Culinary Grad Seeks Writing Gig

Since Stocks and Sauces

2010-07-15T19:08:00.001-07:00

I can't imagine all the hours I have worked in a kitchen since I graduated from culinary school. I often wish I could go back--to teach perhaps or to conquer baking and pastry arts. I've been reading through Cooking by James Peterson-- 600 recipes, 1500 photographs, one kitchen education and I think James may just be on to something--that there are no magic formulas to cooking and that good cooking is in fact based on performing the basics correctly.

While it may be impressive to throw together a Roquefort cheese souffle or to turn out a foie gras terrine, my taste is leaning toward seasonal foods less fussed over.

What's New in Food class, 1963 Homemakers Program, North Carolina State College

2010-03-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Amazing where 47 years can take us and yet we are still living off the convenience of packaged foods. This photograph is included in the North Carolina State University Special Digital collection.

A couple of weeks ago I wandered into the Reader's Corner on Hillsborough Street and picked up a worn copy of a book by Henri-Paul Pellaprat. This particular book was designed in the late 1960's to teach French cookery to the American housewife. Pellaprat, who was heralded as "one of the outstanding chefs and cookery teachers of all time" spent many years teaching at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. For thirty years his book, Le Nouveau Guide Culinaire, was considered the bible of everyday cooking in France.

In his genius, Pellaprat rewrote Le Nouveau, providing a simplified version of French cooking techniques for American women. From this book, one could learn to prepare eggs "nearly 50 ways' or other dinner ideas for those brave enough to attempt one of the twelve hundred watered-down classical French recipes (some of which are illustrated in 80 full-color photographs). Chapters include ideas for anything from menu planning to aspics or perhaps a Monday dinner of frogs' legs: fried, frittered, or sauteed with herbs. Clearly recipes for families with a more adventurous palate. Pellaprat recommended that family meals should consist of three or four courses.

Everyday French Cooking promises to make "fine everyday cooking a part of the American national sensibility, as it is in France".

You Can Throw a Brick and Hit a Blogger

2010-03-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

One of my poetry instructors, Dorianne Laux, said you can throw a brick and hit a poet. It seems that everyone has a blog or a website. Long lost friends are on Facebook and Foodbuzz is keeping me very busy when I should be studying for midterms but life is good and a December graduation is just around the corner.

I failed to mention that I have a son who is in his first year of college. His plans are to get a degree in health and fitness. My plan is to get him into the gym with ME over the summer; his project of sorts.

Say What?

2010-03-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago I graduated culinary arts school and have pounded the kitchen concrete for a while now. Two years ago I decided to go back to the university and finish my English degree with a concentration in creative writing. Here I am, a semester and a half away from the cap and gown wondering how to combine my passion for culinary and literary arts. Brilliant! A blog...