How wonderful…it’s June again. Greetings to all.

Winter is gone; the sun is warming up the flowers and turning the grass green. It’s also another month for our Julia Child Recipe Cooking Club. We picked out this month’s recipe and it sounds delicious. It is a fish recipe this time with a sauce. You will find the recipe over to the right, under the ‘Categories’. We posted the entire recipe in case you don’t have the book. We don’t want anyone to be left out.

Rememeber to wear your beads when you cook!    Also, be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you thought when you cooked it. We are very excited to try this one; it looks like it promises to be awesome.

As soon as we make it, we will post some of the pictures and let you know what we thought of it.

Enjoy every day of this lovely month.  And be sure to watch for July’s choice, we plan to celebrate the 4th with a ‘Bang of a Recipe’.

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For the June Recipe, we thought of trying one of the recipes for Fish. This comes in two parts, the first; The Master Recipe for Poaching Fish, and the second; A recipe for a delicious sauce to top the poached fish. We can’t wait to try it and hope we will all love it.

Master Recipe for Poaching Fish
Filets De Poisson Poches Au Vin Blank
(Fish Filets Poached in White Wine)
For 6 people
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
A buttered, 10- to 12-inch, fireproof baking and serving dish, 1½ to 2 inches deep
2 Tb finely minced shallots or green onions
2½ lbs. skinless and boneless sole or flounder filets cut into serving piece
Salt and pepper
1½ Tb butter cut into bits
1¼ to 1½ cups cold, white-wine fish stock made from heads, bones, and trimmings
OR: ¾ cup dry white wine or 2/3 cup dry white vermouth plus ¼ cup bottled clam juice, and water
OR: 1½ cups wine and water mixed
Sprinkle half the shallots or onions in the bottom of the dish. Season the filets lightly with salt and pepper and arrange them in one slightly overlapping layer in the dish. If filets are thin, they may be folded in half so they make triangles. Sprinkle the filets with the remaining shallots or onions, and dot with butter. Pour in the cold liquid and enough water so fish is barely covered.
Buttered brown paper or waxed paper (do not use aluminum foil-it will discolor the wine)
Bring almost to the simmer on top of the stove. Lay the buttered paper over the fish. Then place dish in bottom third of preheated oven. Maintain liquid almost at the simmer for 8 to 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the filets. The fish is done when a fork pierces the flesh easily. Do not overcook; the fish should not be dry and flaky.
An enameled saucepan
Place a cover over the dish and drain out all the cooking liquid into an enameled saucepan.
(*) The fish is now poached and ready for saucing. It may be covered and kept warm for a few minutes over hot, but not simmering, water. Or set it aside, covered with its piece of paper, and reheat later for a few minutes over simmering water. Be very sure the fish does not overcook as it reheats. Before saucing the fish, drain off any liquid which may have accumulated in the dish.

And now for the Sauce Recipe

Filets de Poisson Gratines, a la Parisienne
(Fish Filets Poached in White Wine; Cream and Egg Yolk Sauce)
For 6 people
2 ½ lbs sole or flounder filets poached in white wine, see Master Recipe
Poach the fish in white wine as described in the master recipe. Drain the poaching liquid into an enameled saucepan and rapidly boil it down until it has reduced to 1 cup.
Sauce Parisienne (2½ cups)
A 2-quart, heavy-bottomed, enameled or stainless steel saucepan
3 Tb butter
4 Tb flour
A wooden spatula or spoon
The boiling fish-poaching liquid
¾ cup milk
A wire whip
Melt the butter, blend in the flour, and cook slowly, stirring, until they foam and froth together for 2 minutes without coloring. Off heat, beat in the boiling liquid, then the milk. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Sauce will be very thick.
____________
Preheat Broiler.
2 egg yolks
½ cup whipping cream
A 2-quart mixing bowl
A wire whip
A wooden spoon
More cream as needed
Salt and white pepper
Lemon juice
Blend the yolks and cream in the mixing bowl. Beat in dribbles of hot sauce in a thin stream. Return the sauce to the pan. Set over moderately high heat and stir with wooden spoon, reaching all over the bottom of the pan, until the sauce comes to the boil. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Thin out with additional spoonfuls of cream until sauce coats the spoon nicely. Season carefully to taste with salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice. Strain.
2 Tb grated Swiss cheese, to help brown top of sauce
1 Tb butter cut into bits
Spoon the sauce over the fish. Sprinkle with cheese, and dot with butter.
(*) If not to be served immediately, set aside.
______________
Just before serving, reheat slowly almost to simmer on top of the stove. Run under hot broiler to brown top of the sauce. Watch very carefully so as not to burn under the broiler.

