2020
Holiday Gift Guide
for Lovers of
Everything French

For the chef: Something new

Dinner in French
by Melissa Clark

New York Times star food writer Melissa Clark breaks down the new French classics with 150 recipes that reflect a modern yet distinctly French sensibility.

Just as Julia Child brought French cooking to twentieth-century America, so now Melissa Clark brings French cooking into the twenty-first century. She first fell in love with France and French food as a child; her parents spent their August vacations traversing the country in search of the best meals with Melissa and her sister in tow. Near to her heart, France is where Melissa's family learned to cook and eat. And as her own culinary identity blossomed, so too did her understanding of why French food is beloved by Americans.

Now, as one of the nation's favorite cookbook authors and food writers, Melissa updates classic French techniques and dishes to reflect how we cook, shop, and eat today. With recipes such as Salade Nicoise with Haricot Verts, Cornmeal and Harissa Soufflé, Scalloped Potato Gratin, Lamb Shank Cassoulet, Ratatouille Sheet-Pan Chicken, Campari Olive Oil Cake, and Apricot Tarte Tatin (to name a few), Dinner in French will quickly become a go-to resource and endure as an indispensable classic.

While we have linked to Amazon to purchase this gift, please try and support your local bookstore and see if they carry it or can order it for you.

For the chef: An oldie, but a goodie

Frenchie -
New Bistro Cooking
by Greg Marchand

For the more adventurous cook, celebrate the food of one of our favorite restaurants in Paris with the Frenchie cookbook by one of the most talked-about chefs in Paris, Greg Marchand. His food is an exceptional amalgam of French technique, reverence for fine product, and the best and most interesting flavors and methods he encountered during the 12 years he spent cooking around the world. His game-changing restaurant, Frenchie, which was awarded its first Michelin star in 2019, has breathed new life into the French bistro scene, with exuberant and interesting food. And it's where those in the know, including Alice Waters and Ruth Reichl, go to eat while in Paris. While we have linked to Amazon to purchase this gift, please try and support your local bookstore and see if they carry it or can order it for you.

For the Gastronome

A Virtual Cooking Experience at La Cuisine Paris

Transport your gift recipient to France with a virtual cooking class at La Cuisine Paris, a French cooking school located in the heart of Paris. They offer numerous French cuisine classes including Croissant Classes, Macaron Classes, Traditional French Pastry Classes, Technical Skills Classes, and a French Cheese Workshop. Even better, next time you are in Paris, enjoy a hands on cooking class with them!

For the Traveler

Gift Certificate from
The Bordeaux Concierge

Give the gift of travel by gifting personalized The Bordeaux Concierge gift vouchers for experiences in France. Gift vouchers can made for private shopping tours, fine dining experiences, or can be completely customized to your specification. Order our gift certificates online or contact us today to give the gift of travel to your loved ones.

For the Traditionalist

Staub Cast Iron Cocotte

Gift our favorite pots to cook in – Staub. Founded in 1974 in the Alsace region of France, Staub's original aim was to create the perfect pot. The founder used his family's experience in cookware as well as love of the kitchen to create his first pot in an old French artillery factory. The brand has now become the benchmark for enameled cast iron cookware around the globe. These come in several different colors, but our favorite is the Basil green color. The French-made pot is perfect for slow-cooked stews, soups, braised and roasted meats, casseroles, and other one-pot meals — if you don't have Dutch oven (and even if you do), this thing's about to change the way you cook. The smooth enamel base won't burn or warp, and the matte interior encourages browning. It's easy to retain your meal's moisture thanks to the spikes on the bottom of the lid, while the pot's ceramic finish prevents chipping and rusting. It's an essential in any chef's kitchen, regardless of skill level, and it'll look great for years to come.

For the Antiquarian

The Cook’s Atelier

Anything from The Cook’s Atelier online store would make the perfect gift. Their culinary boutique is a carefully curated, hand-sourced selection of beautiful, unique items for the passionate cook's kitchen and home. Items range from copper pots and pans, to one-of-a-kind vintage finds, as well as well-made classic French and European professional-style kitchen tools. Some of our favorite items include the copper oval gratin pan, the vintage bistro bread slicer, a French black steel pan made by Mauviel, or oval gratin dishes.

For Foodies

Fresh Bread delivered
from Poilâne Paris

If you can’t travel to Paris for Christmas, why not bring Paris to you? Poilâne, the celebrated Parisian bakery, can deliver their breads anywhere around the world overnight. The bread is baked, packaged, and delivered right to your gift recipient. They also offer an array of home goods and accessories designed to accompany and enhance your dining experience.

For Tea Lovers

Tea from Mariage Frères

Order from our favorite tea house in Paris, Mariage Frères. They have the largest tea selection in the world with over 800 references from 36 tea-producing countries with every type of tea represented including white teas, yellow teas, green teas, black teas, blue teas, red teas, matured teas, compressed teas, crafted teas, and blended teas. They also purvey all of the necessary accessories for the preparation, conservation and tasting of tea according to the rules of the French Art of Tea. Our favorites include Marco Polo, a marvelous fruity and flowery black tea with fragrances of Chinese and Tibetan flowers, and Earl Grey French Blue, a silky black tea that pairs the fruity, zesty and lightly peppery notes of refined bergamot with the sweet-scented hint of cornflower. There is a tea for everyone’s taste!

For Cocktail Lovers

For Those with a Sweet Tooth

Macarons from Ladureé

What is more quintessential to Paris than the macaron and even more so the macarons from Ladureé?! The story of the Ladurée macaron starts in the middle of the 19th century with Pierre Desfontaines, who first thought of taking two macaron shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling. The recipe has not changed since.

For Romantics

Candles from Trudon

Share the beautiful fragrance of a Trudon Candle. Created in 1643, this is the oldest candlemaker in the world, with all of their candles handmade in Normandy. Two of our favorites include Mademoiselle de La Vallière with its aroma of tuberose, bergamot and musk, and Cyrnos, named after the sunny Cyrnos villa what welcomed the upper crust of early-20th century high society, with its Mediterranean aromas including lemon, lavender and cashmere wood.

For those in need of Relaxation

Hesperi Dream Pillow Mist
by Pierre Guillaume

Another perfect olfactory gift for your loved ones is something special from Pierre Guillaume Paris, an independent family-owned composition House, established in 2005. Pierre Guillaume, a chemist, develops his contemporary and eclectic scents in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans of Auvergne. We particularly enjoy his Hesperi Dream Pillow Mist with the scent of mandarin, sage, and California poppy blossom. And let’s be honest, we could all use some relaxation after this year!

For Wine Lovers

Adopt a Vine

For an original way to gift the wine of France, adopt a vine for your gift recipient. Your chosen recipient will receive bottles of wine from their vines at the beginning of their adoption year and 6 of the following vintage at the end of the adoption year, all personalized with their name. All year long, they will be able to follow the evolution of their adopted vines on their account. To make it even better, they will also be invited to the domain to meet the winemaker and visit their vines. Vines can be adopted in various regions including Bordeaux, Champagne, Bourgogne, Loire, Rhône, and Provence. Prices begin at 145 euros per year.
Contact us to find out how you can offer this extraordinary gift.