Sassy Southern Cooking with a French Twist

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Timely Announcements, and notices from Holly

Mother’s Day Cookbook Give-Away – The French Cook: Sauces

Mother’s Day is just one week away. Does your Mom love to cook, particularly all things French and delicious?

Treat her to a signed copy of the just-released French Cook: Sauces so she knows just how much she means to you.

The book explores the five major mother sauces of French classical cuisine and a few other categories in a way that is approachable and easy to understand for the home cook.

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

 

 

 

 

Just tell me why your Mom is the perfect candidate for this book (in 50 words or less) in the comments section that follows.

I’ll make a choice and notify the winner on Friday, May 10, just in time for Mom’s big day.

Thank you and good luck!

Bon appetit, Holly

 

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Cottage at The Crossroads Reviews The French Cook: Sauces

Special thanks to Jane Windham at cottageatthecrossroads.com for her cookbook review blog of The French Cook: Sauces. She tested and was especially happy with the roasted asparagus with an orange and prosciutto bechamel sauce.

Anchovy and Parsley Mayonnaise with Salmon from The French Cook: Sauces. Photo by Steven Rothfeld

Anchovy and Parsley Mayonnaise with Salmon from The French Cook: Sauces. Photo by Steven Rothfeld

Here’s some of what she had to say:

“Not only were there gorgeous food photographs that made me practically drool, there were French street scenes and action shots of French chefs that made me feel that I was right in Paris.

Ok, I’ll admit it. French cooking has always intimidated me just a bit. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make make my own Hollandaise, Bearnaise, and Puttanesca sauces but felt a little inadequate.  Holly demystifies the techniques in making these as well as creating your own stocks. And there is even a chapter devoted to whipping up your own mayonnaise. Didn’t think mayonnaise was French, did ya?  Well, it is the base for aioli, remoulade, and tartar sauces.

The French Cook: Sauces not only gives you the step-by-step instructions and tips for making all these sauces, but it also includes several recipes that use the sauces.”

To see Jane’s complete review or to spend time on her and husband Leo’s fabulous blog, click on this link.

http://cottageatthecrossroads.com/cookbook-review-the-french-cooksauces/

The book is currently available online (see link to follow) and in bookstores near you on March 1.

Bon appetit and happy cooking, too!

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

 

http://www.amazon.com/French-Cook-Sauces-Holly-Herrick/dp/1423632389/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361469516&sr=8-1&keywords=the+french+cook%3A+sauces

 

 

 

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Kind Words from Ilke’s Kitchen

I would like to thank food blogger and photographer Ilke Erdogan McAliley for taking the time to review my about to be released new book,  The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013).  Ilke explores the mayonnaise chapter as she prepares one of the favorites from her Turkish kitchen, International Salad.

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

The French Cook: Sauces (Gibbes Smith, March 1, 2013) by Holly Herrick

 

 

Here’s some of what Ilke had to say:

“I guess the success is in the details that Holly mentioned in her book: using the plastic blade in food processor, pasteurizing the eggs, room temperature ingredients, the type of oil and pepper recommended, and tips on how to save it if everything goes south. Just like in Tart Love, she has a nice, familiar way of explaining things. I love it that although her books have a teaching component,  they do not sound like a textbook.”

Anchovy and Parsley Mayonnaise from The French Cook: Sauces. Photo by Steven Rothfeld.

Anchovy and Parsley Mayonnaise from The French Cook: Sauces. Photo by Steven Rothfeld.

 

Thank you so much, Ilke.

If  you’re interested in visiting Ilke’s blog and would like the recipe for her delicious International Salad, click on this link:

http://www.ilkeskitchen.com/2013/02/international-salad-dabbles-in-mayonnaise/

Bon appetit!

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Thoughts on Cookbook Writing via eatyourbooks.com and Jane Kelly

As I come to the finish line of this next cookbook project on classic  French sauces, it’s nice to take the time to reflect on the process. Thank you so much To Jane Kelly at www.eatyourbooks.com for giving me the opportunity!

Holly Herrick

August 31, 2012 by Susie

For this month’s author profile, we have some lovely insights into the writing and cooking life of Holly Herrick, author most recently of Tart Love.  In her piece you’ll find surprising answers to questions like “What’s the hardest part of writing a cookbook?” and “How do you become a food writer?” as well as a charming personal anecdote about Julia Child. 

Holly HerrickJust underway with researching and writing my 5th and 6th cookbooks, I’ve learned a lot about this unique process over the years. My favorite part is always, at least initially, the recipe testing and development. The entire time I’m doing that, I’m scripting the writing in my head. Once I’m underway with this, I have a lot of fun with the actual writing, but I’ll never love actually writing recipes. It’s difficult work because it is so detailed and the author has to always keep the cooking skills and kitchens of her readers in mind. Consistency is a big part of it, and clarity, too. It’s a real balancing act of offering just enough details and hand-holding, without overwhelming.

The first two cookbooks I’ve ever owned were wedding gifts back in 1990, and they still remain near and dear to my heart, and kitchen. These are The Way to Cook by Julia Child and New Basics.  Of the two, the former is by far my favorite and definitely the one I would take with me to a deserted island. My copy is tattered and torn and full of notes, and I love the music of Julia’s style, languageTart Love Book Cover and knowledge ringing through every single page. A lot of Julia is in Tart Love – Sassy, Savory and Sweet as she is literally and figuratively the reason I went to Le Cordon Bleu. As a child, I was captivated by her television show and eventually met her at a Food and Wine Festival in the late 1980’s. I asked her the best way to get qualified for food writing and her response, in true, to-the-point-fashion, was: “Can you get to Le Cordon Bleu?” Thanks to her, and a lot of other people, I did and in France, I not only fell in love with cooking and France, I also developed a passion for baking tarts, particularly savory tarts, which were a relatively new concept to me at the time. While I love all the recipes I developed for Tart Love, I have two favorites, or what I would consider signature recipes. The Panna Cotta Tart with Roasted Fresh Figs in Balsamic Honey Sauce, is elegant, beautiful and loaded with lovely flavor and texture contrasts. The inspiration? A beautiful bin of fresh figs at the farmers’ market here in Charleston, SC. I’ll never tire of the Vidalia Onion Tart with Bacon, Honey and Fresh Thyme which combines some of my favorite flavors and reminds me of my friend Simone, who is from Alsace, France, and inspired this recipe. Happy cooking, friends!

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Book ‘n Boil “Tart Love” Signing and Chef’s Judging Competition

If you’re going to be in or near Florence, SC on October, 27 come on by for this great fund-raiser. I’ll be signing Tart Love – Sassy, Savory and Sweet (Gibbs Smith, October 1, 2011) and judging a chef’s competition. Libations, goodies, fun and fund-raising for the Friends of the Florence County Library System will make it an all around feel-good evening. See link for details.

   

Hope to see you there!

http://pdfoodie.com/wordpress/2011/08/23/join-us-at-books-n-boil-on-october-27th/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

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