My grandmother was born in Casablanca, Morocco, just in time for the era of Rick's Café Americain. I think glamor must have been one of the components of Casablanca's municipal water in the 1940s, and my grandmother must have imbibed... More

Salmon with lentils is a traditional French pairing. Besides making a rustic, hearty, and beautiful meal, it's also healthy and inexpensive. More

These cupcakes are made with boxed cake mix enhanced with crème fraîche and glazed with lavender blossom-flavored icing. More

When I was a girl, French onion soup was the end-all be-all of my culinary existence. When I was in France, I would search high and low for the little restaurants that sold it. I just had to have French... More

Coquilles St. Jacques are a French classic: sea scallops squatting in their own half shell beds, blanketed in a cozy, creamy sauce flavored with shallots and mushrooms and maybe some white wine. For an American version, I make them into pot pies. More

This dish reminds me of that old tongue-twister: She Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore. Luckily, these sea shells are easier to cook than those sea shells are to say. While we all think of pasta as Italian, it... More

This week, I am making the ultimate multitasker: a dish that can be served as lunch, as an appetizer, as a cheese course, or as a dessert. The sweet firmness of the pears, the piquant creaminess of the Roquefort, the... More

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I say cream and cream cheese make the heart grow creamier. Sugar makes the heart grow sweeter. Some people have funny valentines, but I have French ones, and this year, I am... More

Bouillabaisse is a fish stew from the port city of Marseille (where my mother was born), flavored and stained with saffron. It is hearty but light, exotic but comforting, all at once. More