthday this year, and we jumped at the invitation to attend one.  His cooking is a sophisticated, creative ... continue reading...