Marinated olives were one of the very first things I made for the viral series last fall, which is slightly ironic considering that three years ago I genuinely hated them.

Not in an indifferent, I could take them or leave them sort of way. I actively did not understand the appeal. They were too briny, too salty, too intense, and yet they were constantly appearing in exactly the kinds of places where I wanted to eat everything on the table.

Eventually, I decided the problem was me.

If you’ve been here for a while, you may remember me saying that I essentially gaslit myself into liking olives. I say that jokingly, but the experience actually changed the way I think about food. I’m now fairly convinced that there are a lot of things we categorize as foods we “don’t like” when, in reality, we simply haven’t learned to like them yet.

And yes, apparently you can learn.

PSA: It’s Not Over for You, Picky Eaters

Your taste buds may be a lot less stubborn than you think.

I grew up in a household where we were relatively adventurous eaters, at least by American standards. I ate most types of fish, loved steak, ate vegetables and generally wasn’t afraid of trying things.

For a long time, I thought that made me an adventurous eater.

Then I got older, started traveling on my own, spent more time in Europe and eventually started dating a French person. It became increasingly apparent that my definition of “adventurous” had some fairly comfortable boundaries.

I loved steak, but I was probably ordering the filet mignon. I ate fish, but there were certainly preparations and textures I avoided. I would try new things—as long as the new thing wasn’t too new.

Living in France has a way of exposing that fairly quickly.

Something about staring down patê is really a fear factor kind of moment that you get over very quickly as you realize FRENCH PEOPLE EAT EVERYTHING.

There isn’t quite the same expectation that every meal needs an alternative for the picky eater at the table. If something is being served, you eat it—or at the very least, you try it. And spending enough time around people who approach food that way has made me much more aware of how often we decide we dislike something and then simply never give ourselves the opportunity to change our minds.

Which brings me back to olives.

How I Became a Hot Girl Who Loves Olives

In 2023, I spent about a week and a half traveling in Spain.

Olives were everywhere.

You would order a drink and a bowl would appear. Sit down for dinner and there they were again.

So I tried one.

Hated it.

A day or two later, I tried another one.

Still hated it.

We all know the age old proverb, hot girls LOVE olives, and I was determined to be a hot girl.

So I kept eating them.

I would just try one whenever they appeared in front of me. And somewhere around the fourth or fifth attempt, something genuinely changed. I started understanding why everyone reached for another one.

By the end of the trip, I was voluntarily eating olives.

Three years later, they are one of my favorite snacks.

The Very Scientific Case for Trying a Food More Than Once

Apparently “I don’t like it” and “I don’t like it yet” are two very different things.

That week in Spain made me rethink the idea of being a picky eater altogether.

There are obviously foods we simply don’t enjoy, and I’m not suggesting anyone spend their life forcing themselves to eat something they hate. But I do think we underestimate how much our palates evolve through exposure.

Sometimes a flavor is unfamiliar before it becomes delicious. Sometimes you need to taste an ingredient prepared properly. Sometimes you need to eat it in its natural context to understand why people love it.

And sometimes you just need to decide that hot girls eat olives.

Whatever works.

Which is a very long-winded explanation for how someone who once couldn’t stand an olive now finds herself developing seasonal marinated olive recipes.

Summer Citrus-Marinated Olives

This recipe is incredibly simple, but the key is gently warming the citrus peels and herbs in the olive oil before adding the olives. It releases their flavor into the oil and gives the olives that warm, intensely aromatic quality you get at a really good wine bar.

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There are certain recipes that feel like they could only exist at the end of summer, when tomatoes are almost too ripe, stone fruit is at its sweetest, and you’re trying to make the most of those last long dinners outside before fall starts creeping in.

This stone fruit panzanella is exactly that kind of recipe.

I originally made a version of this salad while cooking at Camp Fleurish, and it has become one of my favorite ways to use up a baguette that has made it just slightly past its prime. I always seem to have half a baguette sitting somewhere in my kitchen, especially after living in Paris, and this is the perfect excuse not to let it go to waste (although in Paris it gets rock hard by 8pm).

The History of Panzanella

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After living in Paris for the past year, I was convinced that the thing I’d miss most when I came back to California would be the iced coffee, perhaps Mexican food, or free refills…

It turns out it was the ocean.

I’ve been back in California for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve found myself at the beach almost every day. There’s something about being near the water that immediately makes me feel like myself again. Maybe it’s growing up here, but I truly think I’m someone who’s meant to live near the ocean.

If you’ve ever spent an afternoon at the beach, you’ll understand what comes next.

There is a very specific kind of hunger that arrives the moment you leave. It isn’t just that you’re hungry—you feel like you could eat an entire family dinner by yourself. Sun, salt water, and a few hours in the sand somehow create an appetite unlike anything else.

