La Petite Fou

Entertaining

The Cold Potato Clause: How to Run a Raclette Night Without a Hostage Situation

Raclette in Britain usually arrives dressed as a theme night, complete with novelty apron and one overworked socket. It should be closer to a household chore that happens to be delicious — and that is a logistical problem, not a cheese problem. Here is how to keep the table moving, the potatoes hot and the ketchup at the far end.

Nov 8, 2026

Recipes

Past Eleven, Past Reason: In Defence of the Folded Omelette

There is a specific hunger that arrives after dinner has technically finished but the evening has not. The French answer is three eggs, a fork, a knob of butter and about ninety seconds of nerve. A case for the late omelette over anything a delivery app can offer at that hour.

Nov 8, 2026

Entertaining

Mayonnaise Is a Commitment, Not a Condiment: A Saturday-Night Frites Sermon

British cooks have apologised for chips for too long. This is a manifesto: beef dripping, double-frying, indecent mayonnaise, and a bowl of pommes frites placed proudly in the middle of a British table.

Nov 8, 2026

Recipes

The Forty-Minute Onion Revolution (and Other Soup Heresies)

French onion soup has become a moral obstacle course: hours at the hob, a vat of homemade stock, and a blowtorch you pretend you bought for crème brûlée. Here is the La Petite Fou position: caramelise properly-ish, cheat where it counts, and never skimp on the cheese-to-crouton ratio.

Nov 8, 2026

Entertaining

The One-Tin-Too-Many Rule: A French-ish Drinks Party for People Who'd Rather Not Cook

Apéro is the French art of making drinks feel like dinner without actually cooking dinner. Here is how to do it with one supermarket bag, three drink pairings and a rule that turns a few tins into a feast.

Nov 8, 2026

Recipes

Open the Tin, Lose the Apology: Three French-ish Sardine Suppers

Tinned sardines are the most underrated thing in the UK cupboard. French cooks treat them as a pantry treasure, not a last resort. Here are three flexible recipes, plus which tins to buy and how to serve them without fuss.

Nov 8, 2026

Eating Out

Bread, Butter and Bluff: A Field Guide to French Bistros in Britain

Britain is full of French-ish bistros, but how do you spot a real one? From the bread and butter to the plat du jour and the bill, here is a humorous but useful checklist for 2026 — plus what to order when you find a gem.

Nov 7, 2026

Entertaining

Christmas Lunch, Frenchly: A Make-Ahead Menu for Hosts Who'd Rather Be Holding a Glass

A French-inspired Christmas lunch for 2026 that you can mostly make ahead, from radishes and baguette to a tarragon-Dijon bird, a ridiculous cheese course and a chocolate mousse. With a sane timeline, a UK shopping list and permission to open the wine before noon.

Nov 7, 2026