THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505100049
SECTION: FINAL PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Morsels
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
GLEAMING COPPER saucepans hang on a blue peg-board wall. Pots of herbs sit on the counter. An assortment of knives is stuck to a magnetic strip between two windows.
Welcome to Julia Child's kitchen.
These days, the woman who introduced classic French cooking to America is inviting everyone into her home with the premiere of ``In Julia's Kitchen With Master Chefs.''
The new television series (Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. on WHRO) and companion book (published by Alfred A. Knopf) chronicle months of work, as 26 American chefs paraded through Child's Cambridge, Mass., home cooking their specialty dishes.
She invited us in too, although through a telephone conversation.
A few weeks ago, I asked readers what they wanted to know from Child. I relayed those questions, and asked a few of my own.
Ruth Gershon of Virginia Beach asked: ``If you could cook dinner for any three or four historical people, who would it be and why?''
``Well, I'd like to have Escoffier (the late French chef dubbed `Emperor of Chefs' by William II of Germany) at my table,'' Child said. ``That's a large order isn't it?
``One of our presidents liked good food. Which was the one? None of our recent ones. I think I would have Jackie and JFK; I loved them.''
And novelist Honore de Balzac. ``He loved good food,'' Child continued. ``And I'm a great admirer of his books. I learned most of my general information on France through him.''
And what things do you always have in your refrigerator?
``Butter and shallots.''
No margarine.
``I never use that,'' she said. ``I never mention that word. And if served some on a plate with some butter, I say to the waiter, `Take it away.'
``Particularly now that they've found that there's no difference nutritionally. And have you heard now that there's no difference nutritionally in home rendered lard and olive oil? So I'm sure the same is true of chicken fat, goose fat and so forth.
``I think it's terrible that we get all this misinformation and it scares everybody and they won't use it.''
Laura Keesey asked what is Child's favorite spice?
Tarragon, Child said.
How does she choose a restaurant when traveling?
``Well, I hope I have some information on it, but I like to smell it first,'' Child said.
And finally, Rita Smith of Virginia Beach requested a recipe that can be prepared in 30 minutes, is delicious, and can be consumed by a hard-to-please 8-year-old and a 30-year-old.
Nothing with cooked carrots or spinach, please.
``That's wonderful,'' Child said. ``We could do a whole dinner in 30 minutes.
``As a matter of fact, you can make a Caesar salad in no time at all. Do you think an 8-year-old would like a Caesar salad? I think they would if it's done right.''
Child's recipe for Caesar salad is presented here, along with some tips. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Alfred A. Knopf
Jimmy Sneed, chef at The Frog and Redneck in Richmond, and Julia
Child cook some soft-shelled crabs.
by CNB