My man, Jacques....

I hope recovery is swift and he is comfortable....

"Legendary French chef Jacques Pepin recovering from minor stroke


Famed chef Jacques Pepin is recovering after suffering a minor stroke. The 79-year-old’s daughter says Pepin is expected to make a full recovery. Pepin was once a personal chef to French President Charles De Gaulle, and has collaborated on TV cooking projects with Julia Child. His final public-television series airs later this year."

(News blurb on MSN today.....)

Wishing him a full and fast recovery.

I know Beth, I was really scared when I saw this on FB....According to one of his posts, he is doing well. He even did a bit of cooking...an omelet, I think....(he has a FB site, FYI)

I just love this man....He is my idol....

I could watch him all day. Hope all is well with him

My daughter gave me his book, "The Apprentice - My life in the kitchen" when she was here. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it. He knew from the time he was very, very young he had a true passion for cooking. The book is fascinating. Work rules sure have changed in the last 80 years....

Beth, I think I have that book here; and I never read it!!
What was I thinking!!

Well, Cyn, hunt it down and get to reading!

Book discussion every 3rd Tuesday....or whenever. LOL

I just watched an old episode of Jacques' 'Fast Food My Way'.....the man makes EVERYTHING look so effortless.

He made a dessert in about 45 seconds....how, I still do not know. He made a pastry cream with fruit and warmed raspberry preserves. And, as usual, I learned something. The difference between a creme anglaise (sp?) and pastry cream is just the starch. Otherwise, it's the same ingredients. But the starch stablilzes the cream and that's why it is brought to a boil to get it thickened. If you tried to boil a creme anglaise it would end up as sweetened scrambled eggs.

What a teacher. Love that man!

Watch him every Sat on PBS. I got his kindle cookbook.

Bethk wrote:He made a dessert in about 45 seconds....how, I still do not know. He made a pastry cream with fruit and warmed raspberry preserves. And, as usual, I learned something. The difference between a creme anglaise (sp?) and pastry cream is just the starch. Otherwise, it's the same ingredients. But the starch stablilzes the cream and that's why it is brought to a boil to get it thickened. If you tried to boil a creme anglaise it would end up as sweetened scrambled eggs.

I saw that episode, too, Beth. I often learn something when watching him as well. And by the way, your spelling of Anglaise was perfect!

He is always 'sneaking in' bits of information....sugar will burn the egg yolks. You should crack eggs on a flat surface to not have bits of shell or bacteria introduced to your dish. Crack your eggs into a dish and remove the yolks with your fingers to get the least amount of white in your anglaise.....

Just that one episode had so many little tips.

But when he had combined the sugar, egg yolks and starch and then added the boiling cream all at once ~ without it turning into lumps & cream.....just whip away and in 15 seconds on the stove you have perfect sauce.....well, he's amazing (to me). He truly does make it look like anyone could do that meal.

Another meal I watched was on a lamb rib. He pulled apart the fat cap off the rib bones and then proceeded to pull the bits of meat tissue from between the fat. Oh, it didn't look really easy, but he did demonstrate (without many words) how to be frugal and get all you can from the food you purchase. Heck, I don't even LIKE lamb and I was fascinated with his techniques.

Oh, don't get me started on his chicken boning skills.....48 seconds to completely de-bone a chicken. Amazing.

I know we've all seen this before.....but it's my all time favorite! I never tire of watching his talent or listening to him explaining how and why to de-bone the chicken. I love when he mentions it should not you longer than a minute to completely de-bone the bird......yeah, right......LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfY0lrdXar8

You know you can get sample of all his cook books on your kindle. Think I have 5.

yes, I did know that. But if I'm going to buy one, I want a hard copy. My kindle is great for a lot of things but I like to 'feel' a cookbook.

Quirky thing about me.

Usually I'll just go to the library and get my fill. ((Cheep! Cheep!))

Love Jacques......saw a couple of recent programs. Hate to say it but, he has aged...sigh...

This is his last series. He is retiring....

bethk wrote:yes, I did know that.  But if I'm going to buy one, I want a hard copy.  My kindle is great for a lot of things but I like to 'feel' a cookbook.  

Quirky thing about me.

Usually I'll just go to the library and get my fill.  ((Cheep! Cheep!))

Beth, I am with you, I just cannot follow a recipe in an electronic format. I have to have it written out for me.

I prefer to write it out on a piece of paper and hang it in the kitchen. It is easier, at least for me, to got back and forth to look at it. If it gets stained, nothing is lost.

I can also add notes to the original recipe, which is almost impossible to do in an electronic version!!

I have had that one with the deboning a chicken bookmarked for a long time. I have done it a few times too. I am not nearly as fast as he is.

These days I get most of my recipes from the internet but I always write or print them out when I use them. Charlie put up a folding, swivel holder in the kitchen for a notebook so we could look at it while cooking but I only used it once or twice. He still uses it but he doesn't cook very often.

But you can always tape your printed recipe sheet to the holder and have it at eye level!

Great idea. I usually prop it up in front of the can opener.

Beth wrote:Another meal I watched was on a lamb rib. He pulled apart the fat cap off the rib bones and then proceeded to pull the bits of meat tissue from between the fat. Oh, it didn't look really easy, but he did demonstrate (without many words) how to be frugal and get all you can from the food you purchase. Heck, I don't even LIKE lamb and I was fascinated with his techniques.

I saw that, too, and was amazed! He made it look easy but I figured it was 'cause his knife skills are so good. By the time I'd try and complete it, I'd probably have a tiny bit of shaggy pieces!

Cookingirl wrote:I prefer to write it out on a piece of paper and hang it in the kitchen. It is easier, at least for me, to got back and forth to look at it. If it gets stained, nothing is lost.

I'm pretty anal about typing them out in Word (or converting it if I can copy a recipe online) in the same font with a bold headline and sometimes a photo too. I print it out afterward. As we've gotten older (grin), I've increased the size of the font, too! Ideally, I mean to put them in a binder but I usually just add the printed recipe to stacks I've already printed. I peruse the stacks to get ideas and one of us is sometimes looking for a recipe we want to make -- it would be so nice if one day I put the in binders in some organized fashion -- appetizers, soups, etc. The good thing about it, as you say, Cyn, is making notes and printing another copy if it gets grungy.

bethk wrote:I know we've all seen this before.....but it's my all time favorite!  I never tire of watching his talent or listening to him explaining how and why to de-bone the chicken.  I love when he mentions it should not you longer than a minute to completely de-bone the bird......yeah, right......LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfY0lrdXar8

Amazing! Sometimes he makes things look so easy but boy, doing them is another thing indeed. I'd love to be able to knock this out, as it sure make serving a pleasure -- plus, the finished cooked piece is so attractive, too. This is the kind of project where I end up with my hair all messed up and sweating like a pig out of frustration. I might show this to Brian and see if he wants to attempt it!!!

I've managed to accomplish the task....but it took me forever. I only had my computer upstairs at the time and I'd watch the segment, run down to the kitchen and perform part....then get confused, wash up, walk back upstairs to watch again, walk back down to the kitchen, get to another sticking point,,,,,,TRUDGE up the stairs, drink a cocktail as I watched the segment and checked my email, pounded my way back down to the kitchen ~ finally finished the task.

Mine did NOT, by the way, look anything like HIS finished product.

But it didn't have any body bones in it!

LOL

Beth wrote:Mine did NOT, by the way, look anything like HIS finished product.

But it didn't have any body bones in it!

That's what counts! Loved picturing you up and down and up and down....

on his show today, I saw a great cod dinner he made and I have spent the last 30 minutes trying to find the recipe so I will just wing it..