Lately, I’ve been craving snacks that are somewhere between refreshing and satisfying. Something that feels light enough for a warm afternoon but substantial enough to hold you over until dinner. My body craves a sweet salty snack to tie me over until dinner.

Have I become French?

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I feel incredibly passionately about sandwiches. Some might even say they are my favorite simple food. They are incredibly versatile and with different breads, toppings, sauces, you can elevate a simple sandwich into an incredibly satisfying meal.

I won’t pretend like this sandwich is something out of this world, it is simple yet incredibly delicious and I believe if you follow these sandwich rules of mine, you are setting yourself up for sandwich success.

Side note : I am on Nantucket this week visiting some friends of mine, and they have a young daughter. She saw me filming me making my sandwich and said “Seriously is anyone going to want to watch this?” I SURE HOPE SO!

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When I was 17 years old, I spent the summer volunteering on Marthas Vineyard at a place called Camp Jabberwocky. It is the oldest overnight summer camp for people with disabilities, and it has become a second home to me!

I return every summer for a few weeks, and I spend it hanging out with my favorite campers, but I also spend time cooking in the kitchen at camp since everything is run by volunteers.

Let me tell you one thing : cooking lunch for 70 people is no joke.

This is my seventh summer volunteering and my fourth summer in the kitchen, and I have learned a lot during this time so here are some of the highlights.

1. Deli containers are hyped right now for a reason. I am obsessed with keeping all my leftovers in plastic deli containers (sue me we are all going to die from microplastics). Blue painters tape with a date and stacked into a fridge is a system that I will be taking home with me!

2. Do with this info what you will but you can turn pretzels dipped in chocolate and crushed oreos (or we did cocoa powder) into fake cigarettes ! Kinda chic if you ask me and a HUGE hit!

   

   3. After many hours in the kitchen the best playlists / radios on Spotify that I found include : Happy Mix, Miel De Montagne for some funky french vibes, and The Chicks Radio for a little twang.

   4. A homemade dressing or sauce goes a LONG way. Sometimes when you are feeling fatigue with eating the same foods, or feeling stuck in your cooking ways, try a new salad dressing recipe or make a homemade hot honey to feel something again!

   5. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS WEAR AN APRON! It might be silly to say but it is so easy to just throw it on and as someone who owns a prolific amoutn of stained items, save yourself the trouble. And if it has a cheetah print thats even better!

   

   but the main reason for this post was because I feel very passionately about this.

   PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT : LEFTOVERS CAN BE SEXY!!

   I think we forget the beauty in taking something that has been used or cooked and turning it into something else. Often times it gets tossed, or sits in the back of the fridge, waiting to be thrown away a few days later.

Here is a horrifying statistic if you needed more inspo to not toss your leftovers : “In the United States, an estimated 30–40% of the food supply is never eaten.”

So here are some of the most common food items we had at camp and how I repurposed it into leftovers!

1. Leftover Bacon from Breakfast → BLT for Lunch! Oftentimes we would have a lot of bacon leftover, so we would throw it in the microwave on a paper towel for 45 seconds, and then onto a BLT for lunch. This sounds simple but it was a crowd pleaser! Also, mix mayonaisse with pesto for the ultimate pesto aioli that is so easy to make!

2. Almost anything can be turned into fried rice ! Leftover veggies on their last leg? leftover egg scramble from breakfast? Leftover white rice from dinner? TOSS THAT SHIT IN!!! It is kind of an everything but the kitchen sink vibe, but honestly whenever I am at home I use fried rice as a good fridge clean out vibe and it works well!

3. Leftover bagels or toast going stale? PIZZA BAGELS IT IS ! When you throw on some marinara to a stale piece of bread, something magical happens… It doesn’t taste like cardboard anymore!

4. Leftover Cheese from a cheeseboard? Grilled cheese it up!

5. Leftover Cake? CAKE POP CENTRAL!

6. Half of a cucumber ? PICKLE IT UP!

Let this be a reminder not only to use up your leftovers in a unique and fashionable way, but also if you haven’t volunteered in the last year. CHANGE THAT!

I dedicate 2 weeks out of my year to Camp Jabb and if I could I would spend the whole summer there. Find what fills your heart and do it !

And if you can’t find the time to volunteer, then donate to a worthy cause and it might just make you feel better! And if that cause just so happens to be Camp Jabberwocky, HIP HIP HOORAY!

https://www.campjabberwocky.org/camp/summer

There’s just something magical about thick slices of juicy heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with flaky salt, crisp lettuce, smoky bacon, and creamy mayonnaise, tucked between two thick layers of sourdough.

