Provence to PondicherryRecipes from France and Faraway


Tessa Kiros, renowned for her exquisite food and travel books, takes us on a fascinating journey across the globe to explore French culinary influences in far-flung destinations.

Her journey begins in Provence, where Tessa first fell in love with French food, and explores the Mediterranean region’s links between the indigenous ingredients, flavors, materials, and traditions. She then follows the path of the early French explorers, traveling to the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, Vietnam in South East Asia, Pondicherry in India, and the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion, before finally returning to France, in the region of Normandy, whose cuisine is so different from the South of France.

In each destination, Tessa delves into the history and culinary traditions of the place, discovering how French cuisine has become entwined with local ingredients and traditions. The result is an intriguing collection of recipes that will appeal to anyone with an interest in food and culture. 

Born in London to a Greek-Cypriot father and Finnish mother, Tessa Kiros developed an interest in the food of different cuisines and travel from an early age. After growing up in South Africa, she left home at eighteen to travel and cook, working in restaurants in London, Sydney, Athens, and Mexico. She now lives in Tuscany. Her first cookbook, Falling Cloudberries, was an instant success, and a further eight books have followed, all epitomized by evocative writing and beautiful photography.

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