Obsession.
Alright, I’ll say it. I have a man crush. Though I also need to clarify that the gender isn’t really relevant other than to make people raise an eyebrow.
Now then.
What I’m talking about, or rather, who I am talking about is Jacques Pepin. I’m sure I’ve written about him before, but he is the closest famous person (Depending on how you define famous) that I have ever had an obsession with.
For those of you who don’t know, he is probably the greatest chef that is in the public eye. The reason you probably don’t know him is that he has only ever been on PBS and not on the Food Network.
Anyway, he did a show a few years ago with Julia which is where most people have seen him, but he’s been around much longer. He was the main chef for 3 heads of state in France, helped out in a few restaurants and is a freaking wizard.
Seriously, watch him make an omelette and tell me you could ever do better.
I bought his complete book of techniques which is fantastic. It shows you how to hold, use, and maintain your knives, how to chop, julienne, and dice, how to make puff pastry, sugar baskets, and chocolate sculptures.
So far I am working on the basic bread recipes and techniques and roasting and carving chickens. I have gotten pretty good at the whole process, and that makes me feel good.
I had some friends and my family over to have my chicken. It was a new experience because I cooked 2. I figured that since there were 6 of us, one 3 lb chicken wouldn’t cut it. I was kind of wrong. Some how, one of the chickens was barely touched.
Nevertheless, I trussed the two chickens, roasted and basted them, and then carved them the way Jacques recommends. My mom told me she woke up in the middle of the night wanting more. I don’t know if I’ve had such a good compliment.
Anyway, if you have any interest in cooking, check him out. He is worth obsessing over.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:23 pm by rl