My Herbes de Provence Experience: Part 1

There have been too many occasions lately when I have asked, "What is the delicious ingredient in this dish that gives it that certain je ne sais quoi?" And more often than not, the answer is the delicate blend of herbs called, "Herbes de Provence." An easy to assemble, varying by opinion and personal preference, blend of basil, thyme or savory (or both, if you like), fennel and lavender. But I took the easy way out, I bought a pre-made blend of "Herbes de Provence" at my local grocery store. It wasn't cheap, but less expensive than if I had bought each of these ingredients separately.

Now, what to do with this blend of delicious herbs? I scoured the Internet for recipes and found that you can use this blend in practically any dish. Potatoes are a great canvas for Herbes de Provence, as are chicken and lamb. But as a diligent Vintage Foodie, I turned to the cookbook that has become my cooking bible of sorts, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child.

I haven't always been a fan of Julia, not for any reason other than I thought her recipes would be too daunting, full of ingredients I couldn't find, or, if I could find them, I wouldn't be able to afford them. No, I've always been more of your typical working woman cook - quick, inexpensive meals with big flavor. That's all I needed. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong on all accounts about Mrs. Child. Cooking alongside Julia Child in my kitchen showed me what it is like to create something in the kitchen...I mean really create something.

From the first recipe I attempted from her book, Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons, I found satisfaction in: the little bit of extra thought that went into preparing the ingredients, tasting as I went, serving and dining. Now don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a quick meal, but when you want to experience a new ingredient to its fullest potential, the place to turn isn't the Internet, with its celebrity chefs and their overstated, and sometimes, understated creations. No, it's best to turn to the vintage, Master Chef herself, Julia Child.

So, on this week's menu I'm going to attempt my version of Mrs. Child's, Poulet Saute aux Herbes de Provence, which calls for 2.5 - 3 pounds of cut-up frying chicken. In this case, I only have boneless skinless chicken breasts on hand, so they will be my substitute, otherwise, I'll stay true to the recipe and report back later this week. In the meantime, if you'd like to experience Julia Child's, Poulet Saute aux Herbes de Provence yourself, you can find the recipe on page 257 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, or you can click here.

A Vague Definition of Vintage

Most of us think of vintage as things that happened in the 20th Century. In my case, when I think vintage, I think of the 1920's and 1940's respectively. But, since the word "vintage" can mean a different things to each of us and a few different things by definition alone, I wanted to take a moment to share with you an awesome find that is definitely vintage by definition, yet a couple of hundred years prior to most of our vintage fantasies, in limited supply and worth the shipping cost.

With origins dating back to the 1700's, Art in the Age's, "Root" takes us back to the 80 proof version of what we now call "Root Beer." I'll save retelling the details here and let you take a look at their site.

But I have to say, 1/4 cup pour of Root from the old-time medicine bottle, mixed with a bottle of cream soda will quickly, and deliciously, take you where you want to go.

Enjoy!

http://www.artintheage.com/spirits-aita/

The Freebie List

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting two ladies in the bar area of a rather upscale restaurant. Both from different walks of life, yet each of us had so much in common that our combined conversation could've gone on for hours.

We talked about which wines were the best and the best for you, which, according to one of the ladies' oncologist, is Zinfandel. Which led me to recommend my favorite winery in Sonoma, ImageryWinery.com. Which then led to us talking about the places I've eaten and written about, like The Napa Valley Wine Train. Which, of course, led to more talk about food and recipes, which then led to us talking about ThePamperedParamour.com.

But as the glasses of red wine we each had lined up on the bar before us began to lower our inhibitions, while cleansing our body of those toxic oxidants, we began chatting about life, love and relationships. All the while, my humble husband sat at the end of the bar quietly drinking his beer, watching the sports highlights.

The conversation was pretty standard until it drifted to Hollywood and our "To Do" and "Not To Do" lists of Hollywood hotties. (See what wine can do?) And this is the part where I digress...

My best friend has told me time and time again that my "freebie" list...the people that I could have casual sex with, if the opportunity presented itself, even though I'm married...is rather fickle, as celebrities tend to fall off and on with no real rhyme or reason.

Who is on my list, you ask? Well, a girl has her secrets, but for the fun of it, here are a few celebs, in no particular order that were once, or still are, on my list: The guy who played Clay, in the movie, "The Losers," Bradley Cooper (of course), Jude Law (mostly because I really like his jaw line), Val Kilmer (as Doc Holiday)...and I could go on and on.

So, all of this got my wine soaked wheels turning and now I'm curious about other people's freebie lists...girls and guys alike. So, if you'd like to play along, please feel free to share here, or on our Facebook page, who's on your Freebie List.

And remember, it's not cheating if it's a once in a lifetime chance and you get you significant other an autograph.

Nudity vs Pornography

Here's a little teaser for "The Pampered Paramour" cookbook series' September newsletter, "A Quickie in the Kitchen." Due out Monday, September 27.

What is it about the naked body that makes people so squeamish? Could it be because our society has lumped nakedness in with pornography...with only a select few recognizing that the beauty of nakedness has infinite artistic value? As the author of a rather unique, risqué cookbook series I have heard it all, from “Oh, you have a pornographic cookbook,” to “Sorry, we can’t carry your books because, in the past, our customers have complained about nudity in our product selection.” Who are these people and where do they get their ideas about nudity? Is it really my job to point out that there is a distinct difference between nudity and pornography?

