Try my classic Scallops with Muscadet - it's the perfect taste combination!

• 6 clean scallops
• Double cream
• Fresh lemon juice
• Muscadet Wine
• Shallots or spring onions
• One clove of garlic
• Salt and pepper

Recipe: Heat the pan, and drizzle with olive oil. When hot, place the scallops in the pan, season with salt and pepper and leave for one minute before turning.
When cooked, remove the scallops from the pan and reduce the heat. Dice the onion or shallots with the garlic and cook until soft. And add the wine and simmer. When the liquid has reduced by half, add the cream and simmer until reduced by half again. Add additional seasoning if necessary. Place scallops on a plate and spoon the sauce over.

• If the sauce is not sharp enough add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• When choosing the scallops, make sure that they are bright and smell sweet.
• Scallops cook extremely quickly, so make sure you don't leave them for too long in the pan - one minute on each side will cook them perfectly.
• A non-stick pan will work best for this.
• The Loire valley has many wild mushrooms in its woodlands - you should do research beforehand, so you know which ones are safe to eat. You can add them to dishes while fresh, but I also love to dry them out and keep in jars - they'll keep for around a year when dried, and will add real flavour to sauces

Check out my delicious recipe to add a twist to your fish:

• one good sized bream
• one local spicy sausage
• spring onions
• olive oil
• paprika
• salt and pepper

Recipe: Place your fish on a baking tray, and cover with olive oil. Add plenty of sea salt and cracked pepper to season, and roast in a hot oven for 20 minutes.
While the fish is cooking, place the sausages in a frying pan with a little olive oil and cook slowly until golden brown. Had a handful of sliced spring onions and cook until soft. Remove from the heat and a small knob of butter and a sprinkle of paprika. Take the fish out of the oven and pour the sausage and onion mix on the fish and serve with your favourite fresh vegetables.

• If you can't find local spicy sausages you can use local smoked pork.
• Make sure your bream is a good size - it will be more meaty!
• There are definitely places you'll be able to see meat being cured and sausages being made - you should check the local tourist board for specific details.
• Everywhere you go in rural France, you will see food stalls at the side of roads, selling local produce. You should always stop to take a look at these - you will be able to find an amazing variety of organic produce, including; fruit and vegetables, jam and preserves, eggs, pate and homemade sausages.

I love the smoked ham you can get in Vendée - try this quick recipe for a smoked ham and asparagus - it makes a great lunch, tasty snack or light starter.

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• fresh lemon juice
• salt-pepper
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 packet of butter
• thinly sliced Vendée smoked ham

Method: Peel the asparagus and remove the hard ends by snapping them in your hand where the natural break is. Boil in lightly salted water until firm. In another pan, mix the egg yolks with a squeeze of lemon juice and plenty of salt and pepper. Keep mixing, adding the melted butter gradually. Roll the asparagus in the ham, spoon over the egg mixture, and grill until golden. serve straight away.

• A classic French way of preparing asparagus is to peel the top layer of skin off of the bottom half of the stalk - it makes them look fresher and prettier.
• Vendée is the best place to go hunting for truffles in the woods.
• You can find wild garlic in almost any wooded areas of France. They are in season for the summer months. I also cook the wild garlic leaves and flowers, which taste delicious (like garlic-flavoured spinach). They are particularly delicious with scallops, or any seafood.
• There are many wild herbs you can pick in the French woodland, including thyme, bay leaves and wild cabbage. You should check the look of these out beforehand so you know exactly what you are looking for.