Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2023 i My French Country Home

Dear Readers, I am filled with a sense of joy and gratitude that comes with the arrival of our November/December issue. It marks not only the culmination of another year but also a special milestone: The 30th edition of our My French Country Home magazine! Thank you all for your readership and support. In this latest edition, we discover France’s winter offerings. Our Discovery Guide transports you to the heart of my favorite neighborhood in Paris: Saint-Germain. The very essence of sophistication and elegance, this quartier holds some of the city’s best addresses. We also whisk you away to the gardens of Prieuré de Vauboin in the Sarthe, glistening in winter frost. Among the four interiors that we share in this edition, you will find an exciting new category featuring…

La Fête des Lumières de Lyon Leading up to the holidays in France, many towns and cities host a Festival of Lights. One that certainly should not be missed is the Fête des Lumières in Lyon. From December 7th to 10th, visitors will flock to the city just a few hours south of Paris to catch the myriad of fantastic displays that light up the entire city. www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr/en Paris Photo The long-awaited 24th edition of Paris Photo will be held at le Grand Palais Éphémère, in the southeast corner of the Champ-de-Mars (the last time this event will be held at this temporary location before returning to the renovated Grand Palais in 2024). Bringing together leading galleries and art book dealers, find the best of photographic creation from vintage and…

“This book forms part of a movement that is fighting for authentic taste. Significant changes in outlook mean that people from all walks of life are now happy to spend hours busying themselves in the kitchen with the sole aim of delighting a table of guests.… Never before have cooks and those who consume their food had such a close relationship.”Paul Bocuse (legendary three Michelin-star chef) Brie Fritters With Spicy Stewed Black Cherries Serves 10 Preparation: 25 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes Ingredients • Spicy stewed black cherries• 7 oz (200 g) black cherries• ¾ cup (150 g) sugar• 8 star anise pods• 2 heaped tablespoons (10 g) cinnamon• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways• 1 teaspoon (5 g) ground ginger Frying batter • 2 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour• 1 teaspoon…

As the end of the year draws near, and our gardens are slowly reduced to shades of green and gray, there is a stillness and a beauty which calms the soul. After the riotous colors of summer, and the rich tones of the fall, the winter appears, beckoning rest. For the forager, who likes to craft bouquets and wreaths year round, this is the moment to prioritize texture over color. The interplay of shapes becomes the focal point and the eye turns to evergreen foliage that will maintain its fresh appearance while the wreath is on display. To make this wreath you will need sprigs of: • Magnolia Grandiflora• Leyland Cypress• Ornamental pear• Baytree• Viburnum berries• 1 sturdy wire or wooden frame (of your preferred size) Using your frame, start…

PRINT Delivered to your door, enjoy the magic of French living in a beautiful collector’s-quality magazine. US$79.95 for one year (6 issues)* US$14.95 for one issue* Yearly print subscribers get FREE access to the digital version of the magazine. DIGITAL Enjoy the same beautiful My French Country Home features, photography and delicious recipes - wherever you are. Ideal for commuting or holidays, read the latest issue of MFCH on your smartphone and escape to France with the click of a button. Yearly digital (and print) subscribers get issues conveniently stored within the Bookshelf, accessible from your My French Country Home account. US$39.99 for one year (6 issues) US$7.99 for one issue Enjoy easy reading with adaptable viewing modes, interactive live links for online shopping and a personal library of back…

Tish Jett is an author, journalist and former editor at the International Herald Tribune and American ELLE. She pens our regular “Just Between Us” column. www.tishjett.com /@tishjett Georgianna Lane is a leading floral, garden and travel photographer whose work has been featured in numerous publications including Gardens Illustrated and Garden Design. Her photographs of Paris are featured in our Saint-Germain-des-Prés “Discovery Guide.” https://georgiannalane.com @georgiannalane Eric Sander is a French photographer. He shoots some of the country’s best-loved properties and gardens. His photos grace our “Portfolio” on the Château de Fontainebleau. www.ericsander.com @ericsanderphoto Eve Cardi is a professional chef who trained at Chez Catherine in Paris. She created the seasonal recipes and stylized the tablescape in “Christmas Cooking with French Flair.” www.evi-cardi.blogspot.com @eve.cardi_ Frederic Ducout is a French photographer specializing in…

The apartment had been renovated by an English family nearly two-decades previously. But its 68 square meters (732 square feet) of space had not been optimized, and much of the attic was left unused. "For this apartment,” Fanny notes, "we wanted a mountain atmosphere treated in a subtle way, brought by touches of decoration and smoked oak.” Her children were amazed by the horse-drawn carriages and the magical Christmas lights, Fanny adds, so they wanted to create a home that was both family-friendly and festive — and a place that would be as pleasant to live in during the summer months as it was in winter. Before the decorating could begin, the apartment needed six months of inspired renovation to maximize its functionality while allowing for it to be a…

