I love the idea of cooking being an experiment and a conversation. No stagnation here but adapting to what’s fresh, what’s available, and what we like. And I do love Julia and Jacques! My husband found a signed copy of her Mastering the Art of French Cooking at a yard sale for 10 cents. Yes he bought it and yes I treasure it (even if it is dedicated to someone named “Anita” lol).
Excellent piece again Elizabeth. Apart from baking, once I’ve made something from a recipe a couple of times, I’ve integrated it into my culinary and taste memory and cook from that place. But we tweak recipes as we go along, then before we know it, we’ve created a whole new chapter for the recipe.
That’s the interesting aspect of my “Cooking with Marcella” project, I returning to the recipes with no tweaks and elevations.
I absolutely loved this, Elizabeth! So relate to how cooking isn’t black&white. It certainly doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and it could evolve from the original recipes.
I also really appreciated you bringing in Julia&Jacques too. So many of us in culinary school when we had our first day orientation were asked who were our inspiration: 9 out of 10 said Julia child&Jacques Pepin. I certainly watched them after school along with great chefs/great cities. It was like meeting rockstar gods when both of them came to do a demo in school too. Their chemistry was so organic and fun. They reminded us( at least outside of class), cooking could be like a dance with the seasons, and with who you’re cooking with. Thank you for sharing!
They’re the best! How lucky you were to have seen them together.
In another life, Aki, I might have followed your culinary path. It’s why I always love reading the stories from your own journey in that wonderful and demanding world💕
Thank you, Elizabeth. The choices we make in life, are very much like the cooking approach you written about. Nothing it set in stone- and we will go towards the direction we feel is right for us. Rest will follow!
I knew I felt off this week, it's because I didn't read your post with my Monday morning coffee as I usually do! Well, I have rectified that now. Thank you for this Elizabeth, you have hit exactly my ethos with baking too. A lovely piece ❤️
Ah Shell…thank you! 💕 I know exactly what you mean. I have spent the past few days catching up on my Substack reading going back to the beginning of March—all those whose posts I normally read within a day or two of their publication (including yours!). I’m not quite there yet.
I so appreciate your readership and always lovely comments 💕
I like that Pablo Picasso quote, and I agree. One of the most unusual items we made at the restaurant was sweet mayonnaise. Yolks, light olive oil, icing sugar and passionfruit juice. Served it as part of a strawberry dish.
I have a couple of cookbooks that I feel this way about and one of them is Baking with Julia. It was one of the first books I baked from when I was teaching myself to bake and to this day, opening its pages takes me back in time. Baking my way through that book felt like I had enrolled myself in pastry school. I was obsessed and, as so well said by Charles E. Schaefer, fully alive.
Improvisation in the kitchen is always fun. Jacques and Julia were fun since they had years of experience to draw upon and could really communicate through the camera. Mediterranean fish stew hasn't been on my menu since the beginning of the pandemic and my fishmonger closed. My version is simplified by using clam juice instead of making stock. It is never the same twice since I often make substitutions. Fresh fennel, good canned tomatoes, sweet red bell pepper, leeks and a splash of Noilly Prat. Saffron if I have any. Fish is added once the base is done. First cod or monkfish, then cherrystones, mussels, scallops and squid in last once the clams have started to open. I serve it with aioli and a baguette.
That sounds delicious Kristi, and the perfect illustration of why a recipe can sometimes add undue pressure and disappointment 😊. I always think everything’s better with fennel!
One of my absolute favorites...a seafood soup with a sampling of everything. The "garlicky rouille slathered on toasted baguette slice" descriptor will be revisited in my dreams this evening!
Wonderful piece, Elizabeth. I'm late to the party, but I'm glad I came.
Thank you Amela! Can’t wait to have you join the party IRL 💕
I love the idea of cooking being an experiment and a conversation. No stagnation here but adapting to what’s fresh, what’s available, and what we like. And I do love Julia and Jacques! My husband found a signed copy of her Mastering the Art of French Cooking at a yard sale for 10 cents. Yes he bought it and yes I treasure it (even if it is dedicated to someone named “Anita” lol).
