The Day the Asparagus Died

Setting: I have to say that am really enjoy this Julia Child project. First of all, the pace that I have set is quite comfortable (he says, only 5 days into an 846 day project). Also Julia does a wonderful job of explaining everything in great detail. Anyways, Last night was once again a good night to cook. Even though I got home much later than usual, the quiche that Lori fixed had to cook for a while in the oven, so I had plenty of time to do my side dish.

Task: Asperges au Naturel (Boiled Asparagus) and Beurre au Citron (Lemon Butter Sauce).

Julia gives in-depth instructions on what type of asparagus to purchase and also how to prepare them prior to cooking. Before boiling, each spear of asparagus is to be peeled. This, apparently is the French way. It gives a fancier presentation and also removes any tough texture that can be found on the outer skin. Once peeled, the spears are then bundled together and boiled in salted water for about 12 minutes.

The sauce is a quite simple sauce. Lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper are boiled down. Next, a stick of butter (chopped into pieces and added a piece at a time) is whisked into the mixture. When it is time to serve, 2 tb of hot water are mixed into the sauce.

Verdict: Well, I have to start with another reprimand to myself. Thinking back to the crème anglaise and how I failed to heed the words of Julia Child when she warned me about looking away, I must say that I ignored her instructions once again. As i mentioned earlier, she gives very detailed instructions about shopping and prep work. Below is an exerpt from the asparagus section in her book:

"Select firm, crisp stalks, moist at the cut end, and with tips which are compact and closed. Fat spears are just as tender as thin spears; as long as asparagus must be peeled, the fat ones are easier to handle and less wasteful."

Unfortunately when I went to the store, I only saw thin spears of asparagus. I thought to myself, "Well, it will be okay. Maybe she was just being picky." To anyone who reads this, trying to peel thin asparagus will result in disaster. You will destroy more stalks than you will be able to use. I have posted a picture to show how much I was able to salvage out of the whole bunch. Quite sad...

I do have to admit that I felt sad peeling those poor vegetables. Julia said it was the "best" way to do it; however, once I finished, they looked anorexic. It was as if I was saying, "Hello asparagus. You are not as skinny as these other asparagus. Why don't I perform plastic surgery on you so that you can be popular like the others. Come on. Everyone else is doing it." Okay, maybe I am getting a little too close to my food ingredients. I probably should not give them personalities.

Moving on...

Once the veggies were peeled, the rest was easy. I simply boiled them, made the sauce, and spooned it over them. Lori and I both said that this was one of our favorite ways to serve asparagus. It was very good, and had i not killed over half the bundle during the peeling process, the portions would have been much bigger. I will say that the strength of the lemon juice in the sauce was quite surprising. It was very dominant but very tasty.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk

Setting: Yesterday was a good day to cook. I had spent part of my day being frustrated with the unpatriotic attitudes of some Americans, so I was looking to do something that would be relaxing. I also began to realize yesterday, that I would need to come up with a more concrete schedule for Julia's recipes. Lori and I decided that we will eat French meals on two nights a week. That should set me on a good pace for my goal.

Task: Bitokes a la Russe (Hamburgers with Cream Sauce) and Crème Anglaise (Light Custard Sauce).

The hamburgers were very different from what we consider hamburgers to be in our country. As could be expected, they

had a much fancier feel. In fact, they reminded me a lot of the cube steak that my mom would fix for us growing up. The recipe called for a mixture of lean ground beef, 1 egg, butter, thyme, and pepper. I then formed the mixture into patties, rolled them in flour, and sautéed them in the skillet for about 4 minutes on each side. After that I mixed the remaining grease in the pan with beef broth and heavy whipping cream. Once the mixture was reduced, butter and freshly minced parsley were added. I then poured the sauce over the top of the hamburgers.

The custard sauce was a mixture of 4 egg yolks, sugar, boiling whipping cream, and vanilla extract. the yolks and su

gar were whisked together until well blended. Next the whipping cream was added and the entire sauce was put into a skillet on medium heat. Once the sauce thickened, I removed it from the heat and strained it. I poured the sauce into dishes and chilled it in the fridge.

*Side-note: I am beginning to realize that butter and I are going to get to know each other very well over the course of the next two years. I cannot even keep count of how many times I kept going back to the fridge to cut off another tb of butter. Usually I would protest in favor of my health, but I have learned that if Julia says do it, then you better do it.

Verdict: First of all, the hamburgers were delicious! They were also very easy to fix. I was afraid that I had cooked the meat too long and that it would be dry; however, it was not dry at all, and the sauce was a great touch. If anyone is interested in the complete recipe, I will be glad to pass it along. It is fairly economical and transforms a simple meal into something slightly fancy. Lori also made creamed corn and green bean casserole to accompany the meat, and it really tied the whole meal together.

And then there was the light custard sauce... It most definitely was a chore. Below, I will list the things that went wrong:

1. I attempted to make a variation of the recipe that was closer to crème brulée. Julia said all that I needed to do was use half the amount of sugar and whipping cream instead of milk. I substituted the whipping cream correctly but accidentally used twice the amount of sugar that i should have used. oops!

2. When boiling the whipping cream, I looked away for a brief moment, and it begain to boil rapidly, spilling all over the stovetop. When Julia says that a recipe is easy "if you concentrate on what you are doing", she REALLY means that you must NOT even blink for a second or disaster will ensue. Luckily, I was able to save most of the cream.

3. Julia also warned that if the sauce became too hot in the pan, it would turn into scrambled eggs. I think I was real close to making that mistake. One degrees hotter, and i am pretty sure those yolks would have scrambled.

Even though, I was certain the crème anglaise was a failure, it actually turned out to be really good. Lori's comment was, "We need to make more of this...I am savoring it." What a relief. I decided to serve the custard with fresh strawberries. The two flavors blended very nicely.

Hanging Out with Oeufs

Setting: September 7, 2009 (Labor Day). Most people probably slept in this morning. I did not. How could I possibly sleep late knowing that my first Julia Child recipe was waiting for me in the next room? (or, it could be that my dog was whining and would not stop until we walked across the room to let her out). Anyways, I woke up this morning in good spirits and excited to start. I also have to say that Lori was very supportive and was eager to try the first dish.

Task: Oeufs pochés (poached eggs). In the past, my idea of a poached egg was using some type of white plastic container and a microwave. Boy was I in for a surprise. The instructions called for me to break an egg over simmering water and vinegar. Once submerged in the liquid, i was directed to gently wrap the egg white around the yolk - encasing it. After four minutes, all that was left was to remove the eggs, place them in an ice water bath, and trim off the extra pieces of egg whites.

Verdict: I must say that I am thoroughly pleased. I attempted to poach 3 eggs. Two survived, and one bit the dust. Poor little guy. I think I waited too long to wrap the whites around the yolk; however, with two successful "poachings" Lori and I were able to each eat one egg. Thankfully I got the thumbs up from Lori, and I must admit that mine was also pretty tasty. I know that a poached egg is not the most difficult of feats, but i am always excited to succeed!

And So It Begins

Inspired by the movie Julie and Julia, I have decided to take my own journey through Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I will have 846 days to complete this task and quite possibly will go insane somewhere in the middle.

My name is Clay Hartzog and I am a 25-year-old youth minister. By the time this blog ends, I will be 27 years old and, hopefully a much better cook. I hope that you will follow along with me as I try to tackle this exciting new culinary project. Most likely, I will be doing somewhere between 3 and 5 recipes a week.

I do not promise to take a picture of every meal, but I will do my best.

Tomorrow, it begins...