Support Local Schools with an eFundraiser!

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Joanna

This holiday season, we’re giving back to elementary schools in Northern California by offering eFundraisers.

Westlake Elementary School in Santa Cruz and LeConte Elementary School in Berkeley have both set up special sales in our online store to raise money for school programs. Westlake will be working to support their Life Lab Program, LeConte is earning money for their PTA.

For the holiday season, we’re extending our eFundraiser opportunity to any local schools who would like to participate.

Here’s how it works:

When you sign up with us, we’ll create a special coupon code for you and your school that can be distributed to parents, friends, and families. The coupon code will give customers Free Shipping, and ensure that 20% of their order from our online store is donated to the school. We also guarantee delivery in time for Christmas for all orders placed through December 19th.

After the event is over, Petite Provence will donate 20% of all sales made using the coupon back to the school.

If you’re interested in hosting an eFundraiser for your school, contact us at info@petiteprovence.com

You can also find more information here, on our e-Fundraisers page.

 

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Upcoming Holiday Events and Special Holiday Hours

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Thor

It’s that time of year again! We’d like to take a moment to let you know about events that are coming up, and some of the special holiday hours we’ll be open this year.

Right now we’re getting excited about our big Black Friday Warehouse Sale – this will be the 2nd year, and promises to be even bigger and better than last year! Lots of discontinued and other sale items, great discounts, and an introduction of our new holiday collections. We’ll be open on Friday, Nov 25th, from 11am to 5pm at 330B Ingalls Street, on the West Side of Santa Cruz. Just down the road from Kellys Bakery…grab a coffee and head on over!

Warehouse Open Hours: our normal open hours are 11am-3pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and every 3rd Saturday. (and for special events like this coming Friday) During the week before Christmas, Dec 19-23rd, we’ll be open Every Day!

Our Capitola Store Hours:  our normal open hours are Daily, 10am-6pm. During the month of December we will be open until at least 7pm Monday through Saturday.

On December 3rd, we will be participating in another Annual Event, the 3rd Street Holiday Warehouse Sale in San Francisco. Lots of vendors, and Holiday Gifts at 30%-60% off! More information is available at www.3rdstreetsale.com

 

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Tips for Decorating with Table Runners

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Thor

We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls recently about table runners and how to use them. With all the entertaining coming up in these next holiday weeks, this seems like a good time to share a few of our suggestions on decorating with Table Runners. Using Table Runners can give you a completely new tablescape and you can show off a new look for this years party.

Most people seem to expect to use runners on a table where the runner is long enough to run then length of the table, and drape off both sides. But what to do when the runners you like aren’t long enough for your table? (or your table is just too long for the runners out there)

Sometimes less is more – if you have a nice wood table you may not want to hide all that nice wood grain under a cloth. Using a smaller Runner as more of a centerpiece will provide a wonderful accent to the table, helping to highlight  your floral or candle centerpieces, while protecting your table from any scratches from vases, and still showing off the natural wood grain. Table Runners don’t only belong on tables – they make a wonderful protective and decorative barrier for other furniture as well. A nice coffee or console table, a chest of drawers, even bookcases can all be both protected and highlighted at the same time with the right Runner.

One of our favorite ways to use runners is to place 2 or 3 of them side by side, across the width of the table rather than down the length. This provides a completely different look – but a very elegant one.  Set this way, your Runners become your new placemats!

Tell us…are runners a part of your home decor? How do you use them? Share some of your tips with us!

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Add a French Twist to Your Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 18, 2011 by admin

Although Thanksgiving is an American holiday, for French enthusiasts and Francophiles alike, Thanksgiving is another opportunity to incorporate France into your holiday tradition! Surprise your family and friends with these recipes that add a French twist to traditional holiday dishes. Add a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau to pair with your turkey, and you’re ready to eat as the French do!

Try this delicious recipe for Provençal Turkey Roast with Riesling, which is inspired by two classic French dishes- Coq au Vin (chicken braised in white wine) and Pissaladiere (Provençal pizza with caramelized onions and Herbes de Provence).

 

Ingredients:
• 1 4- to 4 1/2-pound pound turkey breast roast, without bones, tied by your butcher
• 2 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence
• 8 sage leaves
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, sliced on a bias into chunks
• 10 cipollini onions, peeled
• 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup of dry Riesling wine
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of flour

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Set the turkey breast roast in a roasting pan and make the rub by mixing together the Herbes de Provence, chopped fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and garlic. Use your hands
3. Toss the chunks of carrots and cipollini onions with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper. Scatter in the roasting pan on either side of the turkey.
4. Pour the stock and Riesling into the bottom of the roasting pan around the turkey. Roast for 2 hours, basting occasionally.
5. To make a quick gravy while the turkey rests, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots, and sauté for 5 minutes until they are translucent. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the roasting sauce and turkey juice
6. Cut the string off the turkey, and slice the roast. Serve with the roasted vegetables alongside and gravy on top.

