Fabulous February news

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Breaking news! Due to illness I have 2 places available on my Marrakech tour 13 – 19 May. I know it's late notice but you may feel like doing something mad and spontaneous and joining us for some savory pastilla, hand made couscous and tomato jam. Mountains of dried and fresh roses are found in the spice souks all over Morocco. They are not only used for decoration but also in cooking – dried rosebuds add a musky haunting flavour to savory dishes. Eating rose-flavoured sweets is like eating summer and romance and longing. I have added a new visit to the tour – the entirely wonderful and authentic Talasin weaving co-operative. Our half day visit includes a tour of the dyeing and weaving studio, learning to weave alongside the weavers, tea and lunch in one of the weavers' homes and a hand tattoo with henna by a local tattoo artist. As usual, I can't stay away from clothing and homeware shops so I'll show you where the best ones are. My favourite one is in the medina, specialising in the most incredible, high end embroidered homeware – sheets that feel like they were made for royalty.

There is also one room left on my Uzès tour 14 – 20 June. Uzès is where I live in the French summer so it's one of my favourite tours as I know everyone and we have some cooking classes and parties in my home –three storeys of sunlight, open loft-style design and Provençal colours. We have pottery demos, vineyard visits, wild and crazy meals in Nimes at the market, dipping in the hotel pool and pretending we can sing at the last night bash. In elegant, fragrant Uzès it seems like everyone is smiling – maybe because the sun shines 300 days a year and the sky is unremittingly blue – or maybe because of the intoxicating southern French lifestyle.

And last but far from least, there is one place left on my perfect Puglia tour 1 – 7 September. Southern Italy, sun, sea and the freshest food imaginable. 
 

Gastronomic Tours in 2025

Bookings for 2025 are open and dates on the website – nothing like dreaming about adventure and travel to take us out of our every day lives...

India – 3 – 12 March 2025
Marrakech – 12 – 18 May 2025
Uzès  – 30 May – 5 June 2025
Basque Country – 15 – 21 June 2025
Puglia  – 31 August – 6 September 2025
Portugal – 14 – 20 September 2025

Fresh Fruit Tart

Now is the time for berries – sweet, crunchy and oozing with the taste of summer. You can make this the easy way with Paneton short sweet pastry, a mix of mascarpone & custard & berries, or you can take the longer path.... details below. Tonka beans are a black legume from South America, about the size of a large dried bean. They taste and smell of a heavenly combination of vanilla, cherry and cinnamon, but if you can't find them, vanilla pods work too.

For the Pastry Cream:

  • 250ml (1 cup) milk

  • 100g (1/2 cup) sugar

  • 2 Tonka beans or half a vanilla pod, seeds removed

  • 3 egg yokes

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • 4 tbsp sifted flour

  • tbsp butter

  1. In a medium sized bowl beat together the egg yokes, tbsp of sugar and flour till pale and creamy (about 3 mins)

  2. Heat the milk, sugar and tonka beans or vanilla pod and seeds in a medium sized saucepan. When just on the point of boiling, pour into the egg yoke mixture, whisking constantly.

  3. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, put on a low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. It will thicken in about three minutes. If you think it might have a few little lumps, pour it through a sieve. 

  4. Pour back into the mixing bowl, dot with butter to prevent a skin forming and allow to completely cool. When cool, refrigerate covered in plastic wrap.

For the Short Pastry:

  • 200g flour (1 cup)

  • 50g (1/4 cup) sugar

  • 1 egg yoke

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 100g room temperature butter, cubed

  • cold water

  • 23cm (9 in) tart tin with removable base

  • 1 egg yoke & 1 tbsp milk beaten together

  • sugar

  1. Pile the flour on the bench or marble and make a well in the centre.

  2. Into this place the egg yoke, salt, butter, sugar and 1 tbsp cold water.

  3. Using your fingertips gradually work the flour into the centre. Work quickly and methodically till all the flour is incorporated. Add more water if necessary and form into a  soft ball. 

  4. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 180 F (375 C)

  5. Grease and flour the tart tin. Roll out the pastry and ease gently into the tin, making sure you don’t pull it or stretch it. Make a few little holes in the pastry with a fork.

  6. Cover the pastry with foil or baking paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 mins.

  7. Remove the baking beans, brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little sugar. Put back in the oven to bake for another 15 mins till golden.

  8. Place on a cake rack and cool completely.

To Put the Tart Together:

  • 250g (1 cup) fresh fruit or berries

  • 1 tbsp cherry molasses (or any other kind)

  • slivered almonds


Fill the pastry shell with the cold pastry cream (discard the tonka beans), smoothing it over evenly.
Arrange the fruit over the top in the most artistic fashion you can manage. Drizzle with molasses and almonds. Et Voila!

Run out right now to read all about it in the latest GOOD magazine where I get to be on the cover in my favourite tablecloth skirt, banging on about double lives, being accidentally sustainable and how travel keeps your brain healthy.

See you soon

Peta