Time for my own French revolution

I watch a lot of cooking shows. I like to get ideas for new meals to try so we won't live in a culinary rut. And I learn about ingredients I never heard of before but might actually be able to find within driving distance now that there is a Whole Foods in Wilmington. One thing I have learned is that five French sauces, the Mother sauces, are at the root of so many good dishes. They are "the splendor and glory of French cooking," according to Julia Child. The sauces are tomato, Bechamel, Veloute, Espagnole, and Hollandaise.

One of the shows I discovered a while back is French Food at Home. And then I finally watched Julie and Julia, a movie that follows a writer as she works her way through the entire Julia Child cookbook. I loved the movie, especially learning more about Julia Child. I wish I could have met her -- sounds like she was my kind of lady. Anyway, all the signs were pointing to France and I decided it was time to branch out as a cook.

So I bought Mastering the Art of French Cooking. But there was no testing the waters slowly for me. I started right in with a Buerre Blanc sauce. Don't let the fancy name scare you off. It's basically a butter sauce with some shallots, butter, white wine, vinegar or lemon juice and more butter. And then you add butter. It really is velvety, creamy and so luscious that you won't even remember what you served the sauce on (fish or chicken is standard). It was not hard to make at all. Julia does say the recipe can be made lighter by not adding all the butter. I made it full fat the first time, but will definitely bring it down a few notches the next time. It was absolutely divine but almost too much.

I won't copy the movie character. I do love a challenge, but I do not love cauliflower, so I will not be making every recipe in the book. This cookbook is a great addition to my collection though. It's not just a book of recipes. She explains methods and what to look for in buying your ingredients. It's more conversational than traditional cookbooks, which makes it seem like Julia is in your kitchen, looking over your shoulder as you cook. The recipes also often include serving instructions, like noting that a certain meal is often served at the table in the pot or suggesting what kind of casserole dish to use. That's what I enjoy most about this cookbook. It makes the Art of cooking fit comfortably into real life -- and that's exactly what I love to do.

Julia Child's Buerre Blanc:
Ingredients
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
Salt and white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 16 pieces

Directions
In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan combine vinegar, wine, shallots, salt and white pepper and bring to a simmer.

Gently simmer liquid until reduced to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Remove from heat and immediately swirl or whisk in 2 pieces of chilled butter. As the butter is incorporated into the liquid add another piece and continue to swirl or whisk. Return pan to low heat and while constantly swirling or whisking add successive pieces of butter. When all of the butter has been added remove from heat. Sauce will be thick and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately. To hold the sauce, set the pan in a larger pan of lukewarm water. If the sauce separates, transfer a spoonful of the sauce to a cold mixing bowl and gradually whisk the rest of the sauce in by the spoonful. The sauce can be reheated by gradually whisking 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot liquid, i.e. water, cream or stock.