A love letter to the Riviera—where French and Italian flavors meet in 101 sun-soaked, unfussy recipes (most with 10 ingredients or fewer) that capture the warmth of Mediterranean life.
Noted young entrepreneur Melanie Masarin is always asked what food pairs well with Ghia, her Mediterranean-inspired line of nonalcoholic Spritzes, and the answer is simple: the food she grew up with.
The strip of coastline called the Riviera has always been a place of convergence—where the formality of French cuisine softens under the Mediterranean sun. Riviera is an ode to this melding of flavors, recipes passed through the generations, flavor over fuss, and connection over perfection. This is a collection of simple French and Italian dishes that Melanie grew up cooking, as taught by her beloved grandmother, Mymo, whose handwritten recipes and philosophy on cooking and entertaining guide every page:
- The market decides the menu
- Make unfussy food people will want to eat
- Follow recipes loosely and adapt them a lot
- Share food generously
With most recipes requiring less than 10 ingredients, and inspired by the flavors and abundance of summer, dishes include:
- Tarte Soleil, puff pastry dressed up for a party and topped with pesto or tapenade to become an aperitivo-hour centerpiece
- Daube Provençale, the south of France's answer to boeuf bourguignon
- Whole Branzino is the most forgiving, and the most impressive, way to prepare a fish, and it's irresistible when topped with Put-on-Everything Green Sauce
- Baci di Dama—of all the treats balanced on espresso saucers, these tiny "lady's kisses" from Northern Italy might be Melanie's favorite
- Tangerine Thyme Spritz, a floral, herbaceous make-ahead drink that will be the star of any summer party, (plus a handful of recipes that turn Ghia and other pantry staples into glamorous drinks).
Riviera celebrates the luxury of gathering loved ones around a table laden with food, fueling conversations well into the night. It is about embracing long, lazy lunches, morning-after treats that preserve the sweetness of the night before, and the profound pleasure found in cooking from the heart.