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Here is the recipe that we cooked with our April Recipe of the Roasted Chicken with Tarragon. It’s considerably easy and the taste is just to die for.

Cheesy Artichokes, Cauliflower and Red Pepper
4 cups cauliflower (about 12 oz)
1 (14-oz) can quartered artichokes, drained, patted dry, lightly chopped
2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1½ tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove (or your preference) minced
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded Comte or Gruyere cheese
¼ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees, spray 4-to 6-cup glass or ceramic gratin or baking dish with cooking spray. Place cauliflower in large microwave-safe bowl; add enough water to come ½ inch up sides of bowl. Cover; microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes or until still crisp but starting to soften. Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Pat dry. Toss cauliflower, artichokes, bell pepper and green onions in large bowl.
2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic 30 seconds or until fragrant. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Pour in milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth; add salt and pepper. Boil 1 minute; stir in Comte or Gruyere until melted. Pour sauce over vegetables; stir gently to coat.
3. Spoon vegetables into baking dish; sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. (Vegetable mixture can be made to this point 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling.

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For those who have seen the Movie, Julie and Julia, the food was such a big hit. Your mouth just watered and this particular recipe had quite a starring role. It is a little time consuming for the preparation, but there is no place I would rather spend the afternoon than in the kitchen. The movie makes it look like you could just taste it so of course I had to get the cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and that was the first recipe I tried. Oh my goodness, the Movie almost didn’t do it justice. Each bite is to savor a taste like no other. We certainly hope you will try this one, it is a keeper.

Boeuf Bourguignon
Beef stew in Red Wine, with Bacon, Onions, and Mushrooms
For 6 people
A 6-ounce chunk of bacon
Remove rind, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, ¼ inch thick and 1½ inches long). Simmer rind and the bacon for 10 minutes in 1½ quarts water. Drain and dry.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
A 9-to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
A slotted spoon
Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reheat casserole until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.
3 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes
Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
1 sliced carrot (preferably 4 to 5)
1 sliced onion
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in the middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust. Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
3 cups of a full-bodied, young red wine such as Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Bordeaux-St. Emilion, or Burgundy.
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 (or more) cloves mashed garlic
½ teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
The blanched bacon rind
Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2½ to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
18 to 24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock (recipe follows)
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter (recipe follows
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have 2½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. (*) Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.
For immediate serving: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.
For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
Brown-braised Onions
For 18 to 24 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter:
1½ tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons oil
A 9- to 10-inch enameled skillet
When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.
½ cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
Salt and pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ teaspoon thyme tied in cheesecloth
Pour in the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet.

Sautéed Mushrooms
A 10- to 12-inch enameled skillet
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon oil
1 pound of fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small, sliced or quartered if large
Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their sauté the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

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For May’s recipe we thought something in Chicken would be wonderful. The name of the dish is Poulet Poele A L’Estragon, or in English, Casserole-roasted Chicken with Tarragon. It calls for trussing the chicken, which; in the book, they used a large needle to basically sew the chicken together. We searched all over the place and could find the needle so we just tied it together with kitchen twine so that when you turned the chicken to brown, it stayed together. Since then, we’ve learned that we probably could have found that needle at an upholstery supply. Oh well, next time. Here is the recipe for those who don’t have the Julia Child Cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. We wouldn’t want anyone to be left out. Enjoy!

