paul o' vendange

Oh, yes, absolutely, totally agree. And that was an incredible show. I know it changed him in a pretty fundamental way, too. Sure as hell rocked our world - the literal cacophony of a typical Bourdain outing on great food and people much like us (the "shrinking world"), smashing in a moment straight up against the sudden, surreal storm of war, all through the conduit of his show. Those confused first minutes, seems universal to our species, when something like death stares back at us blankly for the first time, and we stand dumbly with melting smiles, waiting for our brains to catch up. He broke easy worldviews, a congenital iconoclast, but even this could change a guy like him. Maybe I'm just fondly remembering him sitting on the ground with a Vietnamese family, drinking their homemade hooch and eating their food, as family himself, among the reeds. Now that he's gone, that's the stuff that sticks with me most. How much distance and enmity we have, when we're so ridiculously small.

The Time Life Series "Foods of the World" is where I started cooking. Weekly "international dinners" for the family. I recall how magical Japan night was - chawan mushi? Somewhere else - in the series, I thought, but that was 50 years ago now - orange mousse, inside an orange? I feel much the same way, Heidi. It's the stories that keep me reading. For me, especially, biographies. Also, very fond of books that tie a history and place, an almost evolutionary assessment, to foods we take as "given." Even some of the more arcane stuff (e.g., Raymond Oliver's Gastronomy of France. Starts with "paleolithic gastronomy" and conjectures on "flat stones, the first infra-red cookers," ends with "aphrodisiac cookery." "This one's gonna' be a trip..."). I really wish I could, but I can't read recipes anymore. My eyes glaze over.

I saw the title and was curious about the condition.

I honestly cannot accept the reality that he's gone. It's just not something my brain has been able to construct as a "thing," don't know how to say it; same with my wife. Only recently been able to watch anything with him in it - say, Top Chef - much less, any of his shows. Always met with a whispered, "oh, Anthony," a sadness and a fervent wish some saving grace had gotten to him before it was too late. He shrank the world, and the hole is vast.

Fantastic, thanks Ann, for the info and the link. Masterly, truly beautiful bread. I love the slow ferment without preferment. Though there is a levain used, from some of the French sites they are playing with extremely long bulk ferments, with no retarding. A mere inoculation of 1% or even a tad less, in some instances. I had a 24 hour bulk ferment that I S & F'ed during the first several hours, then left alone for the remaining bulk. Not entirely sold, but I didn't do any serious trials and want to return. I love slow ferments for the o-acids and esters and so forth that aerobic respiration and regeneration bring - but find there's a sweet spot, because each yeast cell can only bud daughter cells a fixed number of times, and, from brewing, it's been my experience these extremely slow ferments induce too many mutations, and lower both viability and vitality. On the other hand I am a fan of making them work, to some extent, so am definitely sold on moderately slow ferments (my basic levain is about 6.5-7 hr bulk, then 2.5-3.5 hrs final proofing). At any rate, I'm very interested in your work and look forward to seeing more of what you do.

Another quote of his I love. He'd comped more meals to doctors over the years (you probably know this. He comped so many for anyone; Babette's Feast: because you want to share), and they were with him as he lay dying: "I have been so well cared for, that I am certain to die in perfect health." 😁

In total agreement. I'm on a bit of a baking bender but even with my cursory looking over, I'm thrilled with this 1961 edition. 1938: Wow. Without even knowing anything about it (thanks for posting), I know it rocks. " « Du beurre ! Donnez-moi du beurre ! Toujours du beurre ! »

Wow Ann. Those are beautiful. Shiny, well-caramelized crust; molten crumb and uneven alveoli; perfect scoring. Gorgeous. So it seems you make a poolish or biga the night before. Would you mind sharing your formula and procedures?

