‘Julia Child’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Book Review: Cleaving by Julie Powell

May 10, 2013 · Narrative

Let me preface this by saying I have a bad taste in my mouth from Julie Powell. From years ago, when she slammed bloggers left, right, and center. Quickly forgetting that blogging, as part of her ode to Julia Child, was how she struck her own claim to fame.

And on that basis, I had little to no interest in reading anything she had to write.

But I’d like to think I can have a (somewhat) open mind. When Julie & Julia was published, my sister bought it for me. And I read it. Mostly because I adore Julia Child and all her unapologetic but brilliant ways. And I loved the Julia Child sections of the book, as I knew I would.

And when the movie came out, I went to go see it, again loving the Julia Child parts.

A few weeks ago, I was at our local used book store, and happened to see a copy of Julie Powell’s second book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession. And for a whopping two bucks, I decided to give her another chance.

It was, in a word, insufferable.

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Cooking for One: Sauteed Shrimp with Asparagus

October 28, 2009 · Narrative

“Where does shrimp come from?” Nick asked me tonight as he helped me peel the shells off.

“From the sea.”

“What are they again?”

“Shellfish. A kind of fish.”

“They’re not alive still, are they?”

“No, not anymore.”

“Oh. Have you ever seen them swimming?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Maybe Grandpa has. He’s been alive more. When people are alive longer, they’ve seen more things.”

My Dad is going to love that one.

There are some challenges to cooking when it’s just me and the kids. Particularly when I might want to make something I know they don’t like. I saw this recipe for Sauteed Shrimp with Asparagus over the weekend and ripped it out to add to my pile. Neither of the kids like shrimp, which is absolutely fine. They don’t have to. So those types of recipes, I either make when they’re not here, or when there are leftovers they can eat. Or when we have company over. Or if I share with the neighbors. I typically don’t make something they don’t like too often because then I’ll have to end up eating it myself … for days. As much as I may like a recipe, there is a limit to how many days afterwards I want to eat the same thing, you know? Yes, I could halve or further reduce the recipe, but I usually forget.

Enter the solution.

Cooking for one recipes! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. It only occurred to me this weekend when I spied a blurb about Judith Jones’ new cookbook. You know, Judith Jones. The woman who edited Julia Child’s cookbook? Anyway, she has a new cookbook out, The Pleasures of Cooking for One. As soon as I saw it, I added it to my Christmas list. The brief write-up I saw (ok, it might have been a mention in Glamour magazine) included a recipe for a quick shrimp and asparagus dish. Two ingredients, 10 minutes of time, and healthy to boot. How more perfect could it be?

While I was making my dinner, I reheated some leftover pasta and roast chicken for the kids. This dish was one of those blink-and-you-miss-it recipes in terms of preparation. Short of peeling the shrimp and chopping the asparagus, there is nothing else to do. I kid you not. A splash of white wine, salt, pepper, garlic and you have dinner. And the taste? Perfect. There is no heavy sauce or dressing, which allows the flavors of the shrimp and asparagus to take center stage. As I was setting the table, I put the pan on low and let the ingredients go for a few extra minutes to get the bottom caramelized a smidge. Those little bits on the bottom of the pan with just a hint of white wine taste? So good. So very good. They are what this recipe is all about.

Although the recipe was written for one, I have about half of it leftover. Cooking for more than one? This is a great recipe to scale up because there aren’t a lot of ingredients that you’ll need to figure out the measurements for. Just add more shrimp and asparagus. It really is that simple.

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Answering the Age Old Question: What’s for Dinner?

August 10, 2009 · Narrative

I saw Meryl Streep’s newest movie this weekend, Julie & Julia. It’s a movie that tells the tale of Julia Child’s life and Julie Powell’s, a then-food blogger who cooked her way through Julia’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, vowing to make all 524 recipes in one year from her little NYC kitchen.

I loved the opportunity to get to know more about Julia Child and how she got her start. Meryl Streep did an amazing job with the character, and although there is no vow to work my way through the whole book, I did come away ordering it from Amazon when I got home.

There is a scene in the movie where Julia is in the kitchen and her husband comes in and asks “what’s for dinner?” She lets out a deep sigh, looks to the heavens and said, “I have no idea!” in her distinctive shrill tone. It was a sentiment that I can relate to all too well. Even though I have recipe clippings stacked on my nighttable and desk, a stack of cookbooks I’m reading through and my Tivo list is consistently filled with taped food and cooking shows, that doesn’t mean I always know what’s for dinner. Sometimes I’ll have Saturday’s dinner planned, but not the current day. Just like this week. I know what I’m making for dinner on Wednesday, and have since this past weekend, but didn’t know what was hitting the table tonight. It’s like … food occupies my mind on so many different levels (I’m currently on a hunt for to-die-for bleu cheese stuffed olives), that the most simplest aspect of food, as in what’s for dinner, is often the one that escapes me, or just gives me momentary pause.

A co-worker and I were just talking about this very topic this morning. Deciding on dinner, to me, is like getting dressed in the morning. If I don’t know what I’m going to wear before I get out of bed in the morning, I guarantee it will take me a good 30 minutes standing and staring at the clothes in my clothes before I can figure out what to wear. Thirty minutes I don’t have. The same goes with dinner. If I don’t have a plan before I step in the kitchen, all bets are off, and who knows what’s going to happen. Although I know menu planning would probably help me in ways I can’t possibly imagine, I find it hard to commit to. At least right now. I’m just not in the right mind-set to do it. Between an upcoming move (T minus four days!), two very active kids, and a full-time job plus, I don’t have the time, at least right now, to be quite that organized. I can tell you what I’m making for a dinner Wednesday and the kids and I have planned a foodie outing this week, but dinner? I’m with Julia … a deep sigh, eyes towards the heavens and a big “I don’t know.” Sometimes that’s part of the fun though.

So what to make when you don’t know what to make? Stir-fry is always a good bet. Whether it’s with new ingredients that you picked up from the grocery store, or it’s your way of either cleaning out the fridge or eating more healthily, it fits so many different needs. It’s so very forgiving, you just can’t screw it up. When we have company over usually for the first time, my go-to dish is usually a Penne with Vodka Sauce. The recipe comes from A Slob in the Kitchen, a cookbook from former MTV VJ Karen Duffy. Without exception, I am always asked for the recipe. But believe it or not, I have never made anything else from that cookbook … until last week.

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