COOK FRESH - COOK FRENCH

… and I can already hear the objections.  by Marie Dufour, RD

- "Who has time for that?"  - 10 minutes!

- "I don't know how to cook!" - Can you peel a carrot?

- "It's too heavy, too fat, too indigest!" - No longer so!

French cooking has the reputation to be elaborate and to take hours of slaving in the kitchen in order to present a decent meal.  It also has the reputation of being fat-laden, heavy and rich.  

Well, I've got news for you.  Long gone are the days of Escoffier and Maurice Edmond Sailland, AKA Curnonski, the Prince of Gastronomy, whose bibles rocked my early-bride days with sauces and daubes.  Even the early 1970's revolutionary "spa" Nouvelle Cuisine of Michel Guerard is too elaborate by today's hurried life standards and the Troisgros have evolved. But turn to Roger Verge and his "Cuisine du Soleil" and Joel Robuchon and his "Post-Nouvelle Cuisine" and you have easy, healthy and quick meals in minutes.  I have a particular fondness for Robuchon, of course, since he was born in my home-town of Poitiers.

On the US side, just take a look at early videos of Julia Childs and you'll see French cuisine demystified and have a good laugh.

French cuisine is not hard at all.  It is based on the concepts of:

- PANTRY.  What do you have in your stores?  That's your dry goods staples.

- FRESHNESS.  Buy in season, fresh fresh fresh fresh fresh.

- PERIOD.

This week, I'll try to bring you the concept of pantry and how you can make meals in minutes with a little planning in your cupboards and smart shopping in your fridge.  THE PROOF BY TEN: Lists of 10 things that should of shouldn't be in your kitchen.

Until then, check out the links above and enjoy the old and new masters of French Cuisine.

COOK FRESH, COOK FRENCH, It's a Healthy Thing!