Saturday Creamed Spinach

I love creamed spinach.  When I had my wisdom teeth out several years ago, I pretty much survived on it for a while.  I didn't make it myself, though.  I bought it from Boston Market.  Theirs is really good.  Later, I embarked upon a quest to find the perfect recipe.  I bombed a lot.  And I am the only one in my house that likes it.  No taste-testers.  Julia Child's recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a keeper.
Last week, I wrote about Vin Rouge French Bistro for the Durham Herald-Sun.  My article had nothing to do with creamed spinach, but I did happen to have Chef Matt Kelly's recipe for it and I included it with the article.  The recipe is from Ann Prospero's book, Chefs Of The Triangle.
While at high school-age son's basketball game on Friday night, a mom-friend asked me about the recipe.  It didn't seem to me that she was going to make it herself, though, even though she said she really likes creamed spinach.  So, I decided to make it my own self and take some to her.  Of course, that means that I had some for me, too!  Quelle bonne idée!
I assembled the ingredients...
Lots of spinach (I know it's not in season here in NC, but Harris Teeter brings it in)

added to hot half-and-half

and wilted.

Salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg had been added to the cream.

Then it was time to make a roux of butter and flour.

The roux was added to the spinach and cream mixture.

Back to the heat to thicken.
My immersion blender came out of the cabinet where it lives next to Mildred the Mixer.

And finally the creamed spinach was placed in my beloved tian and in a little blue dish for my friend's portion.  Gruyère cheese was sprinkled on the top and heavy cream was drizzled on before popping it into the oven.

Délicieux!


Chef Matthew Kelly's Creamed Spinach
Serves 6

1 quart half-and-half
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 pounds baby flat-leaf spinach
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup flour
1 to 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Heavy cream to drizzle

Preheat oven to 400˚F.  In a large pot, bring half-and-half just to a boil.  Add garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Working in batches, stir in spinach just until wilted.  Continue stirring in more spinach until all 2 1/2 pounds have been incorporated into cream mixture.  Remove from heat.  Make a roux by melting butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and stirring in flour.  Continue stirring until mixture thickens and forms gravy.  Remove from heat.  Add roux to spinach, return to heat, and bring to a boil.  Stir until roux thickens the cream and spinach mixture.  Using an immersion blender, lightly pulse until ingredients are just mixed but not puréed.  Adjust seasonings.  Place spinach in an ovenproof serving container.  Sprinkle with Gruyère and drizzle heavy cream on top.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until cheese is golden brown. 

Bon appétit, les épinards et Chef Matt!

My half-birthday

I do love birthdays.  And sometimes, since my birthday is in the summer, I celebrate my half-birthday.  Not because I think of it, though, but because others do.  Mrs. T, our administrative assistant and a long time friend, went to Foster's Market and bought me coffee (with lots and lots of half and half, please) and a cherry scone.  A very nice way to start the day.
And one of my advisory group moms brought me lunch from Saladelia.

It was a delicious day!

Bon appétit, 52 1/2!

January Herald-Sun article

http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/11125264/article-A-quick-trip-to-Paris--I-ll-say--Oui-?instance=main_article

Bon appétit, Paris et Vin Rouge!

Eat it, North Carolina!

I love my state.  I wouldn't live anywhere else -- well, I'd live for part of the year in Provence, if I could.  But North Carolina is the best state and my home.  We have mountains, the beach, parks, trees, waterfalls, flowers, a zoo, farms, great universities, lots of sports... I could go on and on.
On facebook recently I stumbled upon a site called Eat it, North Carolina.  There was a post about Seth Gross' restaurant-in-the-making Bull City Burger and Brewery.  And if they had posted about Seth, I needed to read it.  (I've even been inside BCB&B for a sneak preview!!)  Reading that post led to reading that they are looking for bloggers and that led me to write an email which led to an offer to post for them from here in Durham.  Yipee!  Another venue for me to go on and on about what and where I eat.  Another excuse to try new places and go back to ones I really like.  I can even post recipes if I want.
Not a bad deal, huh?  First post, prix fixe week in Durham.  Three course meals offered in some of my favorite Durham restaurants.  It doesn't get much better than that, mes amis.  Eat up!