HER HIM HOME FOODIE FURRY FRIENDS…

One lesser known tradition is that of Les Treize Desserts, during which 13 different sweet treats are brought out after Christmas Eve dinner, when friends and family traditionally gather to celebrate in France. Dating back to the end of the 19th century, this tradition hails from Provence, where the port town of Marseille created a gateway to the Middle East. Owing to this intricate trading network, it was this part of France that was initially introduced to exotic fruits and nuts such as dates, oranges, and almonds, which over time, became incorporated into indigenous Provençal delicacies. The practice gradually spread across the southern regions, eventually heading up north to Paris and west to Catalonia in northern Spain. Of course these sweet morsels are meant to be enjoyed, but each also…

The bedrock of Paris’ antiques scene is its world-famous flea market, the Marché de Saint-Ouen. Born from a decision to allocate land to returning war veterans after WWII, the Saint-Ouen market was first constructed from stalls that these families built from scratch. This grassroots approach birthed a market brimming with authenticity and character, which thrives to this day thanks to the careful negotiation of history and entrepreneurialism still carried out by its seasoned guardians. The highly sought-after stalls and boutiques within the now expansive network of 15 markets are no longer exclusively handed down from one generation to the next, instead they are home to a new wave of entrants bringing a global perspective to the market, injecting it with a contemporary pulse. Found within the village-like streets of the…

Recently I realized I have spent more Christmases in France than in the United States, which is why, over the decades, our holiday celebrations became a joyous mélange of traditions from both countries. Our decorations include the classics: Wreaths on the doors. The tree, with white lights and too many decorations. Candles aglow. Pinky-coral poinsettias in gleaming silver cache-pots (planters). Dining table in formal dress. One year, we tied a tiny bouquet of gui — mistletoe, harvested from our garden — to a chandelier. It was then that I discovered that as traditions go, this one is quite different. The French do not kiss under mistletoe, but they do believe it brings good luck. Our holidays always begin with the very American tradition of making Christmas cookies. Staying on message,…

Pear And Wine Pavlova Ingredients: For the meringue • 6 egg whites• 1 ½ heaping cups (250 g) powdered sugar• 1 pinch salt For the pears in wine: • 4 firm pears• 1 liter (4 ¼ cups) of red wine• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar Serves 4 - 6 Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes For the cream: • 1 oz (33 ml) very cold heavy cream• ½ cup (125 g) mascarpone cheese Start by preparing the meringue. Preheat the oven to 195°F (90°C). Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, gradually adding the powdered sugar. Using a piping bag, pipe three-quarters of the egg white mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment paper. Use the remaining quarter to make about…

Beneath the towering ceilings of Saint-Louis’s hot glass works, there is a sense of perpetual motion. In the center of the vast hall, two monumental furnaces filled with molten crystal glow bright orange. Their contents must be kept at a blazing 1,450 degrees Celsius (2,642 degrees Fahrenheit) and stirred around the clock. One superheated cauldron holds a mass of shimmering colorless glass, while the other contains a dozen clay pots, each filled with igneous material that has been tinted with the addition of a different metal oxide: cobalt for dark blue, zinc for yellow, copper and selenium for red…. Elsewhere, workers in blue jumpsuits wield long metal tubes through which they send carefully controlled breaths into luminous, viscous knobs — while others, armed with mallets and tongs, round, stretch and…

From the winding paths of Luxembourg Gardens to the familiar haunts of literary legends, we are thrilled to present the ins and outs of this marvelous district that we hold near and dear to our hearts. Steeped in history, the Saint-Germain neighborhood is a shining star in the City of Light and has been for hundreds of years. Home to — and named for — the oldest church in the city (with foundations from the 6th century), the spirit of passionate souls took root in this quartier and permeated the area. The literary cafés that sprung up in the 19th century, just across the church’s square, attracted world-renowned authors and artists — a living testament to the magic that can unfold when old and new worlds collide. A beating heart…

French Country Cottage Christmas By Courtney Allison | Gibbs Smith Get inspired this holiday season with cottagecore Christmas décor ideas by the stylist and photographer Courtney Allison. Featuring indoor and outdoor displays, this book showcases a variety of ways to deck the halls with French country flare. Beautiful photographs reveal creative arrangements from a Paris apartment to a snowy mountain cabin that will have you feeling ready for Noël in no time. Literary Landscapes Paris By Sandrine Voillet | Pavilion Books Take a photographic stroll around one of the most influential literary cities in the world with the turn of a page. From bookshops to restaurants, see inside the places where some of the world’s greatest authors from Victor Hugo to Ernest Hemingway worked, argued, partied and wrote their legendary…

*Business Woman “Appreciation of fine food is a savoir-faire that is transmitted across generations.”Director of Maison ParièsCéline ParièsPhotos by Pierre Carton and Delphine Constantini - Interview by Nicola Clark Your family name has long been synonymous with fine chocolates and gâteaux basques — a traditional dessert filled with cherry preserves or pastry cream. Could you tell us a bit about the company’s history? Bayonne is the cocoa capital of France — for centuries it was the center of cocoa bean imports from Africa. So of course it was home to many chocolate factories, including the one set up by my great-great-grandfather, Jacques Damnestoy. In 1905, he invented the Kanouga — a soft caramel — which became an instant sensation and enabled the business to expand. In 1914, we opened what…