Paul Snow

My dad recently made a comment about how from reading my blog, he thought all I did was cook and work. It's actually true, but more working, less cooking. So, I told him I'd post pictures of other fun things.

For instance, David and I recently made this snow man together. Correction: David was nice enough to make this snow man with me...Correction: I guilt-tripped David into making a snowman with me and he couldn't say no because I kept asking. In any case, as a thank-you for making Beouf Bourgignon, he agreed to pretend like we were 7 years old, and to make a snowman in the yard. It turned out to be more fun that we could imagine. The snowman turned out pretty cute, too.

Kids AND adults passing by all made a comment about how gigantic our snowman was.

What a face! The nose was a carrot that was supposed to go into our stew later that night. As I was chopping carrots, David came back from outside and informed me that the snow was perfect for snowman-buildling, at which point, I dropped everything, grabbed the carrot and ran outside.

Thus, our stew had one less carrot.

Coq Au Vin

I've made other things in the meantime, but I think the fact that I had extra mushrooms, another bag of pearl onions and some leftover wine pushed me over the edge to making another "something something in wine broth". The chicken was also on sale, but you can't blame me, because sometimes one just craves the aromatic mushrooms and onions all mixed together.

The meat I would say is just an accessory, but it was still pretty amazing and oh-so-moist!

The Beouf Bourgignon

I found myself with an empty kitchen, so I went to town! When it was just me and the kitchen, I decided it was finally time to attempt THE beouf bourgignon: a signature dish of French cuisine and synonymous with Julia Child (although only really to Americans). For example:

Me: “I finally made beouf bourgignon!”

Friend: *shock* “NO!!! Really? THE beouf Bourgignon?”

Me: “Yes!”

Friend: “Wow! Did you use Julia child’s recipe?”

See? I'm telling you it's almost like a reflex.

Instead of these short cut recipes that I had found (including one for the crock pot, though I was tempted), I decided that if I were going to make Le Beouf Bourgignon, I would make it right, and Julia Child would be my ticket to gaining temporary entrance to the Cordon Bleu.

So, there on a Saturday, her words guided me through 5 hours in the kitchen.

I used all four burners, took out all the stops, and even bought FRESH parsley. WOAH! I know, fresh herbs!

Le beouf bourgignon is a beef stew slow boiled in wine and stock, and flavored with fragrant mushrooms and topped with slow-cooked pearl onions.

I just want to say that it was a good thing I was alone because it was like a battle in the kitchen and at one point, I took the liberty of drinking some of the wine…Simply. Because. I. Needed. It. I would say that browning each piece of square meat on all 6 sides was the worst. I suffered many oil burns, my uncovered clothes may never be clean again, and I cried a few times from the onions. Again, I was glad that I was alone.

While cooking, I found myself opening the oven and pots from time to time just to get a whiff of the amazing smells coming out of the dishes. The dish lived up to its reputation, made up for the pain, and even the leftovers were fragrant and amazing. Why do French dishes have to be this way?

The next time I do this, I would increase the number of onions AND mushrooms. Because mushrooms in any form are always amazing, and because the onions just melted in your mouth and eating one made me greedy enough to consider hiding all of them for myself!

We finished dinner with some slow cooked potatoes (because Julia Child told me so and because the oven was on anyway), and our dessert was French mousse au chocolat.

Earrings for a friend

Japanese Curry

with potatoes, celery, carrots & chicken on rice!