Meandering and cooking around the world channeling Julia Child: brownies

Monday, January 6, 2020

Viewers Choice: The Best of 2019

I email a link to this Blog to fewer than 40 people whenever there is an update. I am amazed that this Blog has had 2,500 views in less than one year! Thank you - especially to those who continue to forward my email to friends and family.

In the fall of 2018, I was lucky enough to spend a week in Julia Child's cottage in Provence, France cooking, shopping at markets, laughing, and eating with a small group of five complete strangers from Chicago who quickly became my new, lifetime friends. Serendipity. That experience became the impetus for writing this Blog for people who like to travel, cook, and eat!

Julia Child's Cottage in Provence, France.

Thanks to Google analytics, I can track the most viewed posts, and here are the FIVE most viewed postings from 2019. They are linked by clicking on the orange text, so you can easily view them again, and again, and again!

MOST VIEWED POSTINGS 2019

1. One the few recipes reliant on alcohol (hint to self), this was the #1 most viewed posting since last March. Also includes a no-bake Oreo cookie based Baileys dessert. My Irish relatives are proud! Baileys Irish Cream Brownies

2. I am pleased that this post on Julia's $1 cooking tool was the #2 most viewed post! In fact, I just bought 11 more of these wonders over Christmas to give away - $11 only! Julia Child's Must Have $1 Kitchen Tool

3. In a non-traditional approach, this posting focused on What Not To Do when making the all time favorite Rice Crispy Treats! Tricky Rice Crispy Treats

4. Clearly everyone loves cream puffs - so easy! French Spin: Italian Zeppoles or Cream Puffs

5. Last but not Least - Julia Child's Perfect Omelette includes a video link to see her make this recipe! Julia Child Making the Perfect French Omelette with recipe

Thank you for following this Blog, as we continue Meandering Around the World Channeling Julia Child. . . and having fun! I am looking forward to sharing more fun food related tips in 2020.

Bonne Année and Bon Appétit!!

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Must Have $1 Kitchen Tool: Thanks to Julia Child

Julia Child gets much credit for bringing cooks into the kitchen in a period of time when frozen convenience cooking was popular in the 1960s. I believe her greatest introduction was the use of handy tools to make cooking less intimidating. She was known to be quite the gadget collector, a habit I, too, have picked up over the years.

During one of her early The French Chef series Julia shows the audience how to use a French pastry scraper OR she suggests picking up a putty scraper at the local hardware store for about $1! She shows the audience the two scrapers, and they are similar. In the 1960s, I am certain few kitchens stocked a traditional French scraper. I received my scraper shown here as a gift 45 years ago, and it has held up. Today, the tool can also be called a bench scraper, bench knife, or dough scraper.

This is such a handy device that can be used for pastry, bread dough, or cutting brownies, Rice Krispies treats, and bar cookies. The best part is you do not have to spend $25 + on this JC recommended tool. You can find an all steel version, which you can run through a dishwasher, for only $1 at the Dollar Tree store! If you are not near this store (a little gem of hidden gourmet finds) you can order a case of 24 on line delivered to your home at the link below. After keeping a couple for yourself, you can make 20+ friends and family members very happy by gifting them this must have tool, along with the Julia Child story. Easter basket stuffer?

While you are shopping at Dollar Tree, not just for their amazing selection of balloons, check out this imported Basil Pesto made in Italy that is delicious on pasta or gnocchi. It is great served on top of breaded chicken cutlets or as a condiment on grilled panini sandwiches. It's only $1.

Another great find is this Himalayan Pink Salt, at 7.5 ounces it is packed in South Africa and can't be beat for $1. Both of these items I have given as unique and useful hostess gifts.

Bottom line, if Julia Child could send cooks to the hardware store for a pastry scraper, let's not be uncomfortable heading to our local dollar store for some great kitchen devices and random, unexpected surprises along the way!

Bon Appétit!