It's been a while since Chambana had a French restaurant, so if you wanted to explore French cuisine, you'll have to drive to Chicago. Or go to France, which is what we did last year. Sure, Paris is full of amazing Michelin-starred restaurants, but if you want to get the most bang for your buck, head to Lyon (aka the gourmet capital of France). Even better, forget Paris or Lyon and book a CroisiEurope riverboat cruise instead. CroisiEurope is a French company specializing in European river cruises. I've never been on an ocean cruise and will steer clear of those insane 7,000-people environmental hazards. But a river cruise is a completely different story. With a capacity of 80 people or so, CroisiEurope boats are small, intimate affairs designed for French vacationers. Last year, we booked a six-day cruise from Lyon and there were only four Americans aboard (plus two other English speakers from England and Singapore). Where the boat went was not important to us...

I've been cooking a lot of French dishes since our trip to France last year. I've been busy fine-tuning new recipes in my home kitchen, and now I'm ready to share a new dessert recipe for FRESH BERRIES IN COULIS SAUCE. Perhaps the simplest of French sauces, coulis is simply pureed fruit or vegetables. For our dessert dish, we'll be blending fresh strawberries with something sweet, then adding a splash of cognac to make it really French. Serve the sauce with fresh berries and a scoop of ice cream, and you've got a beautifully simple dessert that can be made in minutes without cooking. Arguably, French gastronomy is the most influential of European culinary traditions. Tonight's menu also features a classic Julia Child-inspired Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew) and a fabulous roasted beet salad with goat cheese. Come hungry and thirsty because we will be making and eating a classic three-course French dinner tonight. Our cooking party starts at 6pm on Thursday,...

Welcome to the 10th season of my long-running Flavor Principles of Ethnic Cooking classes at Urbana Park District. Since spring 2022, we have traveled around the world and sampled cuisines from Greece to Inida to Jamaica. This spring we're going to France, Vietnam, and Palestine to taste what each country has to offer.  This spring, I will be joined by two guest chefs who will share their personal recipes. With these upcoming cooking classes, our goal is to show you that making great-tasting ethnic dishes is not hard at all. Here's the schedule: French Classics (February 20) : 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. Tonight's menu features three French classics.  Vietnamese Cooking (March 3) : Influenced by the flavors of neigh...

  When traveling, my favorite thing to do is to try new dishes with exotic ingredients that I'm not familiar with. My second favorite thing to do is to take cooking classes with local cooks who want to share their favorite recipes. On a recent trip to Oaxaca, I had just such an opportunity.  This was our third time going down to the southern-most state of Mexico. Oaxaca City just happens to be one of best places in the world to celebrate the Christmas season. Oaxacans are very traditional, and their Christmas celebrations involve a week of fiestas, parades, marching bands, and even a  radish carving festival . Oaxaca is also where the best mezcal is made. Small batch artisenal mezcal from Oaxaca is highly prized internationally. Oaxacan cuisine is also celebrated worldwide and heavily promoted by celebrity chefs like Rick Bayless . Moles (sauces made with peppers, nuts, and chocolate) are often featured in Oaxacan cuisine, and this chicken stew includ...