Some Funny Stuff from Way Back

I still have all my handwritten recipes and notes from my days of giving cooking demos; I have to say, after reviewing them all recently for this blog -- some of the advice and lists I distributed to my students are quite hilarious (and woefully inadequate).

One sheet was called “A Well Equipped Kitchen”, where I listed wire whisks, wooden spoons, cheesecloth, pastry brushes and feathers, mouli grater, food mill (ricer), 14 qt. stock pot, huge mixing bowl, mortar and pestle, candy thermometer, and carbon steel knives. I never mentioned sauce pans, frying pans, rolling pin, measuring cups and spoons, slotted spoon, spatulas, pitchers, strainers, cookie sheets and dozens of other things that even the most basic kitchen would need.

Also on that sheet was a list of ‘necessary’ ingredients where I did only a slightly better job. Some items on this list were totally unnecessary, such as meat extract paste (what’s that?), sweet almond oil and truffles, but I neglected to list salt, butter, canned plum tomatoes and a dozen other staples.

Another sheet was called “Hints” which was a veritable potpourri of advice, some of which I seemed to have taken out of thin air! A sampling:

1: Never forget presentation; garnish dishes in wine sauce with toasted buttered bread triangles.
2: Egg whites; the older the better- freeze in ice cube trays.
3. Don’t use more than one rich sauce per meal.
4. Assemble all ingredients beforehand and measure accurately (this is good advice).
5. Onion- grip the onion, not the board. (What?)
6. Oil- must be room temperature for sauces. (How else?)
7. Beurre Manie- knead 1 tbs. butter with 1 tbs. flour and use to thicken sauces (good basic).

There were about twenty-five items on that list, and most were right on. I’ll save the rest for my book (if I get to write it), but in the meantime, I don’t mind making fun of myself because I know that I have always been a pretty good cook.

What I do have for you this week is that avocado cream dessert that I demonstrated 40 years ago but seems very “today” to me (considering that bacon, along with many other non-traditional ingredients, has become the “of the moment” dessert inclusion). I admit I haven’t tried it since then, but I remember it as being unusual, and very good.

Avocado Cream: In the blender, puree 2 large avocados with 3 tbsp. lime juice, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in1/2 cup sugar, two tbsp. at a time, 2 tbsp. honey, 4 tbsp. heavy cream, pinch salt until very well combined. Divide among 4 parfait glasses, and chill for at least four hours. Serve garnished with a few berries or semisweet chocolate shaves.

But the best thing I have for today is my original Quiche au Fromage recipe, as I taught it. I’m going to scan it in as it first appeared. It doesn’t include the method for the crust (because I was demonstrating it) and the crust definitely should not be pre-baked, for sure. Our product today has not changed all that much from the original. Here it is:

Until next time...make someone happy —serve them dessert!

http://www.loveandquiches.com/