How did you adapt the original recipes?

[Swisskaese]

Hi Paula,

How did you adapt some of the recipes in order to make them easier to prepare? How do you decide if a recipe is too hard for your target audience?

David and I love the book. He is already begging me to stop reading the book and start cooking already.

Take care and congratulations on your wonderful book,

Michelle

[Wolfert]

So happy to read you are enjoying the book.

When I develop recipes I always try to duplicate the tastes and aromas of the dishes I taste during research. Every once in a while I do find some wiggle-room to reduce the workload, but I try never to dumb down a recipe.

[bleudauvergne]

I noticed, Paula, that one of your new soups is the Chestnut and Cepe Soup with Walnuts. How delicious!! When did you first taste the original soup prepared by chef Jean-Lois Palladin? I was so glad to see that you included a description of the way it was presented when you had it in the restaurant, because it got me excited about different possible garnishes. You mention: "however, lacking a kitchen staff to do all that work, I've opted to simplify the soup." How many times did you make the simplified version before you knew you had it just right? - SW France home cooking's beauty lies in the simplicity. How long in your research did it take you to pare it all down and be able to see the "bones" of the regional recettes - the recipes in general?

[Wolfert]

I befriended Jean Louis when he had Les Cordeliers in the village of Condom, and got to know him even better when he came to the States. At one point I went down to D.C. to write about what he was doing at the Watergate Hotel. It was there that he showed me this soup and I had an excellent taste memory of it. I consulted him later when I decided to try and cut it back to a more practical size. His recipes have such "good legs" (i.e. structure) that they work well, even when adapted. I think I made it four or five times before I was finally happy with it. I'm thrilled you liked it!

Try his tangerine sauce on scallops. It's a winning recipe.