As a certified summer beach girly, my favorite place to eat one is with my toes in the sand, where the tomato juice inevitably drips down your fingers and somehow makes the sandwich taste even better.

This recipe is my love letter to that classic—but dressed up just enough for a summer dinner party.

Instead of sandwich bread, we’re using buttery puff pastry to create a beautiful tart that’s equally at home as the centerpiece of a backyard barbecue, an appetizer for friends, or even dinner with a simple green salad. It has everything you love about a BLT, just in a more elevated presentation.

Ingredients

For the tart

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This one is inspired by one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time: French onion soup and French onion dip. It has sweet caramelized onions, nutty Comté cheese, a creamy Dijon dressing, plenty of black pepper, and crispy fried onions for crunch. Somehow it tastes nostalgic and elevated at the same time—like if a French bistro decided to make the ultimate summer pasta salad.

The best part? The onions don’t take an hour.

I know everyone says caramelized onions need 45–60 minutes, but I genuinely don’t have the patience for that. Instead, I cook them over medium heat and every time the bottom of the pan gets deeply browned, I splash in about a tablespoon of water. I find it works easiest with a stainless steel pan, but I have also done this on a nonstick pan too!

It lifts all those flavorful browned bits off the pan, keeps everything from burning, and helps the onions soften much faster. Mine are usually beautifully caramelized in about 20 minutes.

This is exactly the kind of pasta salad I’d bring to a barbecue, a picnic, or honestly just make on Sunday so I can eat it straight from the fridge all week.

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One thing I’ve noticed after moving here is that the French are incredibly intentional about seasonal produce. You would never find someone eagerly buying strawberries in January because everyone knows they simply aren’t at their best. Instead, people wait. Then, when strawberry season arrives, they taste unbelievably sweet because you’ve spent months looking forward to them.

In the US, I feel like we rely on weather to dictate what we cook - when its cold, we eat more comfort foods like chili. Whereas in France, some fruits and vegetables have such a small window of production so you rush to the store to cook the rhubarb because in 1 or 2 weeks it might be gone!

We have lost a bit of that anticipation in the United States. We have access to almost every fruit and vegetable year-round, but just because we can buy something doesn’t always mean we should. Produce simply tastes better when nature intended it to.

Apricots are the perfect example.

In France, apricot season is wonderfully short, generally lasting from June through early August, depending on the region. In the United States, you’ll usually find the best apricots from May through July, with some later harvests extending into August in places like California. Either way, they only have a few glorious weeks where they’re truly at their peak.

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As an American living in Paris, I’ve watched what feels like half of Europe flock to the United States for the World Cup while Americans continue dreaming about sipping Aperol Spritzes on the Amalfi Coast. It made me laugh as I sit in my 95 degree apartment in Paris craving the air conditioned comforts of home in the US because it reminded me that the grass is always greener on the other side.

Truthfully? There are plenty of things I miss about an American summer. Backyard barbecues. Long evenings outside. Friends bringing over a different side dish. A cooler full of drinks. And yes... a really good potato salad.

But there are also things Europe does exceptionally well.

Meals here aren’t rushed. Nobody is eating lunch at their desk in ten minutes before hopping on another Zoom call. Instead, food is shared. You order several plates for the table. You linger for hours. Someone orders another bottle of wine. Nobody is checking the time.

One dish that perfectly captures that feeling for me is Patatas Bravas.

If you’ve spent any time in Spain, you know they’re on nearly every tapas menu: crispy potatoes coated in a smoky, slightly spicy tomato sauce, usually served with a creamy garlic aioli. They’re simple, inexpensive, and somehow always one of the first plates to disappear.

So naturally... I started wondering:

What if potato salad had a Euro summer?

The result is this Patatas Bravas Smashed Potato Salad—an American picnic classic with a Spanish twist.

Instead of mayonnaise doing all the heavy lifting, the dressing starts with slowly cooked onions, smoked paprika, harissa, tomato paste, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Greek yogurt and mayonnaise mellow everything out into a creamy sauce that’s smoky, tangy, just a little spicy, and incredibly addictive.

The crispy smashed potatoes soak up every bit of that flavor while still keeping their crunchy edges.

It’s punchy.

It’s bright.

And it feels right at home whether you’re serving it alongside burgers at a backyard barbecue or putting it out as part of an apéro spread with friends.

Patatas Bravas Smashed Potato Salad

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients

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A few weeks ago, I spent a week in the Belgian countryside cooking for Camp Fleurish, a retreat where I was responsible for feeding seventeen women breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Cooking for a crowd teaches you a lot. You quickly realize that the recipes people remember aren’t necessarily the most complicated ones. More often than not, they’re built around one incredible seasonal ingredient that gets to shine.

