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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Chef's Influence

I'm eating bread.


I never heard of All-Clad, Jacques Pepin, or even fois gras before my husband became a chef. Hand in hand we've walked, no wait: trudged through the culinary swampland adding wrinkles to our brain with each step. Now I can't buy vegetables unless they're in season, I use non-salted butter, and have picked up quite a bit of French. (quite a bit meaning about 50 words-but still, those are 50 words I didn't know before)


I'm so grateful to be able to prance around the culinary world just barely getting my toes wet. My life now forever changed by my chef acting as a link between the world of food and me. While reading Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential in culinary school he would practically recite all the "secrets of the underbelly" to me over the phone. Erik forbid me to buy a synthetic cutting board. I cut on my Boos Block with a Japanese knife, though I'm only perforating holes in a TV dinner.


Do you feel as if you practice new cooking techniques thanks to your chef? Has his presence influenced your food purchasing habits? (other than to subdue his rumbing belly)


DCW_NYC
-Hilary

8 comments:

the designer said...

Hehe! Absolutely :)
I loved food (although never cooked) and going out to eat before meeting the chef but I now know more than I ever thought possible. Its amazing the amount of knowledge that gets passed on.
I still don't cook but I can totally fake my way through a conversation as if I actually use the All-Clad or don't cut my finger on the fancy Shun knives...

Anonymous said...

Dude, our All-Clad pots are so heavy! I can't lift them with food in them. I wish I'd never been exposed to good cookware b/c now I can't go back.

Does anyone's husband forbid them from sharpening the knives b/c he's afraid you'll ruin them?

Mandy said...

Yes. He has introduced me to the best tasting frozen dinners and reheatable foods.

Unknown said...
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Anonymous said...

I learned all sorts of things from my chef. I had never roasted a thing in my life before, and now I can make a pretty mean pork roast. I learned about searing things, and how you don't add salt to make the food salty, but to bring out its natural flavors. I learned that the secret to keeping asparagus green is to "shock" it in cold water after blanching. I could probably go on...

bb

Hilary Battes said...

bb, you could teach me a few things!
-hilary

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with synthetic cutting boards? Someone esplain that to me please?

Hilary Battes said...

Usually the synthetic cutting boards ruin the knife, but MOST are okay. Just don't use a glass cutting board. The BoosBlock we just got was only about $40 and its beautiful too.