On Food and France

Welcome to my bi-monthly newsletter bringing you life-enhancing stories, travel insights, and the occasional recipe from France and other beautiful places in the world.

Greetings!

A bit about me: While working as a food and wine writer for the past 30 years, I’ve spent more than 25 summers in France—experiences that led me to write my cookbook, The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day. That book was later revised and updated (with photos!) for my more recent tome, Everyday French Cooking: Modern Cuisine Made Simple.

Ever been to Gignac? We found it a nice, easy overnight stop between Menton and Collioure.

Yes, I love French recipes. But you know what I love even more? Stories — and specifically, stories about food and France and other great tables and places in the world…

That’s what I’m up to here. My stories will offer insights on food, often culled from my extensive experiences in France, but also from elsewhere—from a 60-acre family farm in Greene County Iowa, to Chile, Argentina, Portugal, and other places I’ve been in the course of my food and travel life. Along the way, I’ll offer the occasional travel tip on some of my favorite destinations. And of course, I’ll publish recipes—but only if I have an all-new find or a unique take that you won’t already find elsewhere on the Internet.

The goal? To bring you information and insights to enhance your daily life.

Typical lunch in France: Pick up everything at the market, go back to your little VRBO, and relax.

Of course, I’ll also publish recipes—but only if I have an all-new find or a unique take that you won’t already find everywhere else on the Internet.

The goal? To bring bring you information and insights that will enhance your daily life.

And one more thing: My stories of France are stories of “everyday France,” and wherever I go, it’s the same. What I seek in the world is not the three-star Michelin restaurants and five-star hotels and private luxury barges; for me, it’s the daily life—the off-the-beaten-path, unexpected finds just around the corner that always bring the most delight. I’ll key you into those … as well as the occasional infuriating (but kind of funny) things that can happen when dining and traveling (especially in La Belle France).

It’s all simply meant to bring joy to your days.

View from Villa Lafabrege, an inexpensive B&B in Prades. It was the kind of off-the-beaten-path place I seek when traveling.

While all posts are currently free, my future work will depend on paid subscriptions. If you’d like to help support this newsletter, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

That’s all for now! Subscribe, and you’ll never miss a post.

A bientôt,

Wini

P.S.: If you’re looking for my other newsletter—the one that’s focused on the dining scene in Des Moines, Iowa (where I live when I’m not traveling!), you can find that at Dining Well in DSM by Wini Moranville.

À bientôt!

Wini