One evening, I served a version of this dish as our main pasta. Warm brown butter burst tomatoes with angel hair pasta - it was absolutely delicious.

As I was cleaning the kitchen that night, I remember thinking, this needs to become part of my Summer Dip Series.

The funny thing is that this recipe actually has another story behind it.

Like many people, I became completely hooked on Wishbone Kitchen a few years ago. Meredith Hayden had a way of making private chef life in the Hamptons feel equal parts aspirational and approachable, and one recipe in particular always stuck with me: her brown butter sun gold tomato pasta.

I’ve probably made some variation of it half a dozen times since.

It’s one of those recipes that’s almost deceptively simple. Brown butter. Sweet tomatoes. Onions. A splash of vinegar. Somehow those few ingredients become something far greater than the sum of their parts.

This version is my own little twist.

Instead of tossing everything with angel hair pasta, I wanted to lean into my obsession with appetizers this summer. So I swapped the pasta for a generous ball of burrata, letting the warm tomatoes slowly melt into the cheese.

It became less of a dinner and more of something you set in the middle of the table with a loaf of good bread and tell everyone to dig in.

That being said…

If you are in the mood for pasta, I can confidently tell you this recipe is equally delicious that way.

Simply cook a package of angel hair pasta, reserve about half a cup of the pasta water, and toss it with the brown butter tomato mixture. Add a splash of pasta water until everything becomes silky, then tear a ball of burrata right over the top before serving.

It’s one of my favorite summer dinners.

But today, we’re making the appetizer version.

Brown Butter Sun Gold Tomatoes on Burrata

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

Tomato Mixture

• 2.5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 small yellow or white onion, thinly sliced

• 2 pints sun gold tomatoes (or yellow cherry tomatoes)

• Flaky sea salt

• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

For Serving

• 1 ball fresh burrata

• Thick slices of sourdough

• Olive oil

• Fresh basil, chopped

• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Butter

Melt the butter over medium heat until little brown flecks begin to appear at the bottom of the pan.

Here’s my favorite trick: don’t rely on your eyes alone.

Carefully waft some of the steam toward your face.

If it smells nuttt, almost like toasted hazelnuts, then you’re there!

Step 2: Build the Base

Add the sliced onions and cook for about 4–5 minutes, just until softened.

Next, add the sun gold tomatoes.

If you’ve never cooked with sun gold tomatoes before, you’re in for a treat.

Compared to traditional cherry tomatoes, they’re sweeter, less acidic, and almost taste fruity. They hold onto that sweetness even after cooking, which is exactly why they’re perfect here.

Season generously with flaky sea salt.

Then comes the hardest part.

Leave them alone.

Seriously.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to stir every thirty seconds.

Try not to. But if you do end up stirring them it will all be okay!

Let the tomatoes sit for about 5–6 minutes before giving them their first stir. This allows them to blister and caramelize instead of simply steaming.

Continue cooking until roughly 60–70% of the tomatoes have burst.

Step 3: Deglaze

Right before removing the pan from the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar.

I’ve recently fallen in love with cooking in stainless steel—I’m using my new Anolon stainless steel pan here—and one of the biggest reasons is what happens during this step.

As the tomatoes and onions cook, they create beautiful caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan.

The vinegar loosens every single one of those flavorful bits, transforming them into the sauce.

It feels like magic every single time.

Step 4: Toast the Bread

Slice your sourdough generously thick.

Heat a good amount of olive oil in a skillet and toast each side until beautifully golden.

Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the bread is still warm.

Step 5: Assemble

Spread the burrata onto a serving platter.

Spoon the warm brown butter tomato mixture over the top.

Finish with fresh basil and another sprinkle of flaky salt.

Serve immediately with the toasted sourdough.

A Few Notes

• Sun gold tomatoes are worth seeking out if you can find them. Their sweetness is what makes this recipe so special, but yellow cherry or mixed cherry tomatoes are a great substitute.

• The temptation will be to stir constantly. Resist it. Letting the tomatoes blister is what creates the sauce.

• Don’t skip the white balsamic vinegar. It brightens the entire dish while lifting every last bit of caramelized flavor from the pan. You can also use regular balsamic vinegar if need be !

• If you’d rather turn this into dinner, toss everything with angel hair pasta, a splash of reserved pasta water, and finish with torn burrata over the top. You might want to double the amount of things for the burst tomato part!

Summer always reminds me that the best recipes aren’t usually the ones with the longest ingredient lists.

They’re the ones that celebrate what’s in season, invite people to gather around the table, and somehow disappear before you’ve had a chance to grab a second piece of bread.

This one has already become a staple in my kitchen.

