Author name: Jim

The Garden

Garlic plants

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I’m so excited!  The garlic I planted in January is up and 4-5″ high! Yesterday, I planted onions and dandelions around the edge as a sort of natural barrier to pests;  dandelions attract pest predators like ladybugs, and also repel certain insects that feed on the garden.  At least that is the theory. I have […]

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I’m so excited!  The garlic I planted in January is up and 4-5″ high! Yesterday, I planted onions and dandelions around the edge as a sort of natural barrier to pests;  dandelions attract pest predators like ladybugs, and also repel certain insects that feed on the garden.  At least that is the theory. I have

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Recipes | Vegetables

Pearl onions “glacé a brun”

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Pearl onions glazed in their own cooking juices are a common accompaniment to many classic French dishes – Bœuf Bourguignon, Ouefs en Meurette and  Poulet rôti Grand-mere, to name some of the most well known.  They are easy to make and delicious included with many winter stews, so I thought it might be a good

Pearl onions “glacé a brun” Read More »

Slide 1

Pearl onions glazed in their own cooking juices are a common accompaniment to many classic French dishes – Bœuf Bourguignon, Ouefs en Meurette and  Poulet rôti Grand-mere, to name some of the most well known.  They are easy to make and delicious included with many winter stews, so I thought it might be a good

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Stuff

What a beauty!

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I couldn’t resist a photo of this beautiful mid-winter oyster from the coast near Arcachon.  Now is the time for oysters, when they are sweet and firm and full fleshed.  Yum! PS  I know that the “month with an r” rule has fallen out of favor recently, but I still think treating oysters as a

What a beauty! Read More »

Slide 1

I couldn’t resist a photo of this beautiful mid-winter oyster from the coast near Arcachon.  Now is the time for oysters, when they are sweet and firm and full fleshed.  Yum! PS  I know that the “month with an r” rule has fallen out of favor recently, but I still think treating oysters as a

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Pantry

Quince compote with bay leaves and vanilla

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The arrival of quince on the market stands always signals the beginning of winter for me;  quince are the last tree fruits to arrive at the end of the season and, since they keep well, they are also one of the last available at the end of the year.  My grandma primarily used quince in

Quince compote with bay leaves and vanilla Read More »

Slide 1

The arrival of quince on the market stands always signals the beginning of winter for me;  quince are the last tree fruits to arrive at the end of the season and, since they keep well, they are also one of the last available at the end of the year.  My grandma primarily used quince in

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Stuff

Still lovin’ the Salade Verte!

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I have recently had a number of requests for the recipe for our  Salade Verte that became such a fixture at Le Pichet and Café Presse over the years.  Rhapsodized by the Seattle Times, the Stranger and more, it became an unlikely signature dish of both restaurants. I hope that this recent interest means that

Still lovin’ the Salade Verte! Read More »

Slide 1

I have recently had a number of requests for the recipe for our  Salade Verte that became such a fixture at Le Pichet and Café Presse over the years.  Rhapsodized by the Seattle Times, the Stranger and more, it became an unlikely signature dish of both restaurants. I hope that this recent interest means that

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Stuff

Chicken pot pie

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A bubbly warm chicken pot pie is a perfect dish for a frosty December lunch.  It is also a perfect use for the hindquarters of a older farm chicken, which are pretty firm (not to say tough) and require long cooking.  I poached the legs and thighs in chicken stock with aromatics, then used that

Chicken pot pie Read More »

Slide 1

A bubbly warm chicken pot pie is a perfect dish for a frosty December lunch.  It is also a perfect use for the hindquarters of a older farm chicken, which are pretty firm (not to say tough) and require long cooking.  I poached the legs and thighs in chicken stock with aromatics, then used that

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Recipes | Savory Dishes

Chickpea and butternut squash hummus

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This is  a recipe that I recently cooked for a tasting at O Panier Local, the cooperative farm store here in Orthez where I work as a volunteer. The idea was to present an easy dish for the Holidays made primarily with local produce from the store. This inspired me to add local butternut squash

Chickpea and butternut squash hummus Read More »

Slide 1

This is  a recipe that I recently cooked for a tasting at O Panier Local, the cooperative farm store here in Orthez where I work as a volunteer. The idea was to present an easy dish for the Holidays made primarily with local produce from the store. This inspired me to add local butternut squash

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Fish and seafood | Recipes

Pan-seared scallops with creamed fennel and leeks

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Coquilles St.-Jacques, or sea scallops, are one of the delicious pleasures of the late fall French table. The season  for their fishery opens on October 1st and continues through the holidays, when they feature on many menus, especially for New Years Eve.  Careful management of the fisheries has meant an abundant supply (Monterrey Bay Seafood

Pan-seared scallops with creamed fennel and leeks Read More »

Slide 1

Coquilles St.-Jacques, or sea scallops, are one of the delicious pleasures of the late fall French table. The season  for their fishery opens on October 1st and continues through the holidays, when they feature on many menus, especially for New Years Eve.  Careful management of the fisheries has meant an abundant supply (Monterrey Bay Seafood

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