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    Home » Food » Recipes

    May 23, 2021

    French Riviera Pantry Essentials Checklist

    Have you been wanting to try cooking French Riviera cuisine at home but don't know where to start? Delicious, beautiful, French Riviera inspired meals are simpler than you might think to prepare - all that is required are a few basic pantry essentials, matched with the fruits and vegetables that are in season in your area. Most ingredients are easily available in your local supermarket to get you started. Here is our complete French Riviera Pantry Essentials Checklist to get you on your way to cooking French Riviera inspired meals at home.

    Below you will find the complete checklist. If you would like the printable version, sign up for Le Chef's Wife's newsletter and and I will email you a printable PDF of our French Riviera Pantry Essentials Checklist.

    French Riviera Pantry Checklist PDF

    What we Use in our own Kitchen

    Le Chef and I recently sat down and took inventory of everything that was in our pantry. We don't have a lot of space in our kitchen - to be honest, our "pantry" is really two kitchen cupboards. Having just the right ingredients, the ones that we use over and over again, is key. We don't have space for lots of jars and spices we seldom use - that is for sure!

    French Riviera cuisine is very simple in general, with a focus on the fresh ingredients more than the spices and sauces.

    If all you have is olive oil, vinegar and some sea salt you are already well on your way to seasoning a large number of French Riviera dishes. Add a little Herbes de Provence and you can give a French Riviera & Provençal twist to any dish.

    Frequently Asked Questions about French Riviera Cuisine:

    What is French Riviera Cuisine?

    Very simply - it is a healthier version of what is commonly known as French cuisine. Rooted in the Mediterranean diet , the food of the French Riviera is a mix of Provençal, Italian, Greek, North African and French cuisines. It is inspired by the sun and the Mediterranean sea and features lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables, fish, and olive oil. Preferred cooking methods are oven baked or poached and the iconic ingredients of northern French cuisine, butter and cheese, are seldom used. The most common seasonings are rosemary, thyme, herbes de Provence, as well fresh lemon or orange zest.

    What are "Herbes de Provence"

    Herbes de Provence is a blend of herbs that includes Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Sariette (Summer Savory) and Marjoram. You can easily find dried Herbes de Provence in most supermarkets though the beauty is in the balance of the herb mixture. Many American Herbes de Provence blends are strong with oregano, while French Herbes de Provence blends feature more thyme and rosemary. Herbes de Provence are a great way to season meat for grilling, vegetables for baking or simply sprinkled over salads. Petits Farçis Nicois is one of my favorite recipes that features Herbes de Provence.Petits Farçis Niçois - the zucchini and the tomato on a blue plate set on a marble table with a napkin

    glass bowls with French Riviera ingredients. Olive oil, olives, garlic, herbes de provence, capers
    Ingredients for Olive Tapenade

    French Riviera Spices / Les Épices

    • Herbes de Provence
    • Oregano
    • French Sea Salt/ Fleur de Sel
    • Rosemary
    • Thyme
    • Basil
    • Bay leaves
    • Espelette Pepper
    • Garlic
    • Saffron
    • Black Peppercorns
    • Curcuma or Turmeric
    • Cumin
    • Cardamon
    • Nutmeg

    French Riviera Cooking Alcohols / Les Alcools de Cuisson

    • Red Wine
    • Champagne
    • Pastis
    • Rosé Wine

    Oils and Vinegars / Les Huiles et Vinaigres

    • Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • Canola Oil
    • White Vinegar
    • Red Wine Vinegar
    • White Balsamic Vinegar
    • Balsamic Vinegar
    Le Chef's Wife French Riviera Pantry Essentials Checklist Printable PDF

    Food Stuffs / Les Denrées Alimentaires

    • Cherry Tomatoes
    • Sun dried Tomato Paste
    • Canned Diced Tomatoes
    • Canned Crushed Tomatoes
    • Tomato Purée
    • Pitted Whole Kalamata Olives (or Niçois or Taggiascha olives)
    • Capers
    • Whole Peeled Garlic
    • Preserved Lemons
    • Chickpeas
    • Cannellini Beans
    • Lentils Du Puy
    • Risotto Rice ( Arborio or Carnaroli)
    • White Rice
    • Pine Nuts
    • Almonds
    • Canned Tuna
    • Anchovies
    • Dijon Mustard
    • Harissa
    • Cornichons
    glass bowls with chocolate, butter, sugar and eggs on a marble table

    Baking Items / La Pâtisserie

    • All Purpose Flour
    • Almond Flour
    • Bread Flour
    • Baking Soda
    • Baking Powder
    • Active Dry Yeast
    • Bourbon Vanilla Beans
    • Almond Paste
    • Orange Extract
    • Lemon Extract
    • Rose Extract
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Granulated Sugar
    • Confectioner's Sugar
    • Crème de Marrons / Chestnut Cream
    • Leaf Gelatine
    • Dutch Process Chocolate
    • Baking Chocolate Bars - Dark Chocolate
    • Pearl Sugar
    • Brown Sugar

    How many of these items do you already have in your kitchen? I would venture to say you have a lot of them already!

    Now that you have the ingredients, here are some of the French Riviera Recipes that are featured on Le Chef's Wife Blog:

    La Salade Niçoise

    Bayaldi de Légumes

    Potage aux Légumes

    Branzino with Vierge Sauce

    Asparagus with a Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette

    Easy Spring Asparagus Soup Recipe

    Soupe au Pistou

    Tapenade aux Olives

    Let me know what you are cooking! Bon Appétit!

    Au plaisir,

    Le Chefs Wife Logo
    Le Chef's Wife French Riviera Pantry Essentials Checklist Printable
    « Simple Confit Bayaldi Recipe
    Fresh Fennel and Tomato Salad »

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    Bonjour. If you are looking for French Recipes, made simple, you are in the right place! I translate the fancy cooking of my French Chef husband into easy-to-follow recipes that busy people with no culinary training, like me, can cook. From French Baguettes to French Riviera classic recipes, I invite you to learn French cooking with me.

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