I have a feeling it’ll become one in yours, too. 🍅✨

(I am not a sports girly however I love a good excuse for an app and this is a great time to root for France!) Also I am wearing my little French scarf as a nod to France!

Welcome back to Apéro Hour, where I make a French appetizer and pair it accordingly and today we are using a classic comfort food and giving it a French passport.

Today’s recipe? French Pigs in a Blanket—or as I’ve been affectionately calling them, P’s in a B: World Cup Edition.

Since moving to France, I’ve fallen in love with so many little parts of everyday French life. One of them is the country’s unwavering pride. Whether it’s food, wine, cheese, or football, the French don’t just support France—they genuinely believe France is the best.

Case in point...

At the beginning of the World Cup, I casually asked my French boyfriend, Gustave,

“So...who’s supposed to win this thing?”

He looked at me like I’d just asked whether Paris had an Eiffel Tower.

“France obviously!”

“No seriously...”

“France.”

“But...who are the favorites?”

“...France.”

Turns out...he wasn’t joking!

So I suppose tonight is as good a time as any to root for Les Bleus!

Another thing I’ve come to appreciate is the French pride surrounding heritage brands. One of my favorites is St Dalfour, a company that has been producing fruit spreads in southwest France for decades using recipes inspired by traditional French preserving methods. Their spreads are sweetened with fruit juice instead of refined cane sugar, which gives them a beautiful fruit-forward flavor that works just as well on a cheeseboard as it does in savory cooking.

Today, their Fig spread becomes the secret ingredient that transforms caramelized onions into something closer to a rich onion chutney.

The result?

Sweet.

Savory.

Buttery.

Melty.

And unapologetically French.

French Pigs in a Blanket

World Cup Edition

Makes: 16–20 pigs in a blanket

Ingredients

• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

• 8 hot dogs, halved

• 200g Comté cheese, sliced into thin sticks

• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp St Dalfour Black Fig Spread (plus more for assembly)

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp water

• Fresh thyme (optional)

• Fresh cracked pepper

Optional French Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup crème fraîche

• 1 tbsp Maille whole grain mustard

• 1 tbsp St Dalfour Black Fig Spread

Step 1: Make the Onion Chutney

Most caramelized onion recipes tell you to cook them for 45 minutes.

Your girl simply does not have that kind of patience.

Instead, here’s my little cheat code.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onions.

Whenever the onions begin sticking or getting too dark, simply add one teaspoon of water. The water deglazes the pan and lets the onions continue softening instead of burning.

Repeat this little trick every few minutes.

After about 15 minutes, your onions should be beautifully golden.

Now stir in 2 tablespoons of St Dalfour Black Fig Spread.

The fig jam melts into the onions and creates the most incredible sweet-savory onion chutney.

Honestly...I could eat it with a spoon.

Step 2: Assemble

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Cut each puff pastry sheet into triangles.

On each triangle:

• Spread about 1 teaspoon St Dalfour Fig Spread

  

• Top with half a hot dog

• Add a spoonful of the caramelized

  onion mixture

• Add some of the shaved Comté

  

Roll tightly.

Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash.

Finish with a little shaved Comté on top.

Step 3: Bake

Bake for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and flaky.

A little note...

Some of the fig jam may bubble out during baking and caramelize around the edges.

It can look a little dark (even black in places), but don’t panic—that’s just the sugars from the jam doing their thing.

Simply break off any overly caramelized bits if you’d like.

The inside will still be perfectly gooey and delicious.

Optional French Dipping Sauce

Whisk together:

• Crème fraîche

• Maille whole grain mustard

• St Dalfour Fig Spread

It’s creamy, tangy, sweet, and somehow makes these even better.

Although honestly?

They’re just as delicious straight off the tray.

A Little French Apéro Philosophy

One thing I think Americans often get wrong about French apéro is that they imagine elaborate spreads with endless tiny dishes.

Sometimes that’s true.

But more often than not, apéro is wonderfully simple.

It’s a few good ingredients.

Something warm from the oven.

A glass of wine.

Good conversation.

And taking a moment to slow down before dinner.

That’s something I hope never changes.

Whether you’re cheering for France or simply here for the snacks...

I hope these make it onto your table tonight.

Vive la France.

Allez les Bleus. 🇫🇷⚽🍷

I’ve always thought they are one of the most elite menu items when they’re done well. But the truth is, they’re also one of the easiest things to get wrong. Too creamy, not enough lemon, not enough black pepper... and don’t get me started on the dressing to lettuce ratio because more often than not - it’s wrong.

To me, the perfect Caesar dressing should be bright, peppery, unapologetically lemony, and packed with Parmesan. So I started thinking: if the dressing is everyone’s favorite part anyway, why not turn it into a dip?