Since I used vintage erotica to adorn the pages of “The Pampered Paramour,” apparently it is my job...[to read more, head over to www.thepamperedparamour.com, click on "Vintage Delights" and sign up for "A Quickie in the Kitchen" newsletter.]

Spirits and Demons

Many years ago I had a fleeting romance with a spirit who, throughout time, has created many androgynous aliases - among them Alexander the Great, Dirty Mary and Harvey Wallbanger. During this romance, we only shared a couple of dances. Yet, it wasn’t until one fateful night in 2005 that our brief encounters came to an abrupt end.

That fateful winter’s night began innocently, with two spirits and chocolate. My cheeks blushed as I indulged myself…and you can imagine how the night ended. My head was spinning and the next morning I awoke and resolved never to give into enticement again. The Chocolate Martini would be the last vodka cocktail I would indulge in…ever. It has been many years since we had laid eyes on one another. That is, until tonight.

As a vintage foodie columnist and cookbook author, one of my duties is to accurately record the details of recipes that span the decades. Even if that means once again facing demons…I mean spirits…that have lured me on bizarre adventures, taking me to places where time is bent and clarity stems from absurdity. The bonus of being a little older and a little wiser is that I can allow myself to be tossed into the fire every now and then, and dance with old flames. If I indulge, I know that I’ll inevitably get burned, so it is best to stay only long enough to remember how it feels to smolder, and then walk away. So, that is just what I did when I spent one evening full of trepidation with a tall, handsome bottle of Americana® Vodka.

The history of vodka spans the centuries. Yet, it wasn’t until the 1950s that its spell was cast across the United States and the vodka martini was born. Over the past six decades, vodka has been the cold, crisp ingredient in a variety of ‘tini cocktails. It wasn’t until 2007 that a luxury vodka was bestowed upon America. Americana Spirits Company puts the United States on the map of the vast vodka landscape with the award winning Americana® Vodka. Aptly named and elegantly housed in a rectangular, red-white-and-blue bottle, this smooth, patriotic spirit is just what I needed to rediscover what makes vodka the purest ingredient of so many cocktails.

I had three vintage vodka cocktails to test for my second cookbook -a Hot Toddy, Alexander the Great and the classic Dirty Martini. Americana® Vodka’s reputation for quality was one reason it was my choice for reintroducing myself to the clear, grain alcohol. Yet, it was a different aspect of Americana® that caught my vintage foodie eye. This vodka is distilled at America’s oldest family distillery. A distillery that, at one time, made George Washington’s liquor and went on to successfully withstand the dark days of Prohibition.

The bottle of vodka had spent a few days in my freezer, slowly becoming enveloped in a thin layer of ice. I uncorked it and proceeded to carefully measure and write down each ingredient for the trifecta of cocktails I was preparing. I poured each ingredient into a cauldron where they would be stirred or shaken into a bewitching potion. Before I knew it, there we were, once again…and it was time. I carefully touched my lips to the glass and felt the warmth of the earthy flavors dance on my tongue. As the night progressed, I took care to sip each cocktail slowly. I didn’t want to let myself get carried away by the all too familiar feeling of sweet surrender.

Alexander the Great, a blend of vodka, crème de cacao, coffee liqueur and heavy cream was like cool earth on a winter’s day. The Dirty Martini, a blend of vodka and dry vermouth, was chic and dirty with a dash of olive juice and a bleu cheese stuffed olive resting exquisitely on the bottom of the glass. The Hot Toddy smoldered and cured every ill with the warm blend of sugar, water, brandy, vodka and the lingering sweetness of a secret ingredient. I felt each cocktail flooding my veins with devilish fury and my cheeks began to flush.

This night was enchanting – exactly as I had expected. I had successfully concocted three vintage vodka cocktails without losing myself in the moment. I re-corked the bottle of Americana® Vodka and nestled it safely in my freezer. Its purity had blended perfectly with the other mixers that had been returned to the confines of my liquor cabinet. With a certain finality, I closed the black cabinet doors and knew that the potions I had witched that evening were certain to enchant others as they had enchanted me.

Motivating the Uninspired Cook

The Egg Situation

In my research for my first column due to hit the pages of Vintage Life Magazine, both digitally and in print, May 2010 I spent many hours researching, shaking and tasting forgotten vintage cocktails. As I measured out citrus, alcohol, bitters, etc., I would have to say that the most interesting ingredient I came across was...drum roll please...raw egg white.

There has been a lot of scuttle about the use of raw egg whites in cocktails lately, especially with the rise in popularity of vintage cocktails and after a NYC bar got dinged by the health department for using these little guys in their cocktails. I tend to take the position of personal responsibility. You're an adult, if you're ordering a drink you should have some knowledge of what's in it...and who am I to tell you what's best for you? As long as you're aware of the potential risks to you and as long as you're not harming anyone else, who am I to tell you what you can and can't have? But the bottom line is that salmonella is relitively rare these days. If that is your main concern though, the citrus and alcohol used in these cocktails should take care of any of those nasty bacteria. I've had a few experimental cocktails with the suspect shaken in over the past month or so and am still alive to tell the tale.

I know that raw egg white sounds kinda freaky for a cocktail, but take my word for it...it really does add a great texture to those cocktails that call for it...and no, it isn't slimy. It's actually pretty foamy - it's a nice addition. So if you're daring, make sure your eggs are fresh (see "Things to Know" in "The Pampered Paramour" for testing eggs for freshness), search out some vintage cocktails that call for raw egg white, grab your cutting board and shaker and get to it! You only live once and these cocktails are too good to miss.