Barbra Austin

Though irrefutably Bordelais, the little cakes known as cannelés have conflicting origin stories. One attributes their development to a group of nuns. A more sentimental spin credits resourceful Bordeaux residents, who scooped up flour spilled from sacks during unloading at the port and used it to make the cakes for impoverished children.

You can always count on a seeing something astounding in the windows of Patrick Roger.

“Accro” means “hooked” or “addicted” in French. I am accro à several things: My morning coffee, the game Wordtwist (You are going down, Joe!), Advil PM, and now, pistachio ice cream with calissons from À La Mère de Famille.

You may have heard that today is Valentine’s day. Personally I don’t enjoy the forced romance of February 14th, and the pressure to do something special. What I do enjoy is finding the right gift for someone, any day of the year.