Book Review: My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme

My Life in France is a wonderful tribute to Julia Child and the adventurous and tender life she lived. Its unique mix of personal letters, anecdotes, and actual recipes (a knock-out Beurre Blanc!) keep you engaged from page to page. Along with tracing her path towards becoming a master chef, this book is just as equally a call to action for readers. After reading this book you’ll want to do, do, do…go out and accomplish all of those ideas you’ve been mulling over in your mind. Dust off those dreams from their shelf and get to making them a reality!

Filled with phrases like “a curry of a life” and “sans regret” this book will make you think about what you’re filling your time with and how to enrich yourself and the ones you love. Just as Julia had to complete many revisions in order to finally create Mastering the Art of French Cooking, so too is the reader encouraged to reflect upon his own ability to revise and rework his life.

Fascinatingly so, the book is just as much a tribute to the beauty of France as it is to the wonders of cooking. Many of the chapters are devoted to images of winding Parisian quays and Provencal fields of mimosa flowers. La Peetch, the house Julia and her husband Paul buy near Cannes, is lovingly referred to as “the reverse hornet-sting.” With descriptions like “the-sea bottom taste of Belon oysters” and “volcanic mountains jutting up out of the glittering sea,” a sting is the last thing on anyone’s mind, even the reader’s! Local French characters also abound-from the cold and calculating mistress of the Cordon Bleu to the boisterous fishermen of the Marseillaise harbor, everyday people are sprinkled in like the spice that they truly are.

My Life in France leaves you with the notion that we all can do whatever we put our minds to. Passion is the first step to fulfillment. Live life to the fullest, toujours bon appetite!

PS: Anyone who lives in NYC, or wants to make the trip, Julia Child’s editor (Judith Jones) and the co-author of this book (Alex Prud’homme) are speaking at Symphony Space on February 6th. Check it out if you can! http://www.symphonyspace.org/

T-Bone Florentina with Sauteed Spinach

Paul and I have always disagreed about steaks. I prefer the simplicity of the meat alone, sprinkled with just enough salt and pepper to bring out the juices. He loves to experiment in the kitchen, so most of his steaks came out with sauces, a reduction of balsamic vinegar and shallots being our favorite. All of these are wonderfully rich and delicious in their own right, but I longed for the meat to outshine the sauce, not compete with it.

Then we stumbled upon this recipe for T-Bone Florentina with Sauteed Spinach, and thanks to Mario, we’ve reached a compromise. The seared beef flavor of this dish shines through the herbs just enough and the lemon in the spinach is the perfect compliment to the rustic, earthy seasoning of the steak. This meal is delightful enough to serve for a dinner party and simple enough to eat on a weeknight. Bellisimo!


T-Bone Florentina with Sauteed Spinach
Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Florence, Italy

Thanks to:
Molto Italiano
327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home
Mario Batali

about 40 minutes…
serves 2, with leftovers

On food...

for the meat
1 t-bone steak, at least 1-1 ½ in. thick, 1-1 ½ pounds
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground back pepper
2 tablespoons of pure olive oil

for the spinach
10 ounces of fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and dried
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, Filippo Berio
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons coarse salt
pepper to taste

hints
Let steak sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
Remove stems from spinach ahead of time (it takes longer than you think!).

On cooking...

1. Preheat your grill pan.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper until well blended. Pat the steak dry and coat the entire steak with the herb mix. Brush gently with the olive oil. Place on the grill and cook until well charred, about 5 minutes on the first side, and 3 minutes on the second side (traditionally served rare). Transfer to a platter and let stand for 8 minutes.

3. While the meat is settling, use a 10-12 in. sauté pan to heat ¼ cup of the extra-virgin olive oil over high heat until smoking. Add the garlic and cook until light brown. Add the spinach and stir just until it wilts. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.

4. Carve the meat from the bone and slice. Divide steak onto four plates and enjoy with spinach.