Watching Old Julia Child Cooking Shows

Hi everyone. Today I am joining our lovely hostess Kathy and all the other "foodies" over at Food Wednesday.

The past week there was not a lot of inspiring food made or eaten in my life, but I have been watching some old reruns of Julia Child's French Chef cooking show on one of the PBS channels we get. I'd never seen these except in little segments within another show. I have to say I've learned a few tips and did have some smiles too. They are very entertaining. 

Julia had a great onscreen persona, and I like how in this show she manages, even with a bit of kitchen bumbling, to make the most wonderful looking foods. Mostly in black and white of course. And I am guessing her kitchen style is  very much how many of us home cooks would be also, even if she is probably more professionally trained than most home cooks. 

She knows what she's doing; she skilled at techniques, but you can tell these weren't filmed over and over until she got it all perfect. I think that is another part of the charm of these old shows.

My favorite lines from the episodes I have watched is how, when she was cleaning off her counter, she brushed all the scraps on the floor saying she'd just get those out of her way. Obviously realizing that at home the cook would be the one who must clean them those scraps, she said (in so many words) that it was easy to make such a mess when you had an automatic floor cleaner because some else would sweep them up.

It is also interesting getting a glimpse at the kitchen and equipment she used. The show ran from 1963-1973, and I am sure the kitchen was state of the art then. Now it looks dated, and I am sure many modern chefs would miss their modern kitchen equipment for some of the prep tasks needed. Julia also had this one contraption for cooking an oversized zucchini she was going to stuff. It looked like an oval washbasin with these big heavy chains to lift it out of the pan of boiling water. I don't know if that was a real tool or something concocted for the show. And in the last episode I watched, she was using a duck press. I was curious how it was used, but also a little disgusted too. I guess I am one of those folks who sometimes doesn't want to know where (and how) their final food comes from.

It's fun seeing most of these cooking tools though, to see where we are now in the kitchen and comparing it (for me at least) back to things from my childhood.

And she always end going into her dining room and sitting at the table.

This next photo shows Julia in her own home kitchen. If you don't know, it was donated to the Smithsonian Museum. 

As you might already know, Julia Child had a fascinating life. She worked in military intelligence during World War 2,  lived in various places in Europe, went to cooking school when she was approaching middle age, wrote cookbooks and even had her own cooking shows. She was  49 when her most first and most famous cookbook was published. 

She co-wrote that book with 2 Frenchwomen, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, making French cooking accessible to American home cooks.

I will admit, that like many people,  I enjoy reading and learning about Julia. She certainly was a woman ahead of her time and definitely a role model for so many other people.

I can't say I've read every book about Julia, and I'm certainly no expert, but here's a few I have read, just in case you  are curious about reading of her life also.

These books were all very good.

That's all for me today. I'm sure many of you might know more about Julia Child than I do, but she is always worth your time.

Have a great rest of your week.

 

Pie and Other Good Things

I love long weekends. It is Martin Luther King weekend here in the US and tomorrow my daughter and I are off on a little road trip to IKEA. I need bookshelves.  She needs some homey goods for her apartment. Hopefully this little storm they are talking about doesn't get in our  way while traveling. (Keep your fingers crossed for me!) And I don't have to work Monday which is really exciting. Who knows what fun things I'll find to do.

Tomorrow the Patriots take on the Colts for the AFL title, one football game before the Superbowl. I hope they win this year-unlike last year when they lost. I know someone has to lose but how disappointing to get that far. And if today's game is even half as good as last Sunday's game against Baltimore was, it should be a good one.

So I have been in a cook book reading and baking mode lately. Been hooked on watching The Great British Bake Off on PBS. Have you seen it?
I was naughty and a bought a few new cookbooks in the last few weeks.  To feed the reading by the fire addiction.

This is an interesting cookbook. Old and traditional pies. I haven't heard of more than half of these pies, which is pretty interesting actually since I am a pie fan and I thought I knew about about pie. Transparent pie...Dixie pie...cake like pies...

I am antsy to try a few of these, but the problem with pie and cake and cookies is how much can you actually eat before you get the size of a city block?  At least this is true with my metabolism. And I am trying to be fairly good about what I eat, but still get my baking fix and my sugar fix. So I will get to making one of these, next time I want pie.

Here's an even naughtier book.

Yummy, creamy pretty pies. This is where I go for my no-calorie photo pie fix. And to bake one of these days too!
Can't wait.

