Boeuf Bourguignon, Maria & Julia & Julie - Mastering the "Art" of French Cooking, January 16, 2010

Boeuf Bourguignon or Boeuf A La Bourguignonne or
Beef Stew in Red Wine, with Bacon, Onions and Mushrooms

This great Sunday Feast did not happen so  casually. If you can't guess then let me tell you.  It started in September of last year when I received the "Julie and Julia" movie for my birthday. 

• First of all the movie also inspired the idea of this very blog whereby I write about the everyday life of my creative side.  If Julie could write a blog while creating a year full of recipes from MtAoFC, I could also write a blog.  (Think about the many creative thoughts, connections, everyday occurrences and artistic projects we encounter in one day and also take for granted.)
• As an Amazon junkie who buys and sells books I requested a few Christmas gifts from my French Husband.  Used dog eared books, one being Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 was requested.  I wanted an older printing of the original book first published in 1961.



Julia Child
"The French Chef"

• Well my love came through with a beloved copy of my request, along with another book, "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell.  (from which the movie was made)
• So there I am leafing through the pages of French terms, like le beurre doux (unsalted butter), lard de poitrinefume (bacon), couper en des (dice), farine (flour), few of which I can pronounce. All so intriguing, so inviting and yet uninviting to me  - I am up for the challenge.  I will learn from Julia, follow her French recipes step by step, with no short cuts or tweaking.
• By the way our kitchen posseses almost every cooking utensil, vessel, and  appliance useful to most full fledged cooks.  I believe I can whip up any recipe whereby I have almost all the ingredients.  I love the challenge of testing new recipes.  I tweak the recipes that I can to my produce a dish with less sodium and fat.




Potage Parmentier
(Leek and Potato Soup)

  
• Back to leafing through the book -  My French Husband is into a tv show and I keep grabbing his attention to ask how to pronounce several french terms and words.  He is doing  his best to be supportive.  Stretching his memory to the nuns who taught him Parisian French as the 1st language in school, he tries to accommodate me.  How can  I prepare a french recipe without knowing how to pronounce the name of it? That is my frustration.  
• The first recipe I created is also the first recipe in MtAoFC:  Potage Parmentier (Leek or Onion and Potato Soup)  as Julia states in her book; "the soup smells good, tastes good, and is simplicity itself to make."  Stir in cream and chill it for a vichyssoise.

Boeuf Bourguignon
(Beef Stew in Red Wine, Onions, Bacon & Mushrooms)

• It is all good - so let's proceed to the beef:  Boeuf Bourguignon.  First to gather all the ingredients including full bodied red wine.  After cutting bacon into lardons, simmering in water, draining, drying and sauteing, then sauteing vegetables, beef cubes coated in flour (a few at a time until brown) and eventually placing in oven covered by wine, beef stock, tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon it was ready to simmer for 3 to 4 hours.  Later you add small white onions and mushrooms, skim off fat and summer until the sauce can coat a spoon lightly.  I served Boeuf Bourguignon over boiled potatoes, parsnips and carrots along with my crusty 5 Minute Artisan Bread.  It was a great, great entree that Julia would be proud of.

Clafouti aux Pommes
(Apple Flan)

• Oh I almost forgot to mention dessert:  Clafouti aux Pommes (apple flan).   This is a French traditional simple desert for family meals.  A pancake batter of sorts, poured over fruit in a fireproof dish then baked in the oven.  It looks like a tart and even Julia suggests using an electric blender.
• Another art form:  Culinary arts, 5 star gourmet restaurants, award winning chefs, culinary schools, and cooking shows have created a food industry which I my mind is an entertainment industry as well.  My french chef hat is off to these special artists.
• I believe the reason I love cooking so much is two fold:  the creativity part (assemblage, experimenting, visualization, anticipation, presentation) and also the reward of smelling, tasting, consumption of this creation that also nourishes ones body. 
• I wonder where the Julie Julia path will lead me next.  After posting this blog I think I will try another great french classic:  Soupe A L'Oignon Gratinee (onion soup gratineed with cheese).
• WOW!  My French Husband just hand me something I really need, 6 pages of French Culinary Words, to improve your French, straight from http://www.ffcook.com/.  Now isn't he a big help!
• Incidentally I am also reading the other book, Julie & Julia.  Julie Powell provides much detail and many more situations regarding her life, her friends and the Julie Julia Project than the movie by the same name.  My best to Julie who survived one year of insanity.



