Movie Monday...

Nora has done it again. From the same genius talent that brought us When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle comes Julie and Julia. A wonderfully, entertaining piece chronicling the lives of two women. Julia Child-the famous chef and Julie Powell- a lesser known Government drone trying to make it with her husband in Brooklyn. In the midst of a major breakdown and jealous of her successful friends, Julie is searching for something/anything to do with purpose. Her husband suggests a million different things and finally stumbles upon the notion that you can write...you can blog. Julie decides to blog about cooking-realizing that cooking is her one escape, the one thing that she can do well, to paraphrase, I can have a horrible day at work, but come home and make the perfect french silk pie...the perfect bruschetta. Julie acknowledges the fat that she is not a real cook--like Julia Child, so she is determined to blog about real cooking or Mastering the Art of French Cooking rather. She snagged a copy of MtAoFC at her mum's in Texas and will blog her way through 500 and some odd recipes over the course of one year {she needed a deadline}. Each day she cooks and blogs her way humorously and emotionally through the book.

As a novice cook {not chef} the movie struck accord with me as I have learned to cook for myself the past two years, I have most definitely had my share of kitchen successes and mishaps. One of Julia's recipes sounded particularly interesting--the braised cucumbers, Julie described them as absolutely perfect {or something like that}. I bought some cukes that day, having never considered heating, much less cooking them. The French view vegetables as part of a meal, and not necessarily for nutrition and as it turns out the will butter, cream, and cook vegs until they are extremely soft.
The original recipe for braised cukes calls for them to be brined in a salt, sugar, and vinegar solution them saute them in butter and bake/braise them in a butter and cream bathe. I was not keen on brining them, so the Sweet Home twist on the classic MtAoFC is to take a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan and fill with the thinly sliced cuke {remove the skin}. It was quite tasty and a new flavor. Thanks J&J.