Goodbye Earl

One of my sisters was up visiting for the weekend. I had planned on making her a special dinner on Saturday night, and she had mentioned inviting one of my friends over for the occasion.

I made (with the assistance of the other two) Coq au Vin. Or Chicken in Wine. For all of you who are wondering if you can make this dish for anyone younger than the legal drinking age, the alcohol evaporates when the wine is boiled.

Of course I used Julia Child's recipe. I didn't buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking so it could sit on my shelf, unused. She said at the beginning of the recipe that nearly any wine could be used, but the French use red. I used the same GratoNegro Cabernet Sauvignon I used in the Beef Bourguignon. As well I used bacon strips, not a bacon chunk. Overall it was a tasty dish. However, the next time I would go the non-French way and make it with a Riesling (Coq au Riesling).

The recipe can be found: http://www.recipezaar.com/Coq-Au-Vin-by-Julia-Child-98589

While most grocery stores might sell a whole, cut-up, chicken, I bought the whole chicken and cut it myself. My friend commented that by the end of the cookbook I'll be able to do anything. The butchering of the raw chicken was not as easy as the lobster murder. That was quick. The chicken requires joints to be popped out, and the cutting of bones. Sick. In one of the pictures you can see chicken blood on my finger.

(the finished product)

A long time ago, years in fact, my sister bought me a brulee set which included a kitchen torch. I had never used the kitchen torch, mainly because I couldn't figure out how to work it. My friend showed me how this weekend (THANK YOU) and now I can brulee. Which is great since creme brulee is my favorite dessert of all time.

MtAoFC says to make a Creme Brulee, you first make a creme anglaise.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=_8wKzhk70o8C&pg=PA588&lpg=PA588&dq=julia+child

After the creme anglaise was made (in my stand mixer), it became apparent was a cream sauce, not a custard like I had thought it would be. I still bruleed it, and it was very delicious.

(my prized possession, the stand mixer by KitchenAid)