The Joie de Vivre of French-Secrets

This past winter, I discovered a gentle, elegant respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It came in the form of a blog, written by another woman with a love of French food and culture. Adeline Olmer was born in France and moved to the United States with her family as a young girl. As a result, she has lived her life at the intersection of these two great cultures. And this has given her a joie de vivre which shines through in her blog French-Secrets.

Started as an expression of food, family and home, French-Secrets has evolved over time. And Adeline’s current iteration now embodies the belief that being French is a state of mind. As she says, “You don’t need to be French to have the French lifestyle – you just need to know their secrets”. And these include being present and embracing life while making even the smallest things special. So, it’s no wonder that I was drawn in to her posts recalling touching memories of her early years in a small town in Provence and the special people in her life.

And these she accents with her passion for food and entertaining. Whether it’s providing a recipe for the perfect picnic or her mother’s apple tart from Normandy, Adeline delves into the everyday elements of the French attitude and lifestyle. Adeline Olmer's Apple Tart: L'Abeille Française: a workbook: L'Abeille Française

And she recently expanded her efforts in sharing this passion by writing Le Kitchen Cookbook: a Workbook. Not an ordinary cookbook, this is a workbook that teaches you how to cook, explaining the interplay between techniques and flavours. And then it shows you how to combine them into a delicious dish. Or how to adjust a recipe into something that better suits your family’s tastes. If you’ve enjoyed my posts about French cooking schools, such as The Floating Kitchens of École Lenôtre, then I’m sure you’ll love Adeline’s workbook. And, to help you master your culinary skills, Adeline also offers a free Must Have Kitchen Items Guide.