And since I am so hooked the Great British Bake Off, I ordered this book from an Amazon seller in England. Mary  Berry is one of the show's judges. I am trying to resist the temptation to buy a couple of the show cookbooks. So far, I have been strong and able to...ha-ha. Notice many of them have sold out on Amazon so it must not just be me addicted to this show!
Anyhow, waiting for this to arrive. Can't wait to see what yummy British Baking treats I can learn about.
So do you have any big plans for the weekend?

Cook Book Binging

I've got a cookbook habit. Especially as of late. Seems I can't get enough of baking books. Or baking!

One of the firsts for me this year is to try baking some new things.  Gonna become an amateur pastry chef...ha-ha.

Used some of my cookbooks in my collection to find an inspiration.
And here it is...drum roll...

so my first baking of something new is this cake.

Now I have made home made cakes before. I've made home made frosting before. But I've never made a Hummingbird Cake before.  Nor have I made home made cream cheese frosting.

This frosting recipe is super light and fluffy.  Maybe it is because I just whipped it a lot. Maybe its the recipe.  But real cream cheesy and yum!

I've never had a hummingbird cake before. It has a bit of spice in it, along with banana and pineapple. It is suppose to have pecans but I substituted walnuts because that's what I had.

Maybe it changes the type of cake I made. 

????

The only thing I think I'd changed about this recipe is I'd add more crushed pineapple.

Kind of reminded me of a carrot cake, but definitely not a carrot cake.

I could eat this cake all day!

Here's the cookbook I pulled off the shelf and used. 

I went through several because I had a bunch of bananas that I wanted to use. I had first thought of making banana bread, but I have done that many times before.

So why not try this cake?

I'm trying to experience new things this year.

And after watching the Great British Bake Off on PBS, I got inspired by cake.

Not just to bake, but to eat too!

And my next baking project?  Hmmmm.  

Souffle? A new bread? Eclairs? Madeleines? 

I'll let you know where my baking journey takes me.

Thanks for stopping by.

Book Chatter

I haven't chatted about books in quite awhile. Haven't been reading all that much, although I've wanted to it just hasn't happened. That's what happens when you have a new dog in your house.
Actually I'm really ready for a week off -I know- I've only been back to school for 8 weeks but I am already feeling kind of burnt out.  I am teaching 3 totally different classes- the prep work keeps me jumping! Plus a new dog at home, and some health issues with my 85 year old mom. Way too much to deal with. I will say this month is flying right by-it will be Thanksgiving break time before I know it. I really like that weekend-so much less demanding than Christmas!  Actually, November is usually  a pretty quiet month-plus I have a fun weekend road trip planned which always breaks things up.
Anyhow, back to books!
Recent Readings:

This book was enjoyable. Its a series of articles from the LA Times that the author wrote while traveling for a year with his girlfriend. I like how it wasn't as much about the places but more about a different theme at each stop.

And this other book is really enjoyable. I don't know how much is actual family memoir and how much is author embellishment, but I've learned a lot about living in the Soviet Union from the start of that nation (when the Czar line ended and the Communists took over) through decades that follow until the author and her mother immigrated to the US. And its also about food. Anya von Bremzen has written some cookbooks that received A+ reviews. She also does a great job of character building. Her characters are pretty eccentric in ways too. Makes it lots of fun!

And I've added a few cookbooks to my cookbook obsession.

(If only I should cook half as  much as I read cookbooks.)

I love Joy Wilson's blog-Joy the Baker. This is her second cookbook, and I pre-ordered it because i loved her first cook book. (Joy the Baker). The first recipe I think I am going to try this weekend is her pineapple breakfast rolls, or maybe her blueberry pancake muffins. Or....she comes up with the most clever recipes. 

I give that cookbook a 5 star rating for all you bakers. Here's another 5 star book-a little more highbrow in set up, but still, pretty nice.

Haven't tried anything from this book yet either. I like the recipes, and many of them look pretty homey and easy. There's nothing jumping out in my head that I really need to try, like the Joy Wilson book, but I will definitely try my hand at some of these. And if not, I really enjoyed reading this book.

And I've had this craving to pull out some children's book that I haven't read in years. Here's my latest. There's still a few hanging around from when my daughter was a little.

What have you been reading lately?

Being the Homebody

Other than my mini-trip last weekend, life has been fairly quiet as of late. Work, a little shopping, lots of play time in my happy place, some reading and some cooking.  Been feeling the domestic goddess muse.