Links to some other recipes we like:
Baked Brie with Cranberries and Pears
Gougeres
Potato Gratin with Gruyere and Herbes de Provence

And for something sweet…
French Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Mousse Napoleons

What are your holiday traditions? Do you plan to try any new recipes? Share your French twists with us!

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Today is Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Thor

If today is the third Thursday of November, then it’s officially “Beaujolais Nouveau Day”…not only in France, but all over the world. Beaujolais Nouveau is a young red wine made from Gamay grapes grown in the Beaujolais region of France. By law all grapes in the region must be harvested by hand. Unlike most wines, Beaujolais Nouveau is all about freshness and is meant to be consumed right away (or within a year of being made).  Because of the way it’s made, including a very short fermentation, it’s a red wine that is probably as close to a white wine as you can get. It’s an easy to drink, fruity wine, and is best served chilled.  It’s become very popular this time of year in the US because it’s a red wine that pairs surprisingly well with Turkey!

According to tradition (and French Law), the wine may be released at 12:01 a.m. on the third Thursday of November. From there it’s a race to get the wine to distributors and sellers, and to Paris for immediate shipment around the world, and the ritual has begun. Banners proclaim the news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! Celebrations and festivals all over France are happening right now to celebrate this day.

We don’t sell wine, but in honor of this special day and for all you wine lovers out there, we have our own wine-related release – a new collection of 100% cotton Dishtowels from France, all with French wine themes. Some have well known wine labels on them, others interesting facts or information about French wines. All are great quality, great looking, practical, and fun.

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day! Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

But before you run out to get yours, tell us…is Beaujolais Nouveau a part of your Thanksgiving celebration? Or will it be this year…?

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L’Armistice Day

Posted on November 11, 2011 by admin

A French Celebration of Remembrance

Much like Veterans Day is celebrated in the United States, the French day of remembrance, L’Armistice Day (Armistice de la Première Guerre mondiale) is celebrated each November 11th in honor of those who died or were injured in WW1 and other wars.

As a public holiday in France, all official offices are closed, as well as many restaurants and cafes. Roads may be closed for parades (especially near war memorials) but airports and railway stations are open. Generally a solemn day, many wear black clothing. Special church services are held to honor those who have fought and died in WW1 and following wars.

There are many military parades to war memorials, and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider (La Tombe Du Soldate Inconnu) in Paris is honored. Since 1920, the Tomb of the Unknown Solider is sheltered underneath the great Arc de Triomphe de l’Etiole. There, the eternal flame of Remembrance is rekindled every night at 6:30 to commemorate the dead of the two world wars, an estimated 150,000 from WW1 alone.  It is here that the President of the Republic lays a ceremonial wreath. The inscription on the tomb reads: “Ici Repose un Soldat Français Mort pour La Patrie 1914-1918″ which translates to “Here Lies a French Solider who Died for his Fatherland 1914-1918″. The creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider was proposed at the same time of Britain’s Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.

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Why Linen Makes Such Great Dishtowels

Posted on November 9, 2011 by admin

Linen Dishtowels | French Kitchen Accessories from Petite Provence

Linen dishtowels love to be used!

Flax linen is one of the oldest natural fibers, made from the stalk of the flax plant. Linen absorbs 20% or more of it’s weight in water, and is naturally resistant to bacteria. It is also two to three times stronger than cotton! The material comes to life with repeated use, and gets softer and increasingly durable with every wash. They are lint free and resist piling- making them great for drying dishes and glassware! Also, linen is resistant to dirt and stains.

Did you know?: Linen was sometimes used as currency in ancient Egypt, and for mummification! To the Egyptians, linen was a symbol of light, purity, and also wealth. Linen was, and still is, regarded as a top quality fabric.

By the way, check out our new dishtowels! 100% linen, with classic French food themes.

Do you use linen in your kitchen?

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Herbs de Provence: What They Are & When to Use Them

Posted on November 3, 2011 by admin

What are Herbs de Provence?

We are often asked what’s actually in Herbs de Provence, and how to use them – so here are a few tips. Herbs de Provence is a blend of aromatic herbs that are commonly found in the hills of Southern France. The exact recipe varies, but the herbs usually used are some combination of Basil, Fennel seed, Marjoram, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, and Thyme. It often contains Lavender flowers as well, even though Lavender was not actually used in traditional Southern French cooking. Wonderful for any Mediterranean dish, it is a Provençal staple with many uses.

The mixture that we use and sell ourselves includes Basil, Thyme, Marjoram, Savory, and Rosemary.

When & How to Use Them

Sprinkle over game, or mix with olive oil and rub on meat directly. It is especially tasty with chicken, fish, vegetables (even salads!), soups, and eggs. Crumble over cheese to add a little zest, or throw a dash in with marinara sauce. Another favorite use of ours is while barbecuing; add a few pinches to coals after they are hot for a delicious aroma and subtle flavor.

Herbs de Provence are best used when the dried herbs are freshly ground. We’re partial to our hand made ceramic herb grinders. Our herb grinders are all hand-made and hand-painted in France, and are also refillable!