The result is something that tastes exactly like your favorite Caesar salad, but in snack form. It’s perfect for summer entertaining, happy hour, or honestly just standing in your kitchen with a head of little gem lettuce and calling it lunch.

Ingredients

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First of all, I have never been called “chef” in my LIFE so the first time one of the women said it I kind of squealed. Anyway, the group would file in and make their plates from the spread I composed and then shuffle off to different parts of the chateau to enjoy their lunch.

Finally taking a breath for the first time in 2 hours, I would usually stand in front of the fan and sip on my mint tea with two weak ice cubes after lunch was served. Then as I began unloading the dishwasher, people would start to come back into the kitchen. It was the quiet sounds of more pasta salad being spooned onto plates and women saying “oh I just had to come back for seconds” that were the quiet victories for me.

The highest form of flattery was the question : “Can I please get your recipe for this?”

And my ego was incredibly stroked by the end of the week when one of the gals asked if I had a cookbook. It was time for me, my inflated ego, and dirty aprons to head back to Paris.

While I don’t have a cookbook, I do have a beautiful community of readers here so I thought I would begin with recreating some of the biggest hits from the week.

So I figured we’d start with the crowd favorite.

It has a bit of a mouthful of a name—Hot Honey Peach Caprese Pasta Salad—but trust me, it’s one of those recipes you’ll make once and then keep on repeat all summer long.

During Camp Fleurish, Europe was in the middle of a brutal heatwave. Every day hovered around 100°F (38°C), and after spending hours in the kitchen, the last thing anyone wanted was anything heavy.

Instead, I leaned into dishes that felt refreshing while still being filling. I wanted lunches that celebrated the incredible produce we had available—sweet peaches, ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil—while giving everyone enough substance to fuel the afternoon.

Pasta salads are one of my favorite ways to do exactly that.

They somehow feel both comforting and refreshing at the same time.

I actually remade this recipe a few nights ago back in Paris after another sweltering day, and I loved it just as much. It’s perfect for dinner on a hot evening when you’re craving pasta but don’t necessarily want a traditional warm pasta dish.

Hot Honey Peach Caprese Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Read more

.

Now, before we go any further, I should probably make one thing very clear:

I’m not a private chef.

I love to cook. I develop recipes. I host dinner parties. I’ll happily spend an entire afternoon making homemade mayonnaise just because I feel like it. But professionally? I’ve never called myself a private chef.

Last summer, I cooked for Emily’s retreat she cohosts with her sister Eva called Camp Fleurish, for a group of around ten women, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in the kitchen. Emily, originally from California, owns a beautiful château in Belgium where she hosts creative retreats through her company, Fleuropean. Historically, the retreats have centered around flowers—Emily is an incredibly talented florist—but Camp Fleurish is designed as a week of creativity, community, beautiful meals, and slowing down - not necessarily just for florists.

When she asked if I’d come back this summer, my answer was immediately yes.

Then, about two weeks before camp, she casually mentioned that attendance had grown.

Instead of cooking for ten women...

I’d be cooking for seventeen.

Cue the mild panic.

Seventeen people may not sound like a huge number if you’re a trained chef, but for someone who mostly cooks for family, friends, and the occasional dinner party, it felt enormous. I was suddenly planning breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, grocery lists, timelines, and trying to figure out how to execute everything completely on my own.

I kept thinking in terms of a Thanksgiving dinner : “It’s just like how my dad cooks for Thanksgiving for this size group. Just instead of one dinner it is 6 days and 3 meals a day….”

And just to make things even more exciting...

Europe decided to have one of its biggest heatwaves of the summer.

The château kitchen regularly hovered around 100°F (38°C), and there were definitely moments where I questioned every life decision that had led me there.

But somewhere between whisking homemade mayonnaise, hauling sheet trays in and out of the oven, slicing my hand and almost needing stitches and trying not to melt into the tile floor, something really clicked.

I realized that I absolutely love cooking for people.

Not because everything went perfectly (it definitely didn’t), but because there is something incredibly satisfying about watching a table full of people light up over a meal you made.

One thing I kept coming back to while planning the menu was this question:

How do I make food that feels both comforting to a group of Americans while still celebrating everything I’ve learned from living in France?

Most of the women attending Camp Fleurish were visiting from the United States, so I wanted familiar flavors—but with a distinctly European influence. I leaned heavily into seasonal produce, simple French cooking, and recipes that celebrated summer rather than trying to overcomplicate things.

Looking back, there were a few dishes that completely stole the show.

The biggest hits of the week

Homemade Deviled Eggs with French Mayonnaise

Served alongside a beautiful welcome lunch with cheese, charcuterie, fresh baguettes, fruit, and salad.

