Rethinking Julia Child's French Chef

 Julia Child opened up American kitchens to a way of cooking that was both simple and sophisticated. Now local PBSstations  is bringing back her French Chef  shows. Can it hold up sity to sixty-five - almost seventy years later? Yes.A new generation can easily learn from her.

Julia Child , surprisingly didn't set out as a cook or chef - or even a career in anything remotely culinary. She was born in 1012 in Petaluma California, named Julia Carolyn McWilliams.She came from an old New England family that moved to the Golden State early in the Twentieth Century .Julia went back to her Massachusetts roots to attend Smith College. She majored in History where she planned on becoming either a novelist or magazine writer.She graduated, going back to Petaluma after a magazine stint in New Yrok City. Her first foray into cooking was creating shark repellent for  sharks during her time in the OSS. During this time, during the Second World War she was stationed in Kandy Sri Lanka where when met her husband Paul Child, another OSS employee. He had lived in Paris and knew the world of haute cuisine. THey moved to Parus where she went to the famed Cordon Bleu  academy. Her first cookbookMastering The Art of French Cooking led to an appearance on a Boston news show. She created an omelet for them on air and this led to to The French Chef. The show was a triumph ,introducing reluctant home chefs to different cooking techniques and mastering such tasks like carving poultry and creating crusts.

Does her advice still hold up.?Yes !!!! This new generation is  interested .They were, after all, raised on the Food Channel where there was more flashy showmanship  than actual cooking. Novice chefs are eager to learn about boef Bourguignon with its' wine rich sauce and addition of tiny vegetables.Her episodes show the practical like how to use endives in salad to creating a three course dinner menu. There is also the fancy - also perfect for those first dinner parties  where home chefs can make homemade mayonnaise,lobster a l'Americaine and chocolate souffle. Watching her show was a refresher course in how to.  The one I watched was about quickest and crusts. She showed how to sift flour and create a good crust. She goes old school by adding dried beans in aluminum foil to have the crust bake evenly. These shows were made in the Sixties and early Seventies so there's no fancy gadgets to do all the work - which is better. Doing such there is a communion between chef and the ingredients. Being tactile allows the home baker to know when the dough is ready to proof or if the veggies and herbs  are finely chopped enough.

Is Julia Child relevant now? Absolutely yes. A new generation should be watching her to get accurate cooking lessons without the flash.

Une Souffle Parfait

 One of the most elegant desserts any home chef can create is the chocolate souffle. It's also the lushest sweet, airy and delciate as it melts against the tongue. Yet it fills home bakers with fear.It shouldn't.it's one of the easiest recipes to make.

Claire Saffitz, author of DessertPerson "Clarkson POtter 2020) and her latest book due out next month, Dessertperson: Recipes and Guidance for baking with Confidence. (Clarkson Potter) gave her spin on it in yesterday;s New Yorlk Times Wednesday Food section. Ms. Saffitz knows desserts. She loves desserts so creating the perfect chocolate souffle is vital to her. She crushes the many myths associated with the recipe, like don't slam the oven door while it's baking. It'll fall. Eat it warm or it will be ruined.However her deconstruction can help many a home baker recreate this French classic. One of the most important steps is stabilize your eggs.The dish requires three egg yolks and five egg whites. You need to understand the last in order to make a good souffle. It;'s the egg whites that are the most important. They're to be whipped and when this is dome air bubbles trap water and retain water.Older eggs provide this and Ms. Saffitz recommneds getting them from the local farmer's market. The eggs have to be cold as well when they're separated and then the whites are left out at room tmperature before beating. The whites have to be beaten into stiff peaks otherwhise there could be puddles.

