I am now back in Paris after a couple of weeks’ traveling and visiting family, and I am happy that it still feels very much like summer here in the city, as bronzed Parisians gradually return and many shops and restaurants are still shuttered.

French kids won’t be back in school until early September, and to prolong that summertime feeling, there’s nothing like getting together with friends to find a grassy spot in a park, spread out a big blanket, and ready your plates for a little picnic.

This list highlights my best picnic recipes, favorites from my repertoire that are portable and easy to share. Want to share your own go-to provisions or tips for picnics?

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Travel season is upon us, and I want to make sure you see and taste the best France has to offer! When it comes to Paris I’ve got you covered, but there are many other cities with exciting and delicious things for you to experience. So I’ve asked a team of French bloggers from different cities to share their favorite spots, and I am offering them to you in this new series.

In Nantes, Stef and Cha recommend…

I am delighted to introduce you to our guides to Nantes, locals Stef and Cha. They love Nantes and share their enthusiasm on their blog, Les Ptits Bonheurs à Nantes. The blog is filled with tips, local happenings, and hidden spots in Nantes, which they say illuminates life — small moments of happiness (“petits bonheurs” in French) are essential to daily life!

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Have you ever been invited to a summer potluck and found yourself with a bad case of the cook’s block and no idea what to bring?

Former Food & Wine editor Kristin Donnelly has just released a cookbook for that very situation: in Modern Potluck: Beautiful Food To Share, she highlights perfectly shareable meals sure to impress at your next gathering.

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In French food culture, kids aren’t offered snacks at all hours of the day. This is often pointed out as a plus when comparing food habits between French and American children.

(I will note that I never go out of the house with my sons without taking something to eat for them. Newsflash: French kids are not immune to low-blood-sugar meltdowns. My go-to snacks then are dried figs or dried apricots, these crackers, and/or almond butter sandwiches.)

As a nation however, we are religiously attached to the mid-afternoon mini-meal we refer to as le goûter. This is our chance to share homemade treats, and it is the happy outlet for most of my baking endeavors.

Perfect chocolate madeleines

On weekends, when my sons have friends over to play, I jump at the chance to whip up a batch of these chocolate madeleines, which are perfect to me. They have a deep chocolate-y flavor, a nice “bump” that everyone loves to bite off first, and they’re just the right level of sweetness for kids and grownups to appreciate them.

The recipe is adapted from these perfect madeleines from Blé Sucré pastry chef Fabrice Le Bourdat. I’ve added melted chocolate and cacao powder to the batter, and adjusted the sugar and butter amounts accordingly.

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