I genuinely think homemade mayonnaise ruins store-bought mayonnaise forever.

Hot Honey Caprese Pasta Salad with Peaches

Without question one of the most requested recipes of the week.

Sweet peaches.

Fresh basil.

Creamy mozzarella.

Hot honey.

It somehow tasted like summer in a bowl.

Tomato Galette

I’ve already shared this recipe here on Substack, but seeing seventeen people immediately go back for seconds was incredibly validating.

Store-bought pie crust.

Boursin.

Pesto.

Peak-season heirloom tomatoes.

Proof that simple usually wins.

Cucumber Gazpacho

Probably the biggest surprise of the week.

Cold cucumber, yogurt, herbs, mint...

It ended up being exactly what everyone wanted during the heatwave.

Penne alla Vodka

Every group needs at least one comfort-food dinner.

This one disappeared.

Panzanell

a

I made multiple versions throughout the week using whatever looked best at the market: heirloom tomatoes, peaches, cherries, apricots, basil, and leftover baguette.

It’s one of my favorite ways to cook in the summer because it changes depending on what’s in season.

Ina Garten’s Peach Raspberry Crisp

Served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Need I say more?

Homemade Chocolate Mousse

I’d somehow never made chocolate mousse before this week and decided to make it by hand during the hottest day - with no hand mixer. It was a pain in the ass but so worth it !

Now I completely understand why the French love it.

Finished with flaky sea salt and good olive oil, it was rich, simple, and one of my favorite desserts I’ve ever served.

Gougères

Warm little cheese puffs before dinner are never a bad idea.

Ina Garten’s recipe remains undefeated.

Focaccia Workshop

One afternoon we turned lunch into an activity and everyone decorated their own focaccia using herbs and edible flowers from the garden.

It ended up being one of my favorite memories from the entire week.

The funniest part is that I spent weeks stressing over whether everyone would like the food.

Instead, I left with a notebook full of recipes people wanted me to share.

So over the next few weeks, I’m going to start publishing them here on Substack.

If there’s one that caught your eye, leave a comment below and let me know which recipe you’d like me to share first.

Because after cooking for seventeen women in a château during a European heatwave... I have plenty of stories (and recipes) to tell.

A truly ripe summer tomato is so good that I could eat it like an apple, standing over the kitchen sink with juice running down my arm. The pale red grocery store tomatoes we settle for in January simply cannot compete. Summer tomatoes are rich, sweet, almost floral, and they deserve to be the center of attention.

This tomato galette has become my favorite way to celebrate them.

Inspired by the famous tomato galette from Wishbone Kitchen, but with a few Ina Garten-inspired shortcuts, it delivers all the charm of something homemade and rustic without requiring an entire afternoon in the kitchen. Because while I love cooking, I also love recipes that leave enough time to enjoy the people gathered around the table.

The foundation starts with store bought pie crust. Thank you, Ina.

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If the first dip was an ode to strawberries, this one is dedicated to one of summer’s greatest pleasures: stone fruit.

As a child, I remember biting into a peach at the beach and having the juice run down my little hands and wrists. That feeling of sand on my hands mixed with the juices is ingrained in my mind with the feeling of summer, and the only solution was to run straight into the ocean and let the salt water wash away the sticky evidence. There was something so magical about it—the sweetness of the fruit, the warmth of the sun, the refreshing feeling of the salt water on my skin and the feeling that summer would last forever.

This dip is an homage to those flavors!

One of the things I love most about entertaining is creating recipes that feel elegant enough for guests but simple enough to make on a whim. That’s exactly what the Five Layer Summer Dip Series is all about. Every dip follows the same formula: a creamy base, a seasonal centerpiece, herbs, crunch, and a finishing touch.

Once you understand the formula, you can create endless variations throughout the season.

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This recipe is for the latter.

Welcome back to Wine Bar Snacks, where today’s feature is a Pickle Pie with Dill Ranch Dressing—a deeply savory and briny appetizer. It feels like a grown up bar snack, and is somehow a cross between a pizza and a pie - and has the essential addition to any pizza… ranch!

This pie combines three different varieties of pickles, each bringing something unique to the party. Classic kosher dill pickles provide that familiar garlicky punch. Sweet Russian pickles add a touch of sweetness and complexity. French cornichons bring brightness and acidity that cuts through the richness of the cheese.

The secret to success is making sure your pickles are thoroughly dried before they ever touch the pastry. Pickles carry a surprising amount of moisture, and taking a few extra minutes to pat them dry ensures a crisp crust rather than a soggy one.

