Tag Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Starting a Cookbook Club, a Spicy Twist on an Afternoon with Friends

2 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General Tagged with camaraderie, Cookbook Club, cookbooks, cooking magazine, cooking parties, cooks illustrated, dining on the nile, economically friendly, fine cooking, food network, fun afternoon, fun cooking activities, fun in the kitchen, how to cook everything, joy of cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, parties that cook, Tartine January 5th, 2010 @ 5:21 pm

One of the things that makes the office environment at Parties That Cook so special is that we have a monthly cookbook club. Once a month, one person picks a cookbook and the first Monday of the month to hold the potluck. The rest of us choose a recipe out of this chosen cookbook and either spend the entire month pouring over how to make this recipe the best, or the Sunday evening before at 10 p.m. rushing to bake a cake. However we do it, it always ends up being an eventful lunch hour sharing our cooking stories and decompressing from a month of attempting no side conversations.

If it is just a few friends, coworkers, or complete strangers, cookbook clubs are a great way to build friendships and buff up your skills in the kitchen. No kitchen prowess is needed, so they are a fun activity for beginners but can be just as exciting trained chefs. For beginners, Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” and any Barefoot Contessa cookbook would be great because they are so well-tested. As you become more advanced, try to challenge yourself with something like Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”.

Why limit it to cookbooks? Cooking magazines have great recipes as well as mouth-watering photographs. “Fine Cooking” and “Cooks Illustrated” are both wonderful starts. They focus more on teaching and don’t assume that you are completely experienced.

Not only could you check out magazines but also some of the chefs on the Food Network. Giada De Laurentiis and Rachel Ray would be a good start.

As you cover the more well known cookbooks, it is always fun to have a breakfast cookbook club, like we did with the “Tartine” cookbook, or a trip to Egypt over lunch, much like our “Dining on the Nile” cookbook club. It is never a mistake to choose a more specific genre of cookbooks. You may not come out with the variety you would get with something like the “Joy of Cooking”, but you’ll be surprised with all of the different flavors you can find in just one course.

Hosting a cookbook club monthly with your friends is a great way to beat the heat of the economy while still enjoying yourself.

Cookbook Club Mastering the Art of French Cooking

2 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Cookbook Club, General Tagged with Cookbook Club, Julia Child, Julie and Julia, Mastering the Art of French Cooking September 8th, 2009 @ 11:48 am

The scent wafting throughout the office caused my mouth to water and stomach to growl- I immediately knew there was nowhere else I wanted to be. The PTC Cookbook Club convened Tuesday afternoon for a savory meal from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Coined “Lady with the Ladle” in the mid ’60s by Time magazine, Julia Child is, was, and will always be a favorite culinary icon. Her recipes offer step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations for the novice foodie, skilled chef, and everyone in between. With Julie & Julia currently in theaters, Parties That Cook wanted to get in on the celebration of French cookery. Our friends from Rickshaw Bagworks joined us as we feasted on our delectable dishes.

Onion Soup– Perhaps one of my favorite soups, this version was particularly tasty. Beth shortened the prep and cooking time of the recipe down to one hour. Because it was made with a roux, the consistency was a bit thicker. The melted gruyère cheese (need I say more?) hit both my sweet and salty teeth alike. Topped off with cognac, the broth was rich and delicious.

Wax Beans Braised with Onions, Lettuce, and Cream– Before we sat down to enjoy our feast, Crissy declared that she was “not anticipating greatness” from her green beans. However, we were all pleasantly surprised despite the aforementioned warning. Crissy substituted wax beans for Romano beans and decided the lengthy bake time could be shortened for a quicker, simpler dish.

Fresh Tomato Quiche with Anchovies and Olives– Not as ‘eggy’ as most quiche, the anchovies, tomatoes and onions in this dish certainly hit the spot. I absolutely could have snacked on the flaky crust all afternoon. The flavor from the butter and flakiness from the shortening made for one scrumptious crust. Julia devotes nine pages and tips such as using “the heel of one hand, not the palm” to create the perfect crust. Rosie noted that the quiche could have been kept in the oven a little longer, so the bottom could have cooked a bit more.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Bread Crumbs, Herbs, and Garlic– Everyone enjoyed the tasty, classic dish that Michelene whipped up. Julia declares “crumbs from fresh white bread with body” be used in this recipe, however everyone felt that day-old bread would be just fine.

Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream– One word: butter. And oh how it was worth all ten tablespoons. The sauce was creamy and divine- I had to resist all temptation of slathering it all over my plate. Bibby’s dish had to be edited since the recipe’s cooking time was too short. With a few minor adjustments, this dish could be reworked into dinner favorite.

Chocolate Mousse– Erin thought she was choosing an easy recipe, but such was not the case. Despite a couple of minor bumps along the way, the rich dessert was beautiful and delicious. The tiny bites of glazed, sweet tangelo peels were a favorite.

Upside-down Apple Tart– We all devoured this sweet and tart dessert. Caroline had extra freshly picked apples and put them to excellent use in this tasty treat. The homemade whipped cream topped off her creation and made for the perfect ending to a hearty lunch.

See you next month for another PTC Cookbook Club! Be sure to bring a bottle of your favorite wine and join us as we master the art of French cooking- Parties That Cook style! Sign up for our Julie & Julia Cooking Class as we celebrate Julia Child’s delightful recipes.