Bon appétit, Eat it, North Carolina!

Salt and pepper, anyone?

This is all a part of the adventure I had last weekend in Paris.  I really should write it all down in sequence, but that would make too much sense, n'est-ce pas?  Since Sunday is coming to a close here in NC, I will tell about last Sunday afternoon.
The day started with an ACIS training session after breakfast at our hotel, the Novotel on Quai de Grenelle. 

We played a really cool chocolate tasting game.  My kind of training! 

Then we hopped on a bus for a guided tour of the Opéra Garnier.  It is such a cool building.  I love the ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.  The chandelier still scares me a bit, though.

They sell tutus in the gift shop now.  I never took ballet classes when I was a little girl.  I've never owned a tutu.  But looking at these, I caught myself wondering... would I look better in pink and white...

or black?

Before I could do something as silly as even check the price of one of them,  a small group of us decided to head to the nearby Ladurée shop to buy macarons. 

Believe it or not, I only ate one and brought back a little box of them for Arles Lucy who will be my co-chaperone for the March student trip.  I am all for bribes, mes amis.  Giving and receiving them, as long as they have to do with food or drink. 

After that stop, I split off from the rest.  They were heading to the Marais to the Musée Carnavalet and I have been there several times.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous-- 50˚F and sunny.  Blue skies.  Perfect strolling weather.  So, stroll I did.  I passed through the Place Vendôme,

to the Tuileries gardens,

and across the Pont des Arts with all of the Padlocks of Love.

There were lots and lots of Frenchies out and about.  They were strolling, too.  I realized that someone was watching me and keeping pace with me as I crossed the bridge.  A nicely dressed fellow.  I continued to snap photos and ignore him.  At the end of the bridge, he stopped next to me and struck up a conversation.  He asked if he could walk with me along the quai.  Sure.  I told him I was meeting friends in front of Notre Dame.  Maybe Quasimodo would still be there?  He was there for me last March...

It is always good to speak French, even to a random man looking to pick up a dinner date.  I said no to dinner.  I said no to coffee.  He asked if he could buy me a souvenir from one of the bouquinistes along the quai.   One more non.  J'en ai assez, I told him-- I have enough (that is, of course, a lie- I could never have enough Paris souvenirs).  But before I knew it, he had bought a set of salt and pepper shakers and presented them to me.  Oh well.  I said Merci and stashed them in the Ladurée bag with the macarons.  Random French Guy told me had noticed me on the bridge, with the sun shining on my face and in my hair.  I did not laugh.  Really I didn't.  I said Merci once again and kept strolling.  I lost him in front of Notre Dame.  I hope that he did actually find someone to have dinner with him.  Or coffee.  And yes, I kept the salt and pepper shakers!

I think they kind of look like they're dancing.  Shake, shake, shake... shake, shake, shake... shake your booty, shake your booty.  (That's a KC and the Sunshine Band song for those too young to have experienced the '70's music scene.)

Bon appétit, Paris and Random French Guys everywhere.

21 off-the-wall facts about France

21 off-the-wall facts about France

This is so funny!  Check it out!

Bon appétit, Frenchies!

Paris in January

This wonderful chef is so happy because he is getting ready to prepare fois gras for moi!!  And all chefs love gourmandes like me who love to eat.

Oui, foie gras and lovely little potatoes cooked in the same pan.

Add some champagne, in the setting of a hôtel particulier tucked in behind the Musée d'Orsay and it was pure heaven.
I just returned from a long weekend in Paris, courtesy of ACIS, the travel company making the arrangements for my spring break trip to Paris and Provence with my 14 eighth graders.  Yes, there was a bit of work involved... an orientation meeting for those of us new to the company.
At the moment, I am paying the price... grades and comments are due for the second quarter.  So... until my work is done, no more posts.  No more drooling over my days spent roaming through three markets, eating steak-frites, touring the Opéra Garnier or sipping kir royale on a dinner cruise...   Never fear, dear readers, you will get all the details and lots of photos as soon as my work is caught up.
Back to real life!

Bon appétit, Paris!