Really trying to get a few mainstays down. Using the Rubaud method I am finding it difficult to get an even crumb structure from make to make for my pain au levain, but tweaking (e.g., breaking bench in two, S & F for a second pre-shape at 15 minutes, rest add'l 15, S & F again, for total bench rest of 30 minutes). Did pick up some strength with these last-period folds, but work in progress. Satisfactory, just not there yet. 63% Central Millings Baker's Craft Plus 25% Hi-Pro Medium WW 12% (Local) dark rye 80% hydration Overnight autolyse with flours, salt and chilled water; free rise to room temp overnight. Adding in only 12% levain inoculation (from Trevor/Breadwerx) Rubaud x 10 minutes; rest 10; finish with 5 minutes for total of 15 minutes Rubaud mixing. S & F's 1-4 every 1/2 hour; S & F's 4-8 on the hour. Because I wasn't happy with the strength at 6 hours bulk, I dared an add'l 30 minutes and then several light folds to effect a tighter pre-shape. Given continuing concern over the dough's slackness, I broke the 30 minute bench rest in two: 15 minutes, do an add'l S & F/pre-shape, rest 15, then a final shaping. Proof x 2 hours. Set proofing temp of 76F.

Pretty straightforward levain boulots, touch of rye but otherwise Central Millings's white flour.

I’d forgotten it’s out! Anything he does is gold imo. Thanks for the reminder.

Yeah! On it! Gamay - yes, me too. Such a pretty grape, that wonderful crushed violet quality. I tend to like fleurie best, but there are so many. It’s warming that Jacques Pépin grew up steeped in it, loves it so much. IIRC his dad used to draw carafes from a barrel in the cellar below, for the modest restaurant trade his mom ran upstairs.

Awesome. I do love Riesling - that washed stone screaming fresh minerality, gentle attack and balance of acid and residual sugar...absolutely love good Riesling, just haven’t had enough to be able to sort through the German system (a note, generally not a fan of Alsatian wines - significantly prefer Mosel Rieslings). My wife worked for Odessa Piper, when she still owned L’Etoile. It was her husband Terry Thiese who really got me turned on to Riesling, in no small measure through his book. His reverence for the purity of expression found in good Riesling rang my bell, and I was off to the races. (Didn’t hurt he gives his red wine nod to pinot for the same reason. We can’t be friends if we don’t agree, pinot is Gaia’s sacramental gift to the Great Mother and her consort the Green Horned One. Ahem, yes, once upon a time, I was a pagan of the NE Shakespearean woods and lakes. Pinot is holy). D’Artagnan, yes, agreed, Rohan is fantastic! Sold me and we’ll be regularly returning to it. Their Heritage Green Circle Chicken, too, and squab. One bummer about no longer being in the biz (god help me if I were - I feel I’ve no history, chops, nothing at all; like it never was), is the lack of access to farmers and ranchers. I worked with Christian Gasset of Au Bon Canard in MN and bought dozens of whole moulards constantly, were swimming in gallons of rendered golden deliciousness we used just about everywhere. I wrote to him awhile back and his business has exploded since his early years, which is when I worked with him. No more whole moulards available, all committed out. Bummer, but really, really happy for him. Helluva nice guy. I like Hudson too, great duck and great people to work with!

Thanks Weinoo! I’d have preferred just a hair less but I’m happy, my wife and child mawed and Murph the mutt was extremely surly he didn’t get but a tiny bit. All good signs. I sectioned off both the legs and breasts off at the same time after just a 20 minute par-roast and then decided to change up and make an integral sauce (rather than just a pan jus), so....yeah, I do that. 👩‍🍳🤗 Finishing up the legs were good, but too tough, not badly. I always prefer braising them. Man, wish I could get whole moulard! FWIW, I love D’Artagnan.

Yumm. Riesling hunter. I didn’t say a good one. French vocabulary is decent but I am mad for good Riesling. Descriptors?

Roast Muscovy (really enjoyed simple stuffing after Jacques Maximin), kale tossed with the liver rose as tapenade and sherry vinegar, fresh pappardelle. Integral sauce. Spanish garnacha.