For the base, I used Boursin cheese because its herbaceous flavor pairs beautifully with the dill and garlic notes found throughout the pie. A layer of mozzarella creates that irresistible cheese pull, while shaved Parmesan adds nuttiness and depth.

Then comes the fun part.

Arranging the pickles across the surface becomes a work of art in the most savory way possible. A few sprigs of fresh dill scattered on top, and into the oven it goes.

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During the colder months, I crave dishes like bubbling gratins, baked cheeses, and the sorts of appetizers that encourage people to gather closely around a table. I invite recipes that leave the oven running for longer just to heat up the place a bit.

In summer, if I can avoid turning on my oven all week long I am THRILLED.

As temperatures rise, I find myself drawn toward food that feels lighter and brighter. I want dishes that can sit comfortably beside a swimming pool, accompany a late afternoon at the beach, or be shared among friends on a terrace as the sun begins to set. Summer entertaining, at least in my mind, is less about abundance and more about freshness. It is about taking a handful of beautiful ingredients and allowing them to shine.

This idea is what inspired my newest recipe series: The Five-Layer Summer Dip.

The concept borrows loosely from the classic layered dip, but reimagines it through a more seasonal lens. Rather than layers of refried beans, cheese, and salsa, each dip in this series will be built around five essential elements: a whipped cheese base, a prepared fruit or vegetable, fresh herbs, a finishing drizzle, and a final layer of texture.

Once you understand the formula, the possibilities become nearly endless.

To begin the series, I chose one of my favorite combinations of the season: pickled strawberries served over a whipped feta mixture with fresh basil, mint, olive oil, and flaky salt.

Why Pickle Strawberries?

I have always been fascinated by ingredients that occupy two worlds at once.

Strawberries are naturally sweet, but when introduced to vinegar they take on an entirely different personality. Their sweetness becomes more nuanced, their acidity more pronounced, and they develop a complexity that feels surprisingly sophisticated. The result is something that bridges the gap between fruit and condiment.

I find that strawberries nowadays are often less sweet than those of my childhood, and they can sometimes be a bit dry as opposed to the juicy ones I used to bite into and feel the sticky juices run down my chin. This recipe helps bring back the tart delicious succulent berry bites you might be craving.

To prepare the strawberries, I removed the stems and sliced them in half before placing them into a jar.

For the pickling liquid, I combined:

• White balsamic vinegar from Neolea

• Water

• Pickling spices from Morton and Bassett

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

I happened to have a beautiful white balsamic vinegar from Neolea on hand, which already possessed a natural sweetness. If using a traditional white wine vinegar, I would recommend adding a small amount of sugar to balance the acidity.

After combining everything, I allowed the strawberries to rest in the refrigerator for approximately one hour, although thirty minutes would suffice if you’re short on time. The strawberries can easily be prepared in advance and will keep well for a day or two.

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1. grew up eating it every week
   or

2. have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

Naturally, I asked my French boyfriend if he knew what fromage fort was, and he looked at me with complete confusion. No recognition whatsoever. Which only made me more intrigued.

So is fromage fort a deeply traditional French staple? A regional thing? A niche bistro preparation? Or simply a very aesthetic internet rediscovery of “people mixing leftover cheese together”?

Honestly, we may never know.

What I do know is that it is delicious.

Fromage fort is essentially the French practice of blending together leftover bits of cheese with wine, garlic, butter, and whatever else feels appropriate until it becomes a spreadable, intensely savory cheese situation meant for apero hour. It feels rustic and vaguely illegal in the best possible way.

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Since moving to Paris, I have become strangely fascinated by madeleines. There is a small madeleine shop near my apartment that I pass several times a week, and nearly every time I walk by, I find myself wondering where exactly the madeleine belongs within the rhythm of the day.

It feels too delicate to qualify as breakfast, yet somehow too buttery and indulgent to reserve solely for an afternoon snack. The French, unsurprisingly, seem entirely comfortable allowing it to exist somewhere in between.

Perhaps that ambiguity is part of the appeal. Madeleines occupy a category of their own: small enough to feel incidental, yet memorable enough that you continue thinking about them long after you have finished one!

And after moving into a 300-square-foot Paris apartment, it felt almost inevitable that I would eventually purchase a madeleine tin. I believe certain kitchen objects begin to feel less like tools and more like participation in a way of living and becoming “French”. A madeleine tin was one of those things!

This recipe emerged from that combination of small Parisian observations, an affection for apero culture, and a desire to reinterpret something traditionally sweet into something far more savory and substantial. The result lands somewhere between a gougère and a madeleine: deeply buttery, fragrant with thyme, and edged with crisp Gruyère that caramelizes against the pan as they bake.

They are exactly the sort of thing I imagine serving with wine at the beginning of a long evening.

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