Poulet Poele A L’Estragon
Casserole-roasted Chicken with Tarragon
For: roasters or large fryers. Estimated roasting time: 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes for a 3 lb. bird. Adjust time accordingly for larger birds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
A 3-lb., ready-to-cook roasting chicken
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 or 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
Season the cavity of the chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Insert the tarragon leaves, or sprinkle with dried tarragon. Truss the chicken, dry thoroughly and rub the skin with the rest of the butter.
A heavy fireproof casserole just large enough to hold the chicken on its back and on its side
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil, more if needed
Set the casserole over moderately high heat with the butter and oil. When the butter foam has begun to subside, lay the chicken, breast down. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes; regulating heat so butter is always very hot but not burning. Turn the chicken on another side, using 2 wooden spoons or a towel. Be sure not to break the chicken skin. Continue browning and turning the chicken until it is a nice golden color almost all over, particularly on the breast and legs. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Add more oil if necessary to keep the bottom of the casserole filmed.
3 tablespoons butter, if necessary
Remove the chicken. Pour out the browning fat if it has burned, and add fresh butter
½ cup sliced onions
¼ cup sliced carrots
¼ teaspoon salt
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh tarragon or ½ teaspoon dried
Cook the carrots and onions slowly in the casserole for 5 minutes without browning. Add the salt and the tarragon.
¼ teaspoon salt
A bulb baster
Aluminum foil
A tight-fitting cover for the casserole
Salt the chicken. Set it breast up over the vegetables and baste it with the butter in the casserole. Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the chicken, cover the casserole, and reheat it on top of the stove until you hear the chicken sizzling. Then place the casserole on a rack in the middle level of the preheated oven.
Roast for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes, regulating heat so chicken is always making quiet noises. Baste once or twice with the butter and juices in the casserole. The chicken is done when its drumsticks move in their sockets, and when the last drops drained from its vent run clear yellow.
Remove the chicken to a serving platter and discard the trussing strings.

Brown tarragon sauce to serve with Chicken
2 cups brown chicken stock, or 1 cup canned beef bouillon and 1 cup canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons Madeira or port
2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon or parsley
1 tablespoon softened butter
Add the stock or bouillon and broth to the casserole and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up coagulated roasting juices. Then skim off all but a tablespoon of fat. Blend in the cornstarch mixture, simmer a minute, then raise the heat and boil rapidly until sauce is lightly thickened. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more tarragon if you feel it necessary. Strain into a warmed sauceboat. Stir in the herbs and the enrichment butter. 

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Hi all you cookers out there!  Well, May is almost over; however, it was a great month for cooking with Julia for us.

My sister, Kathy, and my BFF, Vicki, came up to see me and do some cooking.  First we did the SAUTE DE BOEUF A LA PAISIENNE (Beef Sate with Cream and Mushroom Sauce, found on page 325 in Vol. 1)

It was delicious, so tender and the beef was medium rare (could have been a little more rare tho).  We had it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a Cauliflower dish with artichokes that was to die for!  Kathy said she would put that recipe on the site for anyone who wanted to make it since it isn’t in the Julia books. You will find the recipe in this section of the Julia Child Club Blogroll. The name of it is Cheesy Artichokes, Cauliflower and Red Pepper.

The vegetable was Vicki’s favorite, and we had a little left over she ate the next day, SHE ate the next day!

As I said this Beef dish was very good; however, the presentation isn’t real appealing with the beef floating in the sauce like a stew almost–I won’t tell you what Kathy said it looked like–but the flavor was out of this world!

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Sauté De Boeuf A La Parisienne

[Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce]

April’s recipe for the cooking blog.  This is the second recipe that I have cooked from the Julia Child cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Here are my thoughts and insights about this one.

First of all, the recipe says that it is a great one for entertaining on short notice because it takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare.  And, it shortens the time if you slice the meat and sauté the mushrooms ahead of time.

I bought the filet of beef, the tenderloin butt that was recommended, and I purchased it at Costco (Warehouse Store) because it was about half the price per pound than the local Grocery Markets.  It called for 2 ½ pounds of the beef but I had to buy 6 ½ pounds and that was the smallest one that Costco had.  So, I now have sliced meat for at least 2 more recipes from the cookbook.  I froze the sliced meat after I weighed and labeled it.

Slicing the meat ahead did save time; but even if I had only purchased the 2 ½ pounds, it took a bit of time to ensure that I cut the slices evenly.  I sautéed the mushrooms and they went pretty fast, I guess start to finish, about 10 minutes including the slicing.

