Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of stories about local women pushing the envelope of home cooking.

Philadelphia-raised Bonnie Powers is a Francophile through and through.

From the moment she swings open thefront door of her home you are transported to all-things reminiscent of the south of France. She dresses in the bright colors of Provence. Baskets of fresh red tomatoes, apricots, eggplants and garlic adorn the island in her sunny kitchen. A big bottle of imported French olive oil is stationed next to the range top and a tin of La Fleur de Sel (French sea salt) – for speedy seasoning.

Welcome to Powers’ Provençal Kitchen – the name she also gives to the cooking demonstrations she offers.

“Even as a little girl, I loved everything about France,” she said. “I don’t know why. The first time I went to Paris, I felt so comfortable there, like I had been there before. I was more comfortable there than I was in New York (City).”

As a young adult she didn’t initially embrace her inner passion for France. She married a West Point graduate and left college to become a military wife. They eventually ended up moving to Dallas, where her husband, who became a doctor, settled into a practice.

While raising two girls, she took cooking classes, and that’s when France returned to her life.

“French recipes tell stories and I was frustrated that I couldn’t read everything,” she said. So in 1990 she went back to college and majored in French “so I could read those recipe stories.” She was 35.

She traveled several times to France to hone her culinary skills and took classes at the original Cordon Bleu. Back at home, her husband took an interest in wine collection, and the two of them joined a wine society.

“Jim was getting better at wine selection, mostly French, and I was getting better at cooking,” she said. “We did a lot of entertaining and friends started asking if I’d do classes.”

She started doing recipe demonstrations at wedding and baby showers for friends. Before she knew it, she had a little business going teaching French recipe classes. When her husband retired, they moved to Colorado Springs. It didn’t take long before she was recruited to do a cooking lesson at Cheryl Strang’s home for the Cheyenne Mountain Newcomers Club’s Ladies Gourmet group.

“We met Bonnie and her husband through mutual friends who live in Dallas,” said Strang, chairperson for the club’s Ladies Gourmet group. “She had us over for dinner and the moment I saw her kitchen I knew she was a serious cook. The meal she served was beautiful and delicious. She mentioned she had done classes and I knew she would be a good presenter for our group. She did a wonderful class. She was fun, knowledgeable and flamboyant with a classy side.”

Although Powers had grown a little business with her cooking demonstrations by word of mouth in Dallas, she had not pursued that path in Colorado Springs. However, as time permits, she is interested in sharing her passion and vast knowledge of Provençal cooking and lifestyle. To say Powers loves to entertain and teach others about a French lifestyle is an understatement.

“We have acquired an intense love of all things Provence,” she says. “We especially gravitate to Provençal because the cuisine is so healthy and the produce is the prettiest. It’s a way of living and lifestyle we have chosen. It makes life interesting. I love spreading the news of the Provençal life.”

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Contact Teresa J. Farney at 636-0271, Twitter @tffoodie, Facebook Teresa Farney

Provençal Kitchen

Tian of Glazed Eggplant, Tomatoes and Onions

A tian is a ceramic baking dish often made of glazed terra cotta found in Provence and eastern France. It can also mean the actual contents of the dish, traditionally vegetables.

This dish is one of the mainstays of Provence. Using many of the summer garden delights of eggplants, tomatoes, onions and garlic, additionally raiding le jardin d’herbes for the fresh thyme and marjoram. You will need a ceramic baking dish about 8-by-11 inches or a round one 11-by-12 inches diameter.

Yield: 12 servings


1-2 eggplants (if using the larger ones traditionally found in U.S. markets) or 4-5 of the smaller, longer Italian eggplants (zucchini may be substituted)


1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (similar in diameter to the eggplants)

1-1 1/4 pounds yellow onions (similar in diameter to the tomatoes and eggplant)

10-12 peeled garlic cloves

Chopped fresh thyme and marjoram (if available)

Salt and pepper, to taste


Edam cheese, grated (optional)


Extra-virgin olive oil

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and dry eggplants and tomatoes but don’t peel them. Peel onions. Cut each vegetable in 1/4-inch slices (horizontally).

Arrange alternating slices of each vegetable standing up on their sides (eggplants, tomatoes, onions, then eggplant, tomato, onions, etc.), packing them tightly, until dish is beautifully filled. Tuck garlic cloves around the rows and sprinkle with fresh chopped thyme, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste.

Douse with generous pour of your best extra-virgin olive oil and place in oven for 20 minutes. Remove briefly to gently press down with a spoon to release juices, allowing them to mingle. Replace in oven and continue cooking another 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Sprinkle with some grated Edam (the hard orange one), if desired. This adds an extra layer of flavor. You could also pour the smallest stream of olive oil to make the dish sparkle.

Serve warm. Also is delicious the following day served cool.

Source: Bonnie Powers

Powers’ favorite web sites for sourcing French supplies

Powers says, “There are, fortunately, many websites available for finding recipes and some imported foods from France. I use the internet to find many of the items needed for Provençal cuisine as well as cooking magazine advertisements.For Provencçal “Fleur de Sel” Salt use the Fleur de Sel de Camargue Sea Salt(available on Amazon.com).”Some of my favorite websites:

frenchselections.com – wonderful site for foods and gift items.

earthy.com – a myriad of items. A source for preserved lemons.

beyond.fr/food/index.html – great site for general French food andtravel tips.igourmet.com – a very large selection of some French food items.oliviersandco.com – also one at Cherry Creek Mall – most productsfrom France and Italy. Great quality olive oil.basicfrenchonline.com/htm/index.php – this site carries minimal foodbut has lots of lovely French items.

frenchgardening.com – a charming site specializing in gardens, butalso has some wonderful recipes and books.frenchrendezvous.com – carries linens and soaps made in Provence.Especially nice are the “coated” Provençal fabric tablecloths.french-brand.com – a wonderful site for linens, based in France so these will take time and shipping costs are dear.wormwoodsociety.org – a fun site for lovers of the “GreenFairy” (Absinthe).