Bon Appetit!

Maria Liberto Bessette

Trying to Catch Up - Sept 14, 2010

The Blog Idea:  I have had the blog idea for some time.  But what really inspired me was watching the movie Julia and Julie this past weekend.  How great is that movie!  What creativity both ladies portrayed.  Real women challenging themselves.  It made me realize that many people create everyday without realizing it.  We scrapbook, bead, paint, stencil, decorate, wonder through the crafting stores to try the latest projects.  We look through tons of magazines and web sites to find out how to do what the next project or at least to be inspired.  We all create or want to create.  For most it is just finding the time to do it. 

My Mom Mildred, The Chef:  Think back to our mom's who produced a wholesome home cooked meal everyday for the family.  We had out only for special occasions, fast food was not heard of and ingredients had to be on hand because Dad usually used the car for work,  and the little housewife was really the wife of the house.. They whipped up recipes to hear yums and "wow - my favorite again." They created these dishes not only because they had to prepare dinner but they also wanted to add their own flair.  My mother was the first in her family to present the "new lemon chiffon cake" that was being raved about.  

My Mom Mildred, The Seamstress:  The same mother mentioned above was probably a moderate seamstress.  Another area of creativity made by necessity.  Nothing was impossible to produce.  Anything from winter coats to draperies and slipcover could be made.  A trip to the fabric store was like our trip to the malls.  It could take hours choosing the right pattern and then fabric and notions.

Back to Julia and Julie:  The movie inspired me to move along with the blog and document my many areas of creativity and art.  Julie's project portrays the challenge of creativity and creativity as a challenge.  Maybe my projects can be challenged by my blog project.  Recipe ingredients, paint, canvas, fabric, seaglass, shells, color create a wonderful artful home and life.

A Few Days Behind But Catching Up:  Since I wanted to start my story earlier I am trying to catch you up to speed with my most recent artful life.  

The Paintings:  Currently I am working on four oil paintings. Why four at one time.  Well I have my  palette set up and while one painting layer is drying I work on another.  My current inventory is depleted and I am also submitting entries to a juried and judged exhibit sponsored by the Holly Branch of the National League of American Pen Women.  As president of the local branch I need to put my best paintings forward.  I can't wait to actually the entries submitted for the Food, Farm & Foliage Fine Art Exhibit. 

They shall be completed and framed before the deadline.

The Recipe:  Well now to the kitchen.  I think  we need some treats for my sweetie.  I decided on the Chocolate Cookies Recipe from Joy of Baking.  I used a silicone mat instead of parchment paper on the baking sheets.  Something set off our smoke detector, something we could not detect ourselves.  The thing would not stop.  Winston escaped followed by my husband.  I took the batteries out of the detector until the baking was completed.  Winston finally was coaxed inside and all is well.  Both sweeties are eating the sweets.

Here is the recipe, and images of the Chocolate Cookies

 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) white granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (30 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (260 grams) white chocolate chips or chunks 

Chocolate Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees in rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (I used silicon sheets.)

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).  Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.  First sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture.  Mix just until incorporated.  Fold in the the chocolate chips.

Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Bake for approximately 8 - 10 minutes or until the the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges.  Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Makes about 24 - 3 inch round cookies.

Maria's Chocolate Cookies
(texture is between a brownie and cookie)

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Well more to come tomorrow.  I hope to show the progress on my paintings and maybe even a photo of Winston.

My best to you and "The Artful Life."

Maria L B