I had everything all set out ahead of time, the butter and oil measured, as well as the Madeira and cream.

I started by sautéing the beef strips as directed, not crowding the pan.  I used the size pan that was suggested and by doing the beef in batches, this took me about 15 minutes.   Next up was reducing the wine and stock mixture which took  about 15 to 20 minutes.  The rest of the dish went together pretty quickly.  There is no way that this recipe can be achieved in 30 minutes flat even if you sliced and sautéed ahead of time.  That said, each and every minute spent preparing this delightful dish was totally worth it and I would not complain if it took over an hour to prepare.

I served the beef with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, a new recipe of Cheesy Cauliflower and Artichoke casserole with Red Bell Pepper that was awesome, a Spinach Salad with dried cranberries and croissant rolls.

The meal was a success, the meat just melted in your mouth and you could have cut it with a spoon.  The knives I put with the place settings were never picked up.  The sauce over the meat and the potatoes was delicious.  This recipe is a keeper and I will be making it again.  I certainly hope that it turned out as good in your kitchen and your guests were as impressed as mine were.

The Kitchen is my favorite place, and recipes like this one are why.

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Sauté De Boeuf A La Parisienne

[Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce]

This sauté of beef is good to know about if you have to entertain important guests in a hurry.  It consists of small pieces of filet sautéed quickly to a nice brown outside and a rosy center, and served in a sauce.  The following recipe can easily be prepared in 30 minutes, or in less than half the time if the meat has been sliced and the mushrooms sautéed ahead.  The cream and mushroom sauce here is a French version of beef Stroganoff, but less tricky as it uses fresh rather that sour cream, so you will not run into the problem of curdled sauce.  Serve the beef in a casserole, or on a platter surrounded with steamed rice, risotto, or potato balls sautéed in butter.

For 6 people

½ lb. sliced fresh mushrooms

A heavy, 9-to 10-inch enameled skillet

2 Tb butter and 1 Tb good cooking oil

3Tb minced shallots or green onions

¼ tsp salt and a pinch of pepper

Sauté the mushrooms in the skillet in hot butter and oil for 4 to 5 minutes to brown them slightly.  Stir in the shallots or onions, and cook for a minute longer.  Season and scrape them into a side dish.

2 ½ lbs. filet of beef; the tenderloin butt and the tail of the filet are usually used

2 Tb butter and 1 Tb cooking oil, more if needed

Place the butter and oil in the skillet and set over moderately high heat.  When the butter foam begins to subside, sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to brown the exterior but keep the interior rosy red.  Set the beef on a side dish, and discard the sautéing fat.

¼ cup Madeira (best choice), or dry white vermouth

¾ cup good brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1 cup whipping cream

2 tsp cornstarch blended with 1 Tbl of the cream

Pour the wine and stock or bouillon into the skillet and boil it down rapidly, scraping up coagulated cooking juices, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup.  Beat in the cream, then the cornstarch mixture.  Simmer a minute.  Add the sautéed mushrooms and simmer a minute more.  The sauce should have a slight liaison (be lightly thickened).  Taste carefully for seasoning.

Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper and return it to the skillet along with any juices which may have escaped.  Baste the beef with the sauce and mushrooms; or transfer everything to a serving casserole.

When you are ready to serve, cover the skillet or casserole and heat to below simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to overdo it or the pieces of filet will be well done rather than rare.  Off heat and just before serving, tilt casserole, add 2 Tb softened butter to sauce a bit at a time while basting the meat until the butter has absorbed.  Decorate with parsley, and serve at once.

This recipe was copied from the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck.

a Parisienne

[Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce]

This sauté of beef is good to know about if you have to entertain important guests in a hurry.  It consists of small pieces of filet sautéed quickly to a nice brown outside and a rosy center, and served in a sauce.  The following recipe can easily be prepared in 30 minutes, or in less than half the time if the meat has been sliced and the mushrooms sautéed ahead.  The cream and mushroom sauce here is a French version of beef Stroganoff, but less tricky as it uses fresh rather that sour cream, so you will not run into the problem of curdled sauce.  Serve the beef in a casserole, or on a platter surrounded with steamed rice, risotto, or potato balls sautéed in butter.

