I'm a Foodie At Heart

Le Cordon Bleu, Paris 2001, Summer Intensif
Originally uploaded by beckeys

It seems lately all my thoughts turn to food. Not eating it so much,as the creation of it. I have been slowly making my way through a excellent book when time permits, called Appetite For Life, The Biography of Julia Child. This had lead me to to want to purchase more cookbooks in my already expansive library. The other day when in Powell's Books,I picked up the English edition of Le Corden Bleu at Home.Julia Child was initiated in the food world at this very institution. I already told Certain Someone I want a copy of Larousse Gastronome for my birthday as well as Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volumes 1 and 2. Its not as if I have time to make all this stuff, but I love reading and studying the techniques. Not quite finished with the first book, I picked up a copy of Alice Waters and Chez Panisse,a juicy read about another icon of American cookery and the whole organic, slow food movement.There's a whole lot of drinking and sex in the story which takes place in liberal Berkley California.My catering sideline makes me even more obsessed. I love passing the Hors D'Ouerves so I can talk to the chefs and watch them in action. Not to mention taste.
So yesterday I put theory in practice. My Certain Someone and I have had delicious schedules these past two weeks, and we have barely seen each other. He comes home late and he leaves early.I haven't cooked a meal for us in ages. So I planned a elaborate , yet casual meal for a Saturday evening. We started with cracked Dungeness crabs with he viewed with trepidation. But sine they were big and meaty he got the hang of getting the meat out and enjoyed it with a beer. While he occupied himself with that I continued to work on my Fraises Margot( a delicious strawberry mousse with strawberry coulis), courtesy of the Cordon Bleu cook book. When all was assembled and placed to chill, I fired up the grill. I put on the huge sirloins I found in Costco with some marinated veggies and assorted mushroom types from the Farmers Market at Daley Plaza. I also made a instant Shitake Risotto( yes instant!) that was pretty damn good. Charcoal Grilling is scary but the results were worth it. The meat was nicely seared on the outside , but still way underdone. I finished it off in the broiler as to not not char it to much. The results were perfect. We drank some nice Red Zinfandel along with our meal and were content. Around midnight with the Mousse all set, I served it up as a nice rich yet light treat. We cant eat like that all the time, but its nice to create a special meal every now and then.