with Julia Child and Jeanne Stoner

I apologize for the delay in posting...it has been a full week.  I helped out one day with a Works Soybean-Farm program- amazing- soy science; hosted a reception for Giving Society Members @ The Works, found the charming town of Fredickburg for Clare's Cross Country Meet, enjoyed time at Columbus Academy for Clare's Field Hockey game and that is why tonight's opportunity to stay home and cook was embraced and well timed!

So what was on the menu on Newark-Granville Road you ask?  Why thank you for asking....the title of this post should give you a hint.  Long time readers of our blog will recall my season of JC a few years ago. The reality is I've always enjoyed french cuisine and was raised by a mother who cooks in her style very well!  I experienced this first hand when I traveled to France my junior year of high school and found the food delicious and very much like my mother's.  A top ten book club book for me was My Life in France and I enjoyed reading the blog about Julia cooking every one of Julia Child's recipes from her first cookbook-Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I finally received that book for Christmas and it was where I went today for my inspiration.

I knew I was making Beef Bourguinon tonight. I was in the mood for beef and it had been ages since I prepared this Stoner family staple.  Often a go-to for camping trips...easy to freeze and reheat over a fire.  We're camping next weekend and Ann Leithauser reminded me of an adult camping trip with this as the main course.  I looked at two similar but different recipes from Julia Child- one from Mastering, the 2nd from a cook book structured from her Cooking Show years later.  I resorted to Jeanne Stoner's tried and true- dictated to me years ago and recorded in a favorite little book of family favorites. It gives me the basics, some coaching and requires me to channel my Mom and improvise as she taught me.  It turned out just fine....good beef, bouillon, bacon, wine topped off with a roux...how could it not be!  The extra fun was a new dessert with apples- I selected a pomme custard- similar to flan/creme caramel...we'll see it is still in it's steam bath in the oven.....the thing about french cooking- lots of pans and a little longer than I think.  We knew we were in for a late dinner when I picked Sally up at 5:15 from Nutcracker rehearsal.

I love living on Newark-Granville Road and live with people knowing what is going on...we embrace the positive of that as they help when dogs get lost, kids lose their way or don't make the best decisions.  Our dining room activity will draw comments.   We use to put the kids to bed on nights like this and have a late romantic dinner- usually steak au poivre.  So tonight we lit the candles, pulled out the crystal and had a family dinner.  It is important to do for many reasons and it makes Life on Newark-Granville Road exactly what we wanted.  Thank you Jeanne and Julia for the inspiration, coaching and references to make our life (if I do say so myself) pretty yummy too!