Registration is now open for my fall "deep dive" French cooking classes at Harvest Market

Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. The French invented haute cuisine, then turned everything upside-down and re-invented itself with nouvelle cuisine — a simpler, lighter approach with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and presentation. All of this tradition and innovation was supported and promoted by another French invention: the highly influential Michelin Guide and its star-rating system. Even in our everyday language, French words like cuisine, gourmet, récipé, and bon appétit are universally understood and associated with good food.

This fall, join us as we do a deep dive into French cuisine and survey all the deliciousness that France has to offer, region by region. We'll start in Burgundy wine country where we'll learn how to cook with wine. Next, we'll taste the Mediterranean-style Provençal cuisine from the south of France where bouillabaisse and ratatouille were invented. Lastly, we'll head to the gastronomic capital of France to investigate Lyon's influential nouvelle cuisine.

A couple of months ago, we ate our way through France and also visited the city of Lyon where we tasted the traditional regional cuisine. One of my favorite pastimes is to recreate dishes I've enjoyed when traveling and eating out, and this trip is no different. In this series, I will be sharing the results of my research, new recipes, and a few new discoveries. Here's the schedule:

• September 11: Classic Burgundy Wine Country Cuisine 
• October 2: Mediterranean Flavors of Provençal Cooking
• October 23: The Philosophy of Lyon's Nouvelle Cuisine

We're calling this series "A Taste of France" and each class will also be a traditional multi-course French dinner including a luscious dessert course. The tuition is only $45 per class which includes a welcome cocktail. Featured French wines selected by Harvest Market's wine steward will also be available for purchase by the glass.

Want more details about my trip to France? Check out my France Travel Blog complete with pictures and travel notes.

More information about my cooking classes and pop-up events can always be found on my website, where you'll also find over 150 recipes from my classes (no ads!). You can also subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and like my posts. Bon appétit!