As winter settles over Provence, the Mediterranean reveals its most intimate season. Author Pascale Beale celebrates this quieter time when coastal villages embrace gentle chills perfect for slow, soul-warming cooking. Crackling olive wood fires illuminate kitchens while aromatic braises simmer - rich beef stew with winter vegetables, or lamb tagine cooked with lemons, herbs and perfumed with saffron. The season calls for hearty dishes capturing the essence of a winter garden. Eight complete seasonal menus honor the Mediterranean's winter treasures - ruby blood oranges, hardy greens, and a rare treat of precious black truffles. Around candlelit tables, families savor deep, complex flavors that only patient winter cooking achieves. Beale transforms this contemplative season into culinary joy through time-honored Provençal recipes that warm body and spirit against the crisp winter air, proving that Mediterranean winter cooking offers its own unique pleasures.