For 6 people

½ lb. sliced fresh mushrooms

A heavy, 9-to 10-inch enameled skillet

2 Tb butter and 1 Tb good cooking oil

3Tb minced shallots or green onions

¼ tsp salt and a pinch of pepper

Sauté the mushrooms in the skillet in hot butter and oil for 4 to 5 minutes to brown them slightly.  Stir in the shallots or onions, and cook for a minute longer.  Season and scrape them into a side dish.

2 ½ lbs. filet of beef; the tenderloin butt and the tail of the filet are usually used

2 Tb butter and 1 Tb cooking oil, more if needed

Place the butter and oil in the skillet and set over moderately high heat.  When the butter foam begins to subside, sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to brown the exterior but keep the interior rosy red.  Set the beef on a side dish, and discard the sautéing fat.

¼ cup Madeira (best choice), or dry white vermouth

¾ cup good brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1 cup whipping cream

2 tsp cornstarch blended with 1 Tbl of the cream

Pour the wine and stock or bouillon into the skillet and boil it down rapidly, scraping up coagulated cooking juices, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup.  Beat in the cream, then the cornstarch mixture.  Simmer a minute.  Add the sautéed mushrooms and simmer a minute more.  The sauce should have a slight liaison (be lightly thickened).  Taste carefully for seasoning.

Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper and return it to the skillet along with any juices which may have escaped.  Baste the beef with the sauce and mushrooms; or transfer everything to a serving casserole.

When you are ready to serve, cover the skillet or casserole and heat to below simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to overdo it or the pieces of filet will be well done rather than rare.  Off heat and just before serving, tilt casserole, add 2 Tb softened butter to sauce a bit at a time while basting the meat until the butter has absorbed.  Decorate with parsley, and serve at once.

This recipe was copied from the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck.

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April is here and so is the launch of our Interactive Blog about the Julia Child Cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Here is how we are going to do it, but of course we can always make changes to make it perfect.  Each month, we will post a recipe from the Julia Child Cookbook, and we will all cook this recipe in our own kitchens.  Then, we will all share on this blog site, our personal experiences with the recipe.  Here are just a couple of ideas, but the sky is the limit.

Was the recipe easy to read and understand?

Could you find the ingredients without going to numerous markets?

How long did it take to prepare and could you do prep work ahead?

Who did you serve it to and how was it received?

Would you cook it again?

Do you have any suggestions or tips and secrets to contribute?

We are certainly looking forward to trying this out and of course, meeting all of you.  For those who do not have one of the books, here is the recipe so that no one is left out.  Have a great time in the kitchen.

Sauté De Boeuf A La Parisienne

[Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce]

This recipe is in the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck.

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First of all, we would like to introduce ourselves.  We are sisters, Kathy and Linda.  We both love to cook and come from a family of great cooks.  We have many friends who enjoy cooking and sharing recipes, both new and passed down within families.  We like to entertain and share great food with friends and loved ones.  So, we would like to reach out and share with some of our friends and with new ones that we hope to meet right here.

Starting in April, we are inviting you to become a part of a blogging project on French Cooking honoring the Great Julia Child and her wonderful cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

After seeing the movie, Julie and Julia, we were inspired by the concept of the Blog on her recipes from the book.  We, of course, can’t cook through the entire book in a year like Julie did.  So we thought, what if we invited a group such as yourselves, to join us in picking out one recipe from the book each month.  Then everyone would have a week in which to try the recipe and then share their experience in this Blog.  How hard (or easy) was the recipe, did your family (or guests) like it, and would you cook it again.  These are just some suggestions; write about anything you think about the recipe.

We thought we would all take turns choosing a recipe and we will keep track of which ones so we don’t duplicate them.  It should be a lot of fun and, with just one recipe a month, it will give everyone more time to decide when they would like to cook.

If you would like to join us for a lot of fun and good cooking, please leave a reply at the bottom of this blog.

April is just around the corner so we hope to be meeting you then.  Hope you have a wonderful rest of March and Good Cooking to all.

Kathy and Linda

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