Blog

There is a great multitude of different eggplants in various shapes and colours- it is, after all, a vegetable that is grown nearly globally. Eggplant is slowing winning the hearts and mouths of Épices de Cru, although its still not universally beloved (it’s one of Philippe’s least favourite ingredients, though he still cooks it with remarkable ingenuity!). To persuade you of the eggplant’s value, or just cook with it more, we present you with a few recipes that appear on the menu for staff lunch regularly and always to rave reviews.​

Les plats de viande et de poisson cru sont très populaires dans les restaurants, mais on éprouve une certaine inquiétude à les préparer à la maison. C’est tout à fait compréhensible, compte tenu des risques liés à la consommation de chair animale crue. Pourtant, les techniques sont très faciles à maîtriser ; il suffit comme toujours de bien suivre les règles!

It could be for a picnic or a light lunch, or maybe you’re just in need a good excuse to take advantage of your overflowing organic vegetable basket – whatever the reason, opportunities to prepare amazing salads at this time of year are bountiful. Choosing the right vinaigrette is as important as the ingredients of a great salad – in many cases – it’s the vinaigrette that gets star billing. We’ve curated some of our favourite vinaigrette recipes, including some that have achieved a certain cult status over the years. Bon appétit!

No matter where our travels take us, our priority when arriving in a new city is always a visit to the local market. Public markets are ideal places to taste the local food and to witness the every-day comings and goings of real folks. These exchanges are our greatest source of inspiration. Last June, our colleagues Claudine and Eric went to South Korea, and they took advantage of the occasion to visit different markets (and there were many!)

Indonesian cuisine is without a doubt one of the richest and most varied in the world. Like the different languages spoken as well as the multitude of cultures and religions practiced, there is a fascinatingly wide range of cooking traditions to be found throughout the islands that form the archipelago. Spices (fresh or dried) play an essential role and are used with great skill. It’s not uncommon to find as many as 10 different dishes on tables in Indonesia – which everyone shares. This inspired us to share some of our favorite recipes. Now, it’s now up to you to choose among them to create your own menu!

Yes, the “real” piper nigrum are the stars of the show in the cooking world, but all these other peppers also have their place in your kitchen.

If you’re looking to innovate your summer barbecue this year, look no further than the many delicious grilling traditions enjoyed around the world. From kebabs to satays to yakitori, there’s something for everyone!

So where does a dish originate? These days its seems we’re so obsessed with finding the roots of a recipe, or its cultural meaning, as some approach to finding its true soul. In these conversations about the first place something was first cooked or the first person who cooked it or the correct ingredients to make, we forget one important aspect of food, something that’s true for just about anything we eat: any dish is first eaten around a table with family and friends.

What's bigger than peppers in the spice game?

Where else to learn about how to use paprika than in Barcelona? Paprika is probably the most famous Spanish spice. It was, after all, the Spanish who first imported chile peppers from the Americas. And so it remains, today, one of the best places to learn about paprika use.