Brandon Eats

Goodbye, Sheila Lukins

The news of Sheila Lukins' death on Sunday from brain cancer (Michael Y. Park wrote a lovely appreciation on the Epi-Log at Epicurious this morning) has left all of us without one of the most influential cooks of the later half of the 20th century. With her book, The Silver Palate Cookbook, co-written with Julee Rosso, Lukins inspired legions of home cooks in the 1980's to re-imagine the way that they think about food and the way that they make it.

Influences could come from all over the world and the boring fare of the nightly dinner could instead blast out the flavor and transform the ordinary with just the addition of a couple of "exotic" (garlic, saffron, herbs) ingredients. Freshness--fresh vegetables, fresh herbs and a fresh approach--provided the new foundation Lukins wanted all of us to build upon.

I wrote an appreciation of The Silver Palate a few years ago (here's a link), and to this day, she remains, along with Julia Child, one of the most important reasons that I do what I do: cook, eat and write about the food I love.

"His Face Always Looks Like That"

I had next to no internet access (this was about as pleasant as having half of your big toenail ripped off on a boat trip--which also happened) during my trip to France over the past couple of weeks. I did, however, keep a sort of diary. During the next week or so, I'll post that diary, along with a few of the photos I took.

First of all, you need French friends. In fact, you could say that they’re essential to a successful trip around France. Our friends live just outside of Paris, in a suburb that once was a village.  It’s a town called Rueil Malmaison, famous for the small island there in the middle of the Seine beloved by the Impressionists. Renoir painted Luncheon of the Boating Party, a scene on the terrace of a restaurant still open for business—and little changed—today. 

Rueil Malmaison is a perfect amalgam of small and large. Narrow, old streets with an open air market on the weekends and an old church in a square in the center of town are just a metro ride away from the Place de la Concorde and all of what Paris has to offer. Any European trip is exhausting--the unfamiliarity, the feeling of never knowing what to expect--and so, for us, it was wonderful to come home each day to a place quiet (except for those frickin' mufflerless motorbikes) and yet near enough that every night the light from the Eiffel Tower shone through my bedroom window.

More after the jump

Yes, I've Been.

Photo courtesy of Dean Christesen, RVAjazz

I no longer review restaurants, but I just wanted to let you know that I have a really big crush on Balliceaux right now.

Recipes and the Women of Julie and Julia

 I once read an interview with Meryl Streep where she said something to the effect, "In the world, I'm a movie star; at home, I'm a waitress." It's not an exact quote, but as a mother of two who has done her time getting up from the table constantly to cater to the needs of small children, I've been comforted by the fact that no matter how famous you are, all mothers are ultimately equal when they're at home. Every family, in other words, takes you completely for granted.

The good folks at Glamour sent me a link to a great piece (on newsstands tomorrow, August 11th)  with the women of Julie & Julia. Meryl Streep writes about making a roast chicken last all week, Amy Adams shares her recipe for guacamole and Nora Ephron explains how to  make a pasta dish that almost exactly resembles the one I make for myself when no one is at home to pester me to make something else they like better.

Best of all, they include Julia Child's recipe for tarragon chicken. I had forgotten all about it. My mother made this recipe every other week throughout my childhood, and it was really wonderful to be reminded of it so that I, too, can add it to my nightly repertoire.

You can see the full story and recipes on Glamour.com
Link: http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2009/08/hollywood-cooking-julia-child-is-making-you-dinner

Apologies

I was cleaning up my blog in anticipation of my forthcoming trip to France, when inexplicably, this old, oft-read post popped up below. I've put it back where it belongs, but it doesn't seem to go away. My apologies!

Anyhoo--

OH MY GOD, I'M GOING TO GO TO FRANCE FOR THREE WEEKS! A few days in Paris and then off to the south of France for a houseboat trip along the Canal du Midi. More time in Paris, and then home. I am the luckiest woman in the world.

I plan to blog all about it, as I did from Spain , but you know, there was a real learning curve to that little enterprise, so we'll see. This time around, I'll be with fluent, native friends and that fact, I'm hoping, will streamline the process.

So, I'm off to buy a new battery for my laptop at the Apple store, re-purchase all of the summer clothes my children have mysteriously vaporized over the last two months, clean the entire house, and probably procrastinate about all of this until the very last minute. Like right now.