I already told you about making a lot of zucchini bread and pickles. Using up the garden bounty.

And I've also been in a cookbook reading mode. Can't get enough of them lately. I bought a new one that I absolutely love and can't wait to try several recipes.

Macaroni and cheese, along with the  Croque Madame,  pork with apples and a few other recipes I just gotta try. Love it when you find a book that is not only eye candy but also is one you really want to cook from.

And as you can probably guess from that comment, the photos are gorgeous too.

I also read a graphic novel.

Lucy Knisley wrote another graphic novel several years ago called French Milk.  It was set when she graduated from college and her mom was turning 50. They went and stayed in France for a month, and Lucy wrote the graphic novel about that journey.

This book continues her travels. She is now well into her 20's and off an a sort of solo European adventure.

I really enjoyed it.

Think I need to look into more graphic novels.

I also need to finish reading The Book of Life.

I am enjoying it but it not a fast read. Seems like I have been reading it forever! If I didn't want to know what happens in the end I would put it aside and start something else, because I am getting to that point. There's a little too much "stuffing" in between when things really happen. 

My opinion.

I had to stop and take a break, read a travel book- a series of articles from the LA Times way back in the early 2000's. A fast read-what I needed.

Anyhow, on to some art.

And to celebrate all this soulful harvesting, here's a journal page I made last week,. The bottom is a bit dark and the onion is a bit whited out, but you get the drift. I love this big onion stamp from Fred Mullett. I also love the colors on this page. They are bright but in an autumn way.

And now that it is autumn!

Officially!

Domestication

I sometimes like  being a domestic gardener. Last Saturday was one of those days.

It was cloudy and I wanted to fertilize the garden-get some nutrients onto the soil so the evening's rain could wash it into the soil-give those plants a little time to absorb it into their roots before those roots go dormant. My friend Vicky told me about this fertilizer.

Have you tried it? I ordered a small bottle from Amazon and thought I would see how it works, Will see if it was worth the cost-it was a tad bit expensive. But then, what isn't? I might have to wait until next spring for the results, but I can be patient.

And I planted a bag of crocus bulbs I had picked up at Costco.

Hope I remembered to turn some these so they will grow in the right direction next spring, ha-ha.

But I didn't take care of my burdock problem. The (grrrr) weeds have taken over my rhubarb plot and now there is no rhubarb.

The fall flowers are pretty though. Still, I'd rather have the rhubarb.

And I picked 4 gigantic zucchinis from the garden and decided to try making some freezer pickles.

I have never made freezer pickles before. The cookbook I used said you could substitute zucchini for cucumbers. So  I thought, why not give it a try? 

Super easy. Slice, let sit in salt a couple of hours, add your vinegar "broth", refrigerate for 8-10 hours, then put into Ziploc bags and freeze. Too easy not to try.

This is it. The recipe that is in case you have any interest in trying some.

Tried a bread and butter freezer pickle recipe the other night too. 

These were even easier-slice, put in the ingredients, sit in the fridge a couple of days and then freeze.

 Think I have enough pickles as well as zucchini bread. Either time to get something new to use up my exploding zucchini numbers with or just give up and compost any left overs.  No sense bringing them to work as there's already a big pile for takers there.

This weekend coming up I am traveling. Taking a little journey  Down East, way up on the coast of Maine. I am excited to go, though I am going for my uncle's funeral. A sad reason. But the service will a celebration of his life. I don't expect it to be a huge downer service. Uncle Bob lived 89 wonderful years. He was slowing down but still living a rich active life when he had a serious stroke back in August.

If only we all could live like that.

The hubby and I are both taking Friday off since we need to travel to get there for an early Saturday morning service. Hoping the weather is good so we can do a little sightseeing on our way and make the most of this 4+ hour trip.

I am excited to go back to the area. I have wonderful childhood memories there. It was because of that area that I studied biology in college. 

I am sure I will have photos to share with you next week.

So not much else to add today.

Thanks for stopping by.

More Garden Bounty or Kitchen Creativity

I have to say my veggie garden has been a success this summer. Except that my tomatoes seem to keep splitting and rotting right on the vine (anyone know what causes this?), everything seems to be growing and producing serious produce. Even my tomatoes have been productive, even though it seems like I can't use 1/2 of them.

My cucumbers are really starting to produce right now. Hopefully I'll get enough to make some relish or more pickles.