To refill grinders, simply remove the top peg (with a bowl underneath to catch contents if full), remove the spring and other pieces taking note of how it is assembled, finally, lift off the ceramic lid to refill with any spice to your liking!

Hand-Painted Ceramic Refillable Herb Grinders from France

What is your favorite use of Herbs de Provence?

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Ironing Tablecloths Made Easier – and Some Great Tips!

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Thor

Ironing tablecloths is never fun…we know, we do it a lot! We iron every tablecloth before we take any of the pictures we use to put them online and it can add up. But if this is something you do once in a while you can certainly make it easier. The easiest way? Take a blanket and put it over your regular table, and then iron your tablecloth on top of that. It’s easier than ironing little sections at a time on an ironing board, and you don’t have to worry about keeping the tablecloth from dropping on the floor.

If you want to go a little further and make it even more convenient, here is what we did to make our own ironing table. When we aren’t using it, it just leans against the wall somewhere out of the way, and when we do use it we just put it on top of a plastic folding table.

Materials:

  • piece of plywood cut to the size of ironing table you want
  • Pieces of Insulbright (or a similar material that reflects heat), Cotton Batting, and Muslin that are a few inches larger all around than your piece of plywood
  • Tacs (and a small Tac Hammer makes it very easy – they have one end that is magnetic and you just stick the tack on it, pointy end facing out, and then pound it into the wood with no fingers getting in the way)
  • Or…a good staple gun might work also. We found tacs to be stronger/better
  • OPTIONAL: a drill and bit…

 

Steps:

  • Optional: We had a drill handy, so we drilled some holes randomly all over the plywood. Just to give it some venting, like an ironing board. You want moisture to be able to get away if you”ll be steaming
  • On a working surface (or floor) lay the material out in this order – Muslin, Insulbright, and Cotton batting.
  • Center the piece of plywood over it so the material extends a few beyond every edge
  • Pull the materials over the edges and tac or staple them. Pull them as tight as you possibly can…you want it as taught as possible
  • Turn it over, and you’re done – Great Job!

That’s about it! Voila, an easy ironing surface that you can put out of the way when you need to. And you don’t need to tie up your table or clear it off every time you want to do some ironing. You might actually find yourself ironing lots of other stuff on it too, it’s just much easier when you have a nice big surface to work with.



While we’re talking ironing…here’s a few more tips:

  • Ironing something that is double woven like Jacquard, where the patterns are woven into the material rather than printed? Iron it on the back side, so that it pushes out the pattern and makes it stand out more
  • Wax on a tablecloth? No problem..fold it up and stick it in the freezer…you’ll be able to pop the wax right off once it’s frozen.

Now it’s your turn…share your ironing tips and secrets with all of us. We’d love to hear them!

 

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La Soupe aux Legumes; a simple and healthy soup for any time of year

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Thor

La Soupe aux Legumes, or ‘vegetable soup’, is a simple and healthy soup that French people often make. It’s commonly passed on from generation to generation – in fact, it was VĂ©ronique’s mother (who learned it first from her own mother) who first started making it in our house and now we make this all year round. The basic ingredients are usually zucchini, carrots, potato, parsley, and turnip but the room for improvisation is endless. We usually start with the same 3 basics – a large potato, 3 or 4 large carrots, and 3 or 4 zucchini. Then it’s whatever else might be available or sounds interesting; the carcass from our last chicken dinner, spinach leaves, broccoli stalks saved from last night, the half an onion found in the fridge, any other squashes on hand, some celery, a clove of garlic…Butternut Squash always a nice addition in the fall. This is a soup that’s never the same twice.

A good blender or food processor is an important ingredient too. We have been very happy with a Blendtec we picked up at Costco a few years ago.

Here’s how we made it the other day:

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of organic baby carrots
  • 3 medium to large zucchini
  • 1 large potato

You don’t necessarily need any more than this for the basic soup, but we do normally throw in a few other odds & ends. Here’s what we added this time:

  • 1 carton of organic chicken stock (not required but adds some flavor)
  • 1/2 of a medium sized red onion
  • 1 yellow squash we had on hand
  • 2 broccoli stalks saved from the day before
  • 1 shallot
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • dash of paprika
  • dash of cumin

Steps:

  • peel potatoes, and wash all the vegetables
  • chop it all up and put it in the cooking pot
  • add stock, salt and pepper, and water – enough that if you put your hand into the pot and push the vegetables down the water will at least cover your hand. More is fine too…we often just save any extra ‘soup juice’ at the end to use as stock for the next batch.
  • bring it all to a boil and let it go for about 30 minutes at a high simmer/low boil.

 

  • scoop the ingredients into your blender and puree to the consistency you prefer, using more or less of the cooking water to get it the way you want.
  • add more pepper, dash of paprika, and a dash of cumin, and let the finished soup warm a little longer on the stove top.
  • Should serve at least 6

Voila! Serve it up….and make sure to include some good bread to wipe the bowl clean at the end!

Yum…that was good!

Tell us what went into your ‘La Soupe aux Legumes’ – or what you see around your kitchen that will go into your next one!

 

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