My French Country Home Subscription Box and Magazine

If you are a Francophile like me, chances are you have friends, and loved ones who are too. Here is a short list in no particular order, of online websites and shopping for great gift ideas from France that I follow, frequent, and recommend. A few are new to me, which I thought you might like too.

1) French General, owner Karri Meng, has a fabulous old-fashioned general mercantile of French fabrics, trimmings, craft kits, notions, and brocante finds. She also hosts “French General GetAways” each summer in the Toulouse, France area.

2) My French Country Home Gift Box, Boutique, and Magazine. Owner, Sharon Santoni does a magnificent job of promoting France, french products, French artisans, and more to Francophiles.

3) The Simply Luxurious Life, Shannon Ables has a terrific blog and podcast on cultivating the extraordinary in your everyday. Check out her Simply Luxurious Life Francophile Finds

4) Chateau Sonoma, I call owner, Sarah Anderson, the unofficial ambassador of Sonoma County. She promotes flower farmers, antique dealers, artisan farmers, artists, chefs, etc. with her French flea markets, events, music concerts, and Friday Cocktail Instagram hour. Chateau Sonoma is a retail shop on Sonoma Plaza in Sonoma, California, as well as a great website specializing in French antiques and gifts. Chateau Sonoma just celebrated 20 years!

5) Rabbit Hill Lifestyle, owner, Cat Bude lives with her family on a beautiful farm in Normandy, France. She offers a fun and lively pop-up shop for 24 hours usually the first or second Saturday of the month. She specializes in copper pieces, as well as brocante and lifestyle treasures. Worth checking out.

6) Vivi et Margot, named after her two daughters, Charlotte Reiss offers “A French Life To Live” with her online store for Traditional French housewares. She and her family live in Southwest France, and soon will be moving to Provence. She is fun to follow on Instagram at vivietmargot.

7) The Cook’s Atelier, Expats Mother/Daughter duo, Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini are based in Burgundy, France with their fabulous cooking school and culinary boutique. I have experience their kitchen and shop, which is a stunning. Online they offer many antique, kitchen, and culinary boutique items which are very special.

8) Elsie Green, Elsie Green is a small family run business out of Northern California. The team travels the world to find special pieces. One visit to their website, and you will be inspired.

9) Francaise Shop, A new shop for me to explore, that I have heard about in Coronado, California that specializes in modern French contemporary for the home, kitchen, and boutique clothing. It is on my list to visit, and it is local.

10) Le Panier Français, Also new to me, an online French marketplace out of Illinois specializing in imported French food items. A great online website to find special French foods and ingredients. It is fun to browse all of their items available.

Please share your favorite websites for Francophiles too. I always love to hear! Happy Shopping!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

An Autumn Sunset To Be Grateful For

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life” —Rumi

Learn How To Make Fantastic Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters at Domaine de Manion

The Macadamia Nut Workshop on Saturday, November 26, 2022 is filled. Thank you for your interest and welcome response to host a second Macadamia Nut Workshop. The date for the second Macadamia Nut Workshop is Tuesday, November 29, 2022. Please see below for details. Merci beaucoup!

At Domaine de Manion we proudly share we have 5 mature macadamia nut trees that are grand and still producing an abundance of nuts. Estimating by the year our original home was built, these macadamia nut trees are ninety plus years old. Each year we gather, dry, and store the nuts until we hand process them with a specific macadamia nut crusher. It is labor intensive, but worth macadamia gold. The macadamia nuts we use in the workshop are organically grown and processed on site.

Please join me for a two hour hands-on workshop at Domaine de Manion. I will share with you different macadamia nut dessert recipes, just in time for the holiday table and gift giving. Using the recipes we make together, I will demonstrate how to incorporate these goodies into a beautiful delicious Chocolate Charcuterie Dessert Board.

Macadamia Nut Workshop

Hosted at Domaine de Manion, Encinitas, California

Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 at 1pm to 3pm

$95.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

To Sign Up, And For Further Details

Please Contact Bonnie , bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

I call this workshop “pop-up” because it is very spur of the moment and very spontaneous. The workshop is limited to the first 8 guests who contact me above and sign up. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the workshop to be held.

Macadamia Nut Gold

Merci….Bonnie

Learn How To Make Fantastic Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters at Domaine de Manion

At Domaine de Manion we proudly share we have 5 mature macadamia nut trees that are grand and still producing an abundance of nuts. Estimating by the year our original home was built, these macadamia nut trees are ninety plus years old. Each year we gather, dry, and store the nuts until we hand process them with a specific macadamia nut crusher. It is labor intensive, but worth macadamia gold. The macadamia nuts we use in the workshop are organically grown and processed on site.

