(Re)Learning with Julia

I recall Julia Child from my childhood, watching her on public television, making food. I didn't understand her, of course, and her voice was slightly scary, but she cooked, and it was interesting to occasionally watch.

By the time I was in college, I realized the impact of her show(s), and her status as a food and cultural icon. It wasn't until I read My Life in France that I understood why Julia was revered as she was. Not only for the techniques, regularization, translation, and simplification she provided to the American kitchen, but also for her unabashed love of France, her husband Paul, French kitchens and cuisine, but as well for her hunger to learn, her strength of purpose in an age where women were on a precipice of change, her tireless need to teach and share the things that she loved, without wanting (it seems) much in return.

By the time Julia & Julia came out, well, I was a committed devotee of Julia within my own kitchen, having already realized the place my own kitchen holds for me and the memories of family kept deep within it.

A friend gave me a copy of Mastering, and so, with a freezer full of goodness, I decided to finally give direct homage to Mrs Child (and Mr Child, for he was awesome), Mme Berthold and Mme Beck. I thought, I LOVE their French Onion Soup, but instead, with all of the Farmhouse Delivery vegetables I still had, I'm obligated to do the Beef Bourguignon.

And so we did.

Now, I only have one photo. Why? Because I was too caught up in making it, then eating it. Simply forgot.

I enjoyed standing in my kitchen, pulling out farm-fresh vegetables. Cleaning and chopping them to set my mise en place. My Wusthof knife glinted in the cutting. The mat held nice piles of nicely chopped onion and carrots. My new doufou Le Creuset was French country blue, and I sweated my vegetables in it. The beef tips were so tender right after the first saute to sear. Knew then that it was going to be awesome. 

After the vegetables sweated and my fond was pulled up from the quickly cooked beef, it all went back into the Calphalon dutch oven, with beef stock and red Aussie wine, and then set into the oven, low and slow.

It only took an hour and a half (not her 2.5h recommended) before the beef tips would fall apart. The pot was strained, the gravy further reduced, and then the meat/vegetables put back with the reduction.

Instead of rice, I made potatoes, roiled in salt water and drained. They were slightly crushed on the plate, while hot, and dollops of butter, coarse salt and pepper were put on. Then a sprinkle of grated parmesan-reggiano cheese and minced fresh parsley for a bright sprinkle of green on the plate.

Then, the beef bourguignon was then ladled on the hot potatoes and served immediately - with a large glass of a hefty cabernet sauvignon.

That was simply one of the best meals at our house.

Thanks, Julia.