Prepare to enjoy eighteen of Julia Child’s kitchen classics in a sumptuous second collection from her pioneering cooking show, The French Chef.
The French Chef was a cooking series unlike anything yet seen on TV. Warm and exuberant, Julia was a natural television star, whether scooping up a spilled potato pancake or coaxing a reluctant soufflé, Julia was not afraid of making mistakes. Soon a nation fed on Shake n’ Bake and Tang would be experimenting with quiche Lorraine and boeuf bourguignon and cooking would become a national pastime.
This special collection presents 18 episodes from her groundbreaking series. In her signature style and with bloopers intact, Julia demonstrates such classic recipes as crêpes suzette, omelette gratinée, pâté de campagne, bûche de Noël and many more.
Bon appetit!
Disc 1 – Starters, Sauces and Sides Cooking Vegetables, Vegetable Adventures, Elegance with Eggs, More about Potatoes, Terrines and Patés, The Hollandaise Family
Disc 2 – Main Courses French Crepes I, Cooking Your Goose, Roast Suckling Pig, Fish in Monk’s Clothing, Cheese Souffle, Sole Bonne Femme
Disc 3 – Breads and Desserts French Crepes II, Buche De Noel, Croissants, Gateau in a Cage, French Bread, VIP Cake: Le Prantome A regular program on WGBH Boston from 1963 to 1972, The French Chef is perhaps best known for its down-to-earth hostess Julia Child with her dry wit and practical approach to “fancy” French cooking. Eighteen classic programs, in black and white and color, feature the ever-practical Julia Child educating viewers in everything from starters and side dishes like braised spinach, shirred eggs, and hollandaise sauce, to main courses like seafood crêpes and braised goose, to breads and desserts like croissants and the exotic gâteau in a cage. Julia Child leads viewers step-by-step through each recipe, imploring budding chefs to use their fingers and hands, let go of their fear of failure, avoid a sense of panic and maintain a sense of humor so that neither the cook nor the soufflé collapses. Helpful tips include advice about preparing dishes ahead of time, how to save a recipe gone awry, and an ever-present sense of humor that includes a waving goose and more than a few chuckles from Julia Child at her own inevitable bloopers. While current recommendations about food safety may necessitate altering some suggestions like defrosting a goose in the sink for 4 hours and modern dietary guidelines might frown upon the use of pork back fat in a terrine or pâté, the majority of these recipes can easily be prepared without alteration today. If you love French food and want to learn how to prepare it yourself, join Julia Child for 18 lessons that are sure to have you cooking up exotic dishes in no time. –Tami Horiuchi
Buy “The French Chef With Julia Child 2″ For Only $22.27
March 5, 2010
#1
Like the first, this too is yet another great opportunity to experience Julia at her best! Bombard WGBH and tell them to release #3, #4, #5, etc.!!! Also ask them to release episodes of the “Julia Child” of plants–Thalassa Cruso, star of “Making Things Grow” filmed on the same set as Julia!
March 5, 2010
#2
I had no idea how really gifted Julia Child was as a chef until I watched this DVD of her technique. It was so inspirational watching her make croissants from scratch and soufflés. All of her recipes are rendered with such charm, making this disc irresistible. She really does make people want to learn not only how to cook but how to cook better. I recall my Mom watching her back in the 70′s and feverishly writing down her recipes so she could try them out on us. They were always so delicious. No wonder I thought my Mom was the greatest cook; she was imitating Julia Child week after week.
Thanks, Julia. You’ve made the culinary world more understandable for the average person and much more enjoyable.
March 5, 2010
#3
and Julia makes it so easy. you will be successful if you follow the easy to understand directions. Just follow them. and when she says to premeasure things do it and it will be even easier and you put your creation together.
March 5, 2010
#4
We used to watch Julia Child on PBS when we were kids, and my brother, sister and I all learned to cook along with Mom from this quirky lady with the warbly voice and indomitable sense of humor.
The great thing is now I can review some of her classics on DVD. For example, the Buche de Noel is very wonderful; a chocolate cake decorated with piped meringue mushrooms and something that really dresses up the Christmas table. Likewise, you can review the best method to make crepes, which we always find very versatile. For example, they can be filled with a chicken mixture and baked in a cream-cheese sauce or filled with seafood. They even make a decent manicotti with ricotta filling and tomato sauce.
I still use the Mastering the Art of French cooking books all the time, but these episodes of Julia are a real joy.
March 5, 2010
#5
These are so enjoyable to watch! Even though some of the recipes I have tried, I wasn’t crazy about, she is the Master!