Sick of boring salads but not ready for comfort foods?

This salad will help soften the move to autumn especially because beetroot is more usually associated with the depths of winter, but it's in late summer and autumn that it is at its best and sweetest.

Add local (Nouvelle Aquitaine) walnuts to increase the earthy tones of this salad.

We’re only half way through summer and, at least for me, the novelty of bbq food is starting to wear thin.

However, these mushroom tacos will quash any summer meal lethargy; delivering meaty, smoky flavours alongside a pop with an avocado salsa.

We asked the talent behind Dordogne-based Chateaux Cuisine, private chef Alicia Watson, to highlight a range of easy, yet delicious, apéritifs/amuse-bouche options to wow your apéro guests!

This recipe is perfect to take advantage of crisp, sweet asparagus available at the moment.

Add toasted hazelnuts (perhaps from last years local crop?) to make this dish even more special.

Coffee / Breakfast Stations, Drinks/Gin Cabinets, Pantry Units and even Walk-in Larders are discussed in this article reviewing the benefits of a stand-alone cupboard in a kitchen (called an ‘Armoire’ in French).

The perfect chocolate treat, this recipe has everything you’ll ever want from a cake recipe . It’s light, easy and above all moist plus the mousse topping will leave you wanting more. Enjoy

Utility Rooms: 9 practical considerations for a forgotten space

Despite the name, this is a smarter (and creamier) pesto than your standard plain basil version.

It’s also super flexible allowing for several different options as replacements for pine nuts as well as the option to use mint rather than basil.

2025 interior trends: which really work in French farmhouses?

At this time of year, interior trends for the forthcoming year are plenty, but rarely are these easy to apply to a French country interior.

We’ve reviewed this years suggestions from leading specialists, and selected those that can work well in a French farm house.  The result - hopefully some interior trend suggestions to add a uniqueness that compliments country living in France.  

Following on from January, which for many will have been a detoxing month, these cookies are perfect to bridge the gap for those going back to a not so healthy diet!

Easy to make, they have a crumbly-cakey texture to them. Instead of raisins, try chopped glace cherries, small pieces of ginger, chocolate chips.

In the world of quality, classical kitchens, it’s really important that our clients understand the design styles available. One particular style is the ‘in-frame kitchen’.

So what is an in-frame kitchen and what’s all the fuss about? 

Spice up January with this easy roasted rice dish that is so delicious it can be eaten on its own or to accompany any other Indian dish.

As with all our recipes it’s plant-based but you can always add any meat to the rice or a yoghurt accompaniment.

And of course, it’s no mess/fuss as it can be completely cooked in an airfryer!

It’s a challenging time of year, so we’ve asked local, private chef, Alicia Watson, to offer some quick guidance. 

With these top tips, you’ll ensure that entertaining this year (whether it be Christmas meal or any other social occasion) will be easier, quicker, better – and a whole lot more delicious.

Make brussels great again with this elegant vegetarian, caramelised sprout recipe, served with toasted pistachios and cranberries.

And of course, it’s no mess, no fuss as it can all be done in the airfryer!

Maison d’Aquitaine: a furniture company with a different approach