Hope you like it! Universal French translator: The Gallic Shrug:

+1. I have a few by Paula and they are fantastic. Guerard - what a nut (in a good way. He and Bocuse in drag screwing around with the rest of the nouvelle crew. Cultural artifact!). I have his Cuisine Minceur and Cuisine Gourmande. Extraordinary how he used all his skill to devise a spa cuisine that didn’t suck. Vegetable purées as sauce thickeners in lieu of flour, butter, cream, etc. Truly ahead of his time, as far as I’ve been able to tell. Never cooked from it but hope to. Verge - love him! His fruit and vegetable books are gems and his « Entertaining in the French Style, » man, love that. Sumptuous when it calls for it, true light, vibrant, dancing, for other occasions. ALWAYS love menus from French Chefs (Olney; yes, love him. Have his Simple, Lulu, Menus. All, yum) and his Menys doesn’t disappoint.

I think they are good enough books respecting their core emphasis, which is the French curriculum that has been in place with Ferrandi for a century. Nothing really bad to say for what they offer but eventually, if you’re like me, there are a million “fundamentals” books - my deepest appreciation, mon Cher Jacques; L’Institut Bocuse, Ducasse, many others that cover similar fundamentals in similar ways. It’s easy, at least for me, to love shelf space taken up with books, even if they cover very similar ground. FCI takes the Ferrandi approach (you will see it in Jacques Pepin’s earliest books as well), namely, learning a mastery of 400 or so fundamental techniques considered necessary for entry into the profession via your “C.A.P.” If this is what you are interested in, I’d recommend more you obtain - and work cover to cover - Pepin’s flagship books, as well as the Ferrandi books, which I consider pretty top notch. Their “Grand Cours de la Cuisine” (only available in French, unfortunately), as well as their Patisserie and Chocolate texts. If nothing else, work off your pains au chocolats by lifting these things, as they are massive and imo more bang for your buck. My appreciation for the Ferrandi materials notwithstanding, a valid complaint is that they just sort of begin, throwing you in to fonds, jus, fumets, etc., with very little explanation or background info to each technique. However, the books really excel in giving bona fide recipes from MOF and other chefs at each of three levels of difficulty. Essentially, études of a central ingredient - the apple; John Dory; Saddle of lamb. One other I recommend in this vein is La Cuisine de Référence, which is sort of the national standard for young French cooking students, all over France. It is not as sophisticated as the Ferrandi materials - think exceedingly elegant old-school - but the techniques and information learned within are gold standard. The aim of this text, too, is to enable the culinary student testers to pass their CAP’s. Orthodox in the extreme - but I see only virtue in that for the purposes of training and building a foundation. The French has now been translated into English as The French Chef Handbook: La Cuisine de Reference. I am assured from the publisher the English is in every way a faithful translation of the original: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/2857086954?pf_rd_r=QSZBS6DN9ZGX166XF54R&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=01933476-554f-437b-bc1b-b368ee7ea8fd&pd_rd_w=qqU01&pd_rd_wg=bFno8&ref_=pd_gw_unk On FCI’s Italian materials, in full agreement with weinoo. Personally, I think Hazan and Buglialli are fantastic primary texts. oh, LaRousse Gastronomique. Oh, and Great Chefs of France. Oh, and a Cook’s Tour of France. Oh, and Anne-Sophie Pic’s book, Paul Bocuse’s “Market” bible, and the “recettes originales” séries of the frères Troisgros, Haeberlun, Meneau, Blanc, Robuchon, Chapel.., Oh, and Point, and Bocuse, and Verge, and Guerard, and Escoffier, and Nignon, and Careme, and Taillevent, and Waverly Root (France; Italy), and... and ... CAS. Cookbook Acquisition Syndrome. An ancient and virulent form of acquisition syndrome, wherein the cook finds comfort in the promise of mastery in the kitchen, measured by how many fundamentals texts she or he can amass in one’s cooking library. Terminal condition, I’m afraid.

Wow. Is that Daniel Leader by any chance? Do I have the right baker?