Another must is buildng your base. Chocolate souffle needs an anchor of sorts This comes in the form of a thin pastry creme thickened with a little flour along with chocolate and cocoa powder. The gluten from the flour adds just enough structure to support the souffle without muting the rich chocolate flavor.Many souffle recipes rely on just the chocolate alone for support. The eggs whites are quickly added other wise the combination of yolk chococlate and milk could cause the whites to collapse. Another must is properly prepping the ramekins. They're first greased with room temperature butter and then coated with sugar to prevent cracking and the batter sticking to the sides while baking.It also acts like a grip for the batter to adhere to. fill the ramekins to the top and then scrape off the top for a perfect even cap, Sprinkle more sugar on top and run a finger along the inner rims wiping away the batter. This will ensure a perfect even rise.How do you know when it's done? Press the souffles centers down with a finger. There should be a certain springiness as the eggs begin to ser. Serve warm from the oven.

Any home baker can create the perfect chocolate souffle. It just takes myth busting and following the recipe ina thoughtful way.. The result is a chocolate fantasty , light airy and delciosuClaire Saffritz, New York Times chocolate souffle. eggsl whipp, ramekinds, butter dugr, flout 

Deep Flavors - A Deep Love of Food

When a food lover writes about  cookbook, you know it's going to be full of goof advice and good recipes. That's the case with of Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes For Foodies In A Kosher Style (Inspire On Purpose Publishing 2019). it was written not by a chef, or a restaurant owner but by a lawyer! His passion for good food and cooking were the impetus for this  must have collection.

Kenneth M. Horwitz is a lawyer in Dallas, Texas. He has no formal culinary background however he did win the Texas State Fair Blue Ribbon for his spinach-mushroom lasagna.  Yet his love of fresh and natural ingredients plus learning how to cook from his mother and grandmother was all he needed to get into the kitchen with his wife, Bobbie. Her influence is strongly felt in the book too. I love this cookbook. It's not written in a lofty style.It's like your best friend, the foodie everyone goes to for help, is doling out all sorts of good advice. Every novice home chef should buy this book and read the first chapter entitled My Philosophy. It's how his ideas were formed about grocery shopping and cooking.Another aspect that I like is that there are some unusual chapters  such as Breads and Pickles. along with Dressings and Grains. Mr. Horwitz grew up in a kosher kitchen and keeps it on holidays so there is a chapter on traditional Jewish food from both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic branches . There is also a chapter on vegetarian non Jewish which features the award winning spinach-mushroom lasagna. Of course Mr. Horwitz includes chapters on the different meats and fish along with sides. Desserts are divided into sections on cakes, cookies and fruits/custards.

The recipes are amazing and I want to try every one of them. The one that stood out is the Savory French Toast, enhanced with dill. I can see making this and serving it with grilled tomatoes. Another stand out recipe is the matzo brie or fried matzo. Imagine making this and serving  with different veggies as a side. The aforementioned Ken's Blue Ribbon Mushroom -Spinach Lasagna is a tasty marriage of different mushrooms with fresh spinach , Marsala and ricotta. My vegetarian household would love this for a Thanksgiving meal . The mushroom mixture also figures in a pie with a homemade crust - his wife's Bobbie's creation. Even the sides could be vegan or vegetarian main dishes. The roasted cauliflower or cabbage  would be great solo or as a supporting dish for roast chicken. The same goes for the grilled veggies. The Indian style lentils is on my must cook short list. It's a spicy blend of the beans with the addition of Garam Masala and tikka masala. It would go well with warmed naan as a dinner on a cold night. There are meat dishes too, such as smoked brisket and a deconstructed turkey, the perfect Thanksgiving recipe for any holiday home chef. The desserts are all must makes. Pecan pie is one of my favorites and I am definitely baking Mr. Horwitz's for the upcoming holidays.Another one, perfect for holiday entertaining is the chocolate pinwheel cake, - a giant Swiss roll filled with creamy buttercream.Bobbie's Cold Chocolate Souffle is another dish  that can end a delicious meal with guests. The cookie recipes are drool worthy, especially the gingerbread one.

Deep Flavors : A Celebration For Foodies In A Kosher Style  is a must have for any kitchen library. It is full of good advice and good recipes. It will be your best  friend for cooking and baking help.