Please join me for a two hour hands-on workshop at Domaine de Manion. I will share with you different macadamia nut dessert recipes, just in time for the holiday table and gift giving. Using the recipes we make together, I will demonstrate how to incorporate these goodies into a beautiful delicious Chocolate Charcuterie Dessert Board.

Macadamia Nut Workshop

Hosted at Domaine de Manion, Encinitas, California

Saturday, November 26th, 2022 at 1pm to 3pm

$95.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

To Sign Up, And For Further Details

Please Contact Bonnie , bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

I call this workshop “pop-up” because it is very spur of the moment and very spontaneous. The workshop is limited to the first 8 guests who contact me above and sign up. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the workshop to be held. If there is a large enough response I will host a second Macadamia Nut Workshop. Merci beaucoup!

Macadamia Nut Gold

Bon Chocolat et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Like A Piece Of Art, This Tart Is Ready For Oven

My eye caught this recipe because I love tarts, I love pumpkin, and I love recipes that have a “wow” factor. This recipe from Victoria magazine 2018 has all three. To plan ahead, this recipe calls for cooling in the refrigerator the finished tart for 4 hours before serving.

Swirled Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Tart

Lovingly Adapted from Victoria 2018 Magazine

Makes 1 (10-inch) Tart

For Crust:

1-3/4 cups crushed gingersnap cookies

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For Pumpkin Filling:

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin , preferably Libby’s

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

For Cream Cheese Swirl:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish:

Sweetened whipped cream

Fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) For crust: in a large bowl, stir together crushed cookies, walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter, stirring to combine. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Recipe Note: I crushed cookies in a food processor to get a fine crumb texture. I would also add the walnuts in the food processor to get a finer walnut texture for the crust. Place a baking tray with parchment paper under the crust while baking. Bake for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3) For pumpkin filling: In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Add cream, whisking until mixture is smooth. Pour into cooled crust.

4) To prepare cream cheese swirl: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add egg yolk, beating until mixture is smooth. Beat in cream. Drop cream cheese mixture over pumpkin mixture by tablespoonfuls. Gently swirl mixture with a knife.

5) Bake until center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Recipe Note: The tart filling mixture is full in your tart pan. Place a baking tray with parchment paper below your baking tart while baking. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish serving with sweetened whipped cream and fresh mint, if desired. Enjoy!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Pumpkins Basking in the Autumn Morning Sun

Quoting Author, Cook, Mimi Thorisson, “Every Season has something great about it.” She says “Autumn is reflection.” I agree with her. After the busyness of the year and excitement from summer, it is time to slow down before the coming holidays.

There is a profound shift happening. The weather cools. Our gardens take a rest. Days get shorter. Root vegetables come into season. The wonderful aromas of soups, stews, and gratins permeate our kitchens.

We can easily add autumn into our lives through color, ribbons, scents, mother nature, decorating, cooking, and celebrating. I have listed ten ways, but I could really list many, many more. It is my hope that maybe one or two that I mention will trigger your creative juices for your home this autumn.

1) Decorate with pumpkins, inside and outside your home. Pumpkins come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Create a tablescape, arrange little pumpkins under a glass cloche, or simply create a friendly arrangement of pumpkins as a welcome gesture at your front door. White pumpkins for fall, can carry on into the holidays. Gather branches, berries, rose hips, from your garden to further embellish your pumpkins.

2) Add a scented candle to your home such as Pumpkin Clove from Anthropologie.

3) Make Ina Garten’s Warm Fig and Arugula Salad from her Make It Ahead cookbook.

4) This is the season to add Fuyu persimmons, apples, pears, pomegranates, nuts, to your vinaigrette salads. Experiment with new recipes for squash soups, pumpkin desserts, and root vegetable gratins.

5) Buy bright orange marigold cut flowers at your favorite Farmers Market for your home. If you are really ambitious make a simple single marigold flower headband by threading together the center cut marigold heads with elastic string. Be bold and wear it to a dinner party.

6) Experience “Day of the Dead,” around the same time as Halloween. Where Halloween is about costumes, scary, and spooky, “Day of the Dead” is paying homage and respect celebrating the past life of loved ones with altars, face painting, and skeletons. Originated in Mexico, it is celebrated in Latin America and many countries around the world.