Thanks David, I’d forgotten that. I’ll never forget the touching episode of - can’t remember which show, but Tony Bourdain on a Scottish estate hunting red deer. That, and the equally touching episode where he spends time more or less stunned to dine on hare with M. Bocuse, then ventures out for an informal morning bird hunt with Chef and his almost comically hapless pup. I know these are somewhere in play.

Does anyone who watches the show remember Casey’s elimination on the chicken feet? Pretty disastrous service for everyone, not their best outing...

Wow, crazy provenance, weinoo. Pic below - these now are the top three of the holy of holies, the bedside stack. The reading light shows who sits atop all. I just flipped to her en vessie and love the description - « A good butcher may be able to find you a pig’s bladder. You could also try to cook the chicken sous-vide. » !!! Arguable, but pithy: « there is nothing new in cuisine » - Andre Soltner (paraphrased). I just saw in Point his simple hommage to Mere Brazier, p. 165. To be quite honest though I know the recipes in Point (or Escoffier, for that matter, or Waverly Root or any number of others) are sketches, shorthand, there are times I read through his book and flatly wondered, « really? This? ». To see the name « Poulet de Bresse » specified with her name, treated so exceedingly simply, I think, tells me so much more than I knew even a few nights ago. I can’t believe I’ve had her book this long and have yet to work it. Or, I can believe it, which is probably a teaching moment. I really can’t wait. (Btw - I love his vessie « Marius Vettard » a couple pages later. That at least is more familiar ground. Just got the Buford book today and the other bios bedside (incl. Pierre Franey’s, which I just got) are bumped. I see Anthony Bourdain gives a nod that at 53, the man went to Lyon « to learn to cook. » Perhaps there’s still time.

Great, thanks weinoo. I’ll have to try them. I haven’t seen the recipe yet but I’m guessing her recipe is the later named « poulet en vessie, » right? Can’t recall if I saw it first in Bocuse or Point (or maybe in one of the masterful twin biographies of poor Chef L’Oiseau?), but must do the dish at least once. Maybe along with Chef Bocusés Soupe Giscard D’Estaing? Go fund me campaign started!🙏 It’s a shame so few know just how tremendously important she was. Started in last night. Thanks again for jogging my memory. With truffled thoughts .... I think this might be in The Perfectionist, but an Alexandre Dumaine recipe kept on by Bernard (I think). Something Belle Aurore, a poultry en vapeur, truffled broth, something like that? The winter truffle dinner (I think maybe more than one!) as given in Jean-Louis Palladin’s opulent and drippingly gorgeous book. Sorry for the reverie. You just got me geeked with the generosity on your plate and the sourcing, since I’ve never used them but was excited to come across them from your earlier post. I agree with Keller's comment from TFL: if you’re going to go with truffle, or foie, or caviar - don’t hold back, don’t serve meanly. Inspired. Reminded of a great lesson given to me by the owner of a boutique coffee shop in Chicago, when I was on my way but still pretty threadbare as a working actor. Great black beard, thinning black hair. Very serious man, former Greek Orthodox monk. Dithering over a coffee or espresso, he simply leaned in, broke a rare smile and said « always leave a little room for luxury Paul. »

Need the Wow emoticon as well. Wonderful plate, weinoo. I’d never heard of Regalis before coming across a post of yours somewhere, so thanks for the resource. I don’t dive in to truffles mostly because I’ve not had occasion to use them all up. Do you store yours at all? While here, looking for decent preserved truffles. And peelings. Can’t recall if Regalis carries these but if any source comes to mind, I’d love to know of them. Also while here - I hope this isn’t OT, be glad to take it elsewhere - but anyone living in the Midwest, where do you go for your fresh seafood? I’ve always gone with Browne Trading, but I’d like to find alternatives that work well for land-locked midwesterners as well (trips to Chicago occasionally are one means). Thanks and mods, I apologize if this belongs elsewhere. Fully deign to your judgement of course.