Bonjour, I'm Thomas Tremblay.
I was born in France and moved to Canada three years ago. I love French cooking, and cooking familiar dishes is one of the ways I keep a connection to home. There's something comforting about bringing those flavours into my kitchen here, even when the ingredients have different names on the shelf.
Moving here meant getting to know a different set of ingredients, labels and supermarket shelves. I know how frustrating it can be when a recipe calls for a product you recognize from France, but you have no idea what to buy in Canada. Sometimes figuring out the shopping list takes more effort than the cooking!
That's why I started French Cooking in Canada. I want to share my love of French food and help you make it with ingredients you can find here. Whether you're missing a taste of home or trying a French dish for the first time, I hope you'll find something you'll enjoy cooking.
From French recipes to Canadian kitchens
A French recipe might ask for crème liquide, farine T45, lardons or beurre doux without explaining them. In a Canadian grocery store, even a familiar recipe can leave you guessing. Which cream has the right fat percentage? Which flour should you use? What can replace lardons?
The ingredient questions belong alongside the recipe. Fat percentages, flour types and Canadian product names help you choose what to buy before you start cooking.
What you'll find here
French recipes
Classic French dishes with ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions for cooking them in a Canadian kitchen.
Canadian ingredient guides
French ingredient names, their Canadian equivalents, and the differences that matter when cooking or baking. Stores and brands are included when they help you find the right product.
Kitchen tools
Equipment notes that explain which tool helps with a particular dish and why.
Who I write for
French people living in Canada who miss cooking familiar dishes, Canadians trying French food at home, and anyone puzzling over a French ingredient on a shopping list. You don't need a French pantry to start.
Start with a dish you want to cook
- Choose a recipe and read through its ingredients and method.
- Check the recipe's Canadian substitutions before shopping. The ingredient guides explain the swaps in more detail.
- Cook through the steps, using the timing and doneness cues along the way.
French Cooking in Canada at a glance
- Website
- French Cooking in Canada
- Created by
- Thomas Tremblay, a French home cook in Canada
- Focus
- French recipes with Canadian ingredient substitutions
- What's here
- Recipes, ingredient guides and kitchen tools
- Language
- English, with French dish and ingredient names
A few questions before you cook
Do I need ingredients imported from France?
French Cooking in Canada focuses on ingredients sold here. Check the substitutions in each recipe for what to buy and how a Canadian product differs from the French one.
Do I need experience with French cooking?
You can start with your first French dish. Read the full method before you shop so you know the equipment, preparation and waiting time involved.
Where can I look up a French ingredient?
Visit the Canadian ingredient guides for help with cream, flour, butter and other French cooking ingredients.