So many quotes to restack here. I agree with your thoughts on food, cooking, experimenting… and pretty much everything :)
Excellent piece again Elizabeth. Apart from baking, once I’ve made something from a recipe a couple of times, I’ve integrated it into my culinary and taste memory and cook from that place. But we tweak recipes as we go along, then before we know it, we’ve created a whole new chapter for the recipe.
That’s the interesting aspect of my “Cooking with Marcella” project, I returning to the recipes with no tweaks and elevations.
I am happy to have your readership, Lisa 💕
Perhaps it’s the elemental nature of Italian cuisine, with its focus on the best of ingredients, just a few, and prepared in ways to make them shine.
I absolutely loved this, Elizabeth! So relate to how cooking isn’t black&white. It certainly doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and it could evolve from the original recipes.
I also really appreciated you bringing in Julia&Jacques too. So many of us in culinary school when we had our first day orientation were asked who were our inspiration: 9 out of 10 said Julia child&Jacques Pepin. I certainly watched them after school along with great chefs/great cities. It was like meeting rockstar gods when both of them came to do a demo in school too. Their chemistry was so organic and fun. They reminded us( at least outside of class), cooking could be like a dance with the seasons, and with who you’re cooking with. Thank you for sharing!
They’re the best! How lucky you were to have seen them together.
In another life, Aki, I might have followed your culinary path. It’s why I always love reading the stories from your own journey in that wonderful and demanding world💕
Thank you, Elizabeth. The choices we make in life, are very much like the cooking approach you written about. Nothing it set in stone- and we will go towards the direction we feel is right for us. Rest will follow!
I knew I felt off this week, it's because I didn't read your post with my Monday morning coffee as I usually do! Well, I have rectified that now. Thank you for this Elizabeth, you have hit exactly my ethos with baking too. A lovely piece ❤️
Ah Shell…thank you! 💕 I know exactly what you mean. I have spent the past few days catching up on my Substack reading going back to the beginning of March—all those whose posts I normally read within a day or two of their publication (including yours!). I’m not quite there yet.
I so appreciate your readership and always lovely comments 💕
LOVE Jacques and Julia. And the foods that they brought to our table.
Still so inspirational!
I like that Pablo Picasso quote, and I agree. One of the most unusual items we made at the restaurant was sweet mayonnaise. Yolks, light olive oil, icing sugar and passionfruit juice. Served it as part of a strawberry dish.
That sounds fantastic. But then again, all of your imaginative combinations do.
Thank you Elizabeth.
I have a couple of cookbooks that I feel this way about and one of them is Baking with Julia. It was one of the first books I baked from when I was teaching myself to bake and to this day, opening its pages takes me back in time. Baking my way through that book felt like I had enrolled myself in pastry school. I was obsessed and, as so well said by Charles E. Schaefer, fully alive.
There is something about diving deep that lets us "let go" if even briefly, of the things that weigh us down. Baking is especially that for me too💕
Improvisation in the kitchen is always fun. Jacques and Julia were fun since they had years of experience to draw upon and could really communicate through the camera. Mediterranean fish stew hasn't been on my menu since the beginning of the pandemic and my fishmonger closed. My version is simplified by using clam juice instead of making stock. It is never the same twice since I often make substitutions. Fresh fennel, good canned tomatoes, sweet red bell pepper, leeks and a splash of Noilly Prat. Saffron if I have any. Fish is added once the base is done. First cod or monkfish, then cherrystones, mussels, scallops and squid in last once the clams have started to open. I serve it with aioli and a baguette.
That sounds delicious Kristi, and the perfect illustration of why a recipe can sometimes add undue pressure and disappointment 😊. I always think everything’s better with fennel!
One of my absolute favorites...a seafood soup with a sampling of everything. The "garlicky rouille slathered on toasted baguette slice" descriptor will be revisited in my dreams this evening!
The rouille’s worth doing as a side treat for all manner of good things! 💕