“Day of the Dead” Celebration at a Baja, Mexico Winery

7) Plan a trip or simply a hike to the great outdoors and experience the brisk air, autumn scents, crunching of leaves, and beautiful foliage colors.

8) Roast marshmallows and make s’mores over a fire pit with friends and family. Create a gourmet board of ingredients for your s’mores by using special chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, and cookies.

9) October starts the peak season for fresh mussels (moules) now to March. If your loved ones enjoy mussels, try Jane Webster ‘s recipe from her book, Château Life for Moules À La Normande. It is one of my favorite very “fall” ways to make mussels

Moules À La Normande

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 shallots diced

2 pounds mussels (moules)

1 cup apple cider

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp crème fracîche

1/2 bunch chives, coarsely chopped

1 baguette, sliced and grilled

Directions:

In a lidded cast-iron pot over high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and sauté until soft. Add the mussels, pour in the cider, cover, cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mussels open. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl.

Cook the cider over medium heat for 5 minutes to reduce, remove from heat, than add the mustard, and crème fraîchte. Whisk into a sauce.

Pour the hot sauce over the mussels, sprinkle on the chives, and serve with the grilled baguette.

10) Use orange, wine, gold, tawny, and olive colors in your tablecloths, napkins, seasonal pillows, scarves, dishware, and more. Beautiful hues for a beautiful season.

A Warm Welcome Autumn Greeting

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Morning Glory Muffin With Fruit

Evidently the Morning Glory Muffin recipe has been around for a while, but is new to me this fall. I saw this recipe recently from my saved October 2018 Victoria magazine.

Ina Garten has a similar Morning Glory Muffin recipe which she made famous at Barefoot Contessa. There are a few different ingredients such as using all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour and adding sweetened shredded coconut. Garten’s recipe was inspired by the muffins made at the Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket. You can also find this recipe in her cookbook, Cook Like A Pro.

Regardless of which recipe you use, this comforting muffin is full of goodies with grated carrots, Granny Smith apples, crushed pineapple, raisins, pecans, and more. One could describe the Morning Glory Muffin as similar to eating a piece of carrot cake without the icing.

Morning Glory Muffins

Lovingly Adapted from Victoria 2018 Magazine

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup cored and grated Granny Smith apple

1 (8-ounce) crushed pineapple, drained

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 9 jumbo muffin cups with paper or foil liners. Recipe Note: I used the standard muffin tin with tulip papers, which made approximately 16 muffins total. Amazon has a nice assortment of tulip liners for baking.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together carrot, apple, pineapple, oil, and eggs. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in pecans and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Recipe Note: I baked muffins for about 20 minutes because they were standard muffin size and not jumbo muffins. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool slightly on wire racks. Remove paper or foil liners for serving if desired. Recipe Note: I like the tulip liners, so kept mine on. Enjoy!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Zesty Pumpkin Soup Using Libby’s Pure Pumpkin

Last year I helped put on a fall potpourri workshop for one of my garden clubs. Besides the workshop, my dear friend and I also created a lunch for everyone to enjoy afterwards and called it “Pumpkin Potpourri Picnic.” The menu was pumpkin-themed from the appetizer to dessert, and needless to say, it was a big hit!

Featured on our menu was Zesty Pumpkin Soup, originally a recipe from Libby’s Pure Pumpkin can many, many years ago. This subtle pumpkin soup is so tasty with the right mix of flavors, and ease in making. I love this recipe because it lets the wonderful flavor of the pumpkin shine through.

Two “must use” secret ingredients in this recipe, are the Libby’s Pure Pumpkin and Spice Islands Curry, both found on amazon and at most grocery stores.

Last fall I shared with you another recipe from this menu, Pumpkin Maple Cornbread, which is a perfect complement for this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Zesty Pumpkin Soup

Lovingly Adapted From Libby’s Pure Pumpkin Can

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp. curry powder (Spice Islands Curry—the best)

½ tsp. salt

1/8 to ¼ tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1-3/4 cup (16oz) Libby’s Pure Pumpkin

½ cup half and half cream

Sour Cream & Chives (optional)

 Directions:

In large saucepan, melt butter, sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add curry powder, salt, coriander, and red pepper. Cook 1 minute. Add broth. Boil gently uncovered 15-20 minutes.

Stir in pumpkin and half and half. Cook 5 minutes. Pour into blender and blend until creamy.

Serve warm. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and snipped chives.

 Related Past Post:

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie