Looking for something exceptional to do this weekend? Head over to Chateauneuf du Pape for their 3rd annual Salon du Vin from March 31 to April 1st.

The 3rd bottle from the left is a regular size bottle of wine but to satiate the tastes of both NY night clubs and the Kazak market, some Provençal wine producers are bottling much larger formats.

Shake Shake Shake. Looking for some new cocktail ideas using the anis-flavoured spirit that was wildly popular with artists and writers like Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway? Well there is an an APP for you with cocktails suggestions that range from easy to prepare, elaborate to very elaborate.

Master chocolate maker Philippe Second, who was also awarded the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (it means he is among the best pastry chefs in the country) may have been inspired by Roald Dahl when designing his 2011 Christmas promotional campaign.

With Val Joanis and Chateau Estoublon downsizing their famous Christmas Markets, the opportunity was wide open for another vineyard to step in. Corinne & Emmanuel Gensollen, who recently purchased Le Domaine de Brillane www.labrillane.com from Rupert Burch, have scheduled a Christmas Market featuring regional delicacies on December 4th, 2011.

The official opening of the 2011-2012 Tuber Melanosporum season kicked off today in the town of Richrenches with a procession by the Brotherhood of the Black Diamond and a special mass blessing these elusive gems. Interestingly truffle are placed into the collection basket as opposed to coins or bank notes. Producers, brokers and just plain old admirers were on hand to attend an entire day dedicated to the first truffles available.

Auguste Escoffier, who served as the first Executive Chef of the Ritz in Paris said "good cooking is the foundation of true happiness". So after having tried out dozen of cooking classes in Provence I thought it was time I gave the Ecole Ritz Escoffier, the reference in French culinary arts, a try.

Snail farming or héliciculture in French (from the scientific term Helix which is one of the varieties of snails that can be farmed) is making a come-back. They aren’t really completely free-range as the giant pens have an electric fence so that they don’t just wonder off and so that their natural predators, like hedge hogs and birds don’t get there first.

La Sommelerie, a wonderful hotel and restaurant in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, has designed a special harvest menu featuring the wines of local vineyards throughout the month of October.

The 10th Annual Mont Ste. Victoire Wine Rally takes place on Saturday October 15th 2011. The rally is one of the most enjoyable ways of discovering the AOC: Côte de Provence Sainte Victoire. Team up with some friends and select a designated driver. Then you are off for a full day excursion to visit the different vineyards at the foot of Cezanne’s favorite mountain.

Three Star Michelin chef, Alain Passard of l’Arpège in Paris has published « Collage & Recettes » which is an illustrated cookbook of 48 recipes featuring his own collage work. The collages were recently on exhibit in Cassis where Mr. Passard spent a long weekend as the guest of honour at the grape harvest festival.

From September 22-25th, 2011 the town of Cassis has organised a festival dedicated to wine and flavours. Targeted to those passionate about both food and wine, the Star Studded Grape Harvest offers tastings throughout the town and surrounding vineyards.