Chefs/Restaurants Archives - Page 45 of 66

Celebrating Julia Child – Part III

“Simca, Paul, Patricia, and I… penetrated into this beautiful courtyard and were seated at a little white table beneath a leafy trellis.

It was a splendid lunch, moving from apéritifs to pâté of fresh duck livers and truffles, thick slices of pain brioche, a timbale, tomatoes and a green salad. But the real reason we were there was for the loup de mer.

If you’ve been cooking for a long time, you can usually guess how a dish is made. Simca and I studied every detail of this remarkable loup, and tried to deduce its secrets.

The waiter appeared, and I asked him a few questions, which he was only too happy to answer. It’s delicious, we agreed, as we polished off our lunch. And it really shouldn’t be too difficult to make.” -Julia Child, My Life in France

Loup de Mer à la Provençale Recipe

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Celebrating Julia Child – Part II

original caesar salad — The Original Caesar – Meant to be Eaten by Hand

To commemorate Julia Child’s 101st birthday on Taste With The Eyes I am updating a few of my favorite JC posts this week. In addition to the re-creation of Julia Child’s First Meal in France posted on Sunday, today we are sneaking into Julia’s kitchen to watch her make the authentic Caesar Salad and Salmon in Papillote in her usual charming and un-fussy manner.

This story is an adaptation from Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home By Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1999. It’s one of my favorite books, Julia and Jacques are adorable together! The book is unique as it gives the perspective from two legendary chefs, who don’t always agree on technique. “Again and again, they demonstrate that cooking is endlessly fascinating and challenging and, while ultimately personal, it is a joy to be shared.”

So, come with me, let’s have a peek into Julia’s kitchen…

In Julia Child’s Kitchen

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Celebrating Julia Child – Part I

Julia Child Birthday — Rouen, France – Novembre 1948

Please join me as I re-create Julia Child’s very first meal in France, one that she experienced with her husband Paul Child. The story takes place in Rouen, France in November of 1948. I originally wrote this post back in 2007. I resurrect it every year in August, with some minor changes, to celebrate Julia Child’s birthday. She would have been 101 on Thursday.

The text is as she describes her meal to us in My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006. The re-creation photographs are ones that I have taken on my travels; some are from France, others from California, a couple are shot in my own home. I use the sepia tone to give the images the feel of a single place some 65 years ago.

Come, let’s travel back in time and enjoy French food and revel in its perfection via Julia…

Julia Child’s First Meal in France

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HENRI Chicago

We were a match made in restaurant heaven. Henri is…Elegant yet comfortable. Upscale yet unpretentious. American yet French. With service that is crisp, knowledgable, precise yet still engaging. Dishes that are innovative, exciting yet satisfying. In addition, the designers chose a sea green, chocolate, and white color palette, with chandeliers. Just like my blog design! A definite match.

chicago skyline — Chicago Skyline from Michigan Avenue at Monroe

American architect Louis Henri Sullivan (1856 – 1924) moved to Chicago in 1873 to take part in the building boom that took place after the Great Chicago Fire. Then he moved to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts and later returned to Chicago where he became the famous architect known as “the father of the skyscraper” and a mentor to young designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Inspired by Chef Dustin Trani: Truffle Scented Tortellini, Veal Reduction

Truffle Scented Tortellini, Veal Reduction
Beech Mushrooms, Olive Oil Toasted Bread Crumbs, Crispy Sage Leaves

Chef Dustin J. Trani is the Executive Chef at J. Trani’s Ristorante in San Pedro as well as DOMA in Beverly Hills. Earlier this year, Chef Trani was well-deservedly named as one of the Top 5 Rising Chefs in the U.S. by Gayot Magazine. On June 6th J.Trani’s Ristorante hosted their first wine dinner.

It was an extraordinary meal. With nearly three decades of dining in San Pedro, I can confidently declare that this meal was the best served in our town. Ever. Chef Trani paired a five course menu with wines from Napa Valley’s Franciscan Estates. Every element of every dish had a purpose, each in perfect balance. He deftly orchestrated a symphony of wine and food. It was an absolute pleasure to experience the Chef”s passion and commitment to perfection first hand.

My version of the Chef’s pasta course is simplified, to say the least. Where the Chef studied pasta making in Italy, I bought packaged cheese tortellini from Trader Joe’s. Where undoubtedly, the Chef simmered his veal stock in an hours-long process, I purchased French Demi-Glace from Whole Foods Market. My recipe is an everyday version of that extraordinary plate served at the outstanding wine dinner.

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