The sun is coming out, the sweaters have been (mostly) packed away, and the spritzes are starting to flow: Summer is on its way.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re dreaming of days spent basking in the sun; diving into cold, clear waters; luxuriating in a good book; and finishing the day off with a glass (or two) of wine and a dinner made with fresh, bright ingredients. Just in time to fulfill all our Mediterranean summer dreams, M\u00e9lanie Masarin<\/a>\u2014the founder of the non-alcoholic ap\u00e9ritif brand Ghia<\/a>\u2014has published Riviera: Recipes from the Coast of France and Italy.<\/em><\/a> Like Ghia, Masarin drew inspiration for the book from her childhood in France, and particularly the cherished time she spent with her grandmother in the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m lucky to come from a family that cooked a lot, so I never felt stressed in the kitchen. We had an open-door policy, neighbors and friends were always coming and going, and always offered something to eat or drink,\u201d Masarin tells Vogue<\/em>. \u201cThe kitchen was always a place of respite. That feeling is what I hope to capture in this book.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo: Courtesy of M\u00e9lanie Masarin<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Photo: Hugh Davison<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Masarin first had the idea for the book back in 2020, when she found herself cooking simple recipes at home during lockdown, and coaching her friends through how to make them. \u201cPeople kept reaching out about what I was making, and that\u2019s really how it began,\u201d she says, adding: \u201cHonestly, the same instinct that started Ghia is what started this book. I wanted gathering to feel easy.\u201d<\/p>\n The result is a cookbook that Masarin hopes will \u201ctake the intimidation out of cooking,\u201d with recipes like tomato tarte tatin, seared scallops, French minestrone, and more. \u201cYou really don’t need a big, well-stocked pantry,\u201d she says. \u201cMost of these recipes come down to good olive oil, flaky salt, fresh herbs, garlic, and a good attitude.\u201d<\/p>\n One of Masarin\u2019s favorite recipes in the book is for fig and yogurt cake. \u201cThe version in Riviera<\/em> is a riff on the cake my grandmother used to make in my childhood, which was really a glorified pound cake\u2026 The cake itself comes out tender and slightly tangy from the yogurt, and the figs do all the work of making it feel like something more.\u201d But, she clarifies, you can also use citrus, frozen raspberries, quince, or truly whatever you have. \u201cThat\u2019s the philosophy of the whole book: Cook with what\u2019s in season, and let recipes adapt to your life.\u201d Below, Masarin shares the recipe with Vogue.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69fcf7b8f743e8c176b87b18\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Riviera%25203_credit%2520Melanie%2520Masarin.jpg\"\/)
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