Here's my latest pickings. So many zucchinis that I went on a baking extravaganza.

A double batch of  zucchini bread with chocolate chunks and a double batch of chocolate chocolate chip zucchini bread.

The zucchini bread with the chocolate chunks comes from this awesome garden cookbook I have had for probably 20 years.

Well the chocolate chunks are my own addition. I noticed on Amazon that this book is now out of print( but there's still some available from used and other sellers). 

The chocolate chocolate chip bread is a recipe my mom mailed me like 10 years ago that she got out of her local newspaper.

I found the same recipe online here: chocolate zucchini bread.

Good thing my daughter takes a couple of loaves home to her apartment and good thing for freezers. Both of these recipes freeze really well.

Yum!

Been really enjoying some kitchen creativity lately. Apple pie, pickles, zucchini bread. Got a few other things in mind too...

Have a great day.

Flicks and Books

 

Have you seen this movie?

We Redboxed it the other day and I was pleasantly surprised. It made me smile a lot. A light flick for the end of a busy day when you don't want something too deep or complex but still want something worthwhile.

Or want to see a movie where the character goes to Greenland.

We also rented The Monuments Men last weekend.

Took a little bit to get into this film as it didn't move too fast at the beginning, but then it all came together and it wasn't a bad film either. The Nazi's really destroyed a lot of valuable art. I'd heard about this but to see what was going on really brought it all home. We almost lost a lot more too if it wasn't for this group of soldiers.I didn't know about these soldiers out to find it. Thank goodness someone was caring and astute enough to get out and find them. Funny, they showed Harry Truman in there and he certainly didn't think very highly of art-at least the way this movie portrayed him.

And a few books I've been sticking my big old nose in.

Fictional read on my nightstand.

Sixties flashback story but I love the fact part of the book was set in Taos, New Mexico, one of my favorite places. I also really like the main character. I read another book by Natalie Goldberg recently:  Living Color: Painting, Writing and the Bones of Seeing. That book is not fiction, but a nice read about color, painting and how the artsy mind works.

That's why I found myself this used copy, so I could read some more of Natalie Goldberg.

And I've been doing a bit of bookshelf cleaning.

I love cookbooks. I like to cook, but I also just like to read cookbooks.

Here's some oldies but goodies that I found buried deep behind some other books on my bookshelf.

I find it interesting how food trends change but also come back around. AND I love learning about new places, and of course the food in those places, since part of the place is its food. This book is really good at picking out the flavors of different places.

1970's Veggie cooking here I come. This is such a great cookbook. I am glad I rediscovered mine- which is much more dog eared and used.

I actually haven't cooked much from this, and really doesn't have any photos, but looking through it, I think its time to gve it another check. I love the painting on the cover.

Who doesn't want to use more fruit in their cooking?

And finally, this book on Amish Cooking is a great read. Its like a traveloque in covers. I am all for homestyle old fashioned cooking, and lots of these recipes are all that and then some.

Want to do some cooking this summer. Make some chutneys. Make some bread.

More pie and also ice cream.

Pull out these oldies but goodies and start feeding the hubby some good stuff.

Making myself hungry.

That's all for today.

Ta-ta for now.

Exquisite CookBooks, No Take That Back, Travel Books

Have any of your heard of Tessa Kiros? Checked out her cookbooks?

They are amazing. Not only are there many recipes (and the ones I've tried wonderful), but the photos are pure eye candy.

In a major way.

Its like taking a little trip from the comfort of your couch to the places she writes about. 

Her cookbooks are printed on thick old style paper and are filled with colored photos and nostalgia. And beauty. Even if you don't cook, you could read these cookbooks and take a little trip.

These are the ones I am lucky enough to own.  I want the Venice and Greek ones.

Here's some photos I snapped randomly from the books I have.

Makes me want to go pack my suitcase and stow aboard some old time sailing vessel for the old country. Be some international wandering hobo.

Some day I won't be tracked into a school schedule and I can travel in May or September or whenever the travel bug bites me.

Monday I have to go back to work and vacation has been so much fun that I'm not sure I really want to go back.

Been watching lots of Rick Steves as I work out lately and wish I had the rest of the year off and a big European trip planned.

Oh well.  Summer isn't that far away. No Europe this year but thinking that next year I need to push it up as a priority.

Think I'll go plan my next cooking adventure. That isn't tied to vacation weeks.

Thanks for visiting and come back again soon.