Posted by jimphelps on May 24, 2010 · 3 Comments
While traveling with Paul Hobson, I had the most amazing frites in Denver at a high end French restaurant. They were finished with a champaign gastric and herbs de provence. I’m not a big french fry person to start with but these were amazing. The gastrique (a mixture of caramelized sugar and vinegar) … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on May 16, 2010 · 1 Comment
Yesterday was a good day at the market. The season is moving on and more farmers now have goods to sell. I had a great conversation with Michael and Jean of Jones Valley Farms. They are one of my favorite farms. The Isthmus Daily Page has a good write up on their stand. They grow … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on May 2, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Sometimes even your best shot at a recipe fails. It can be pretty and tasty but still wrong. This was a quiche that turned out quite watery which was too bad. We have ideas for trying again. There are several factors that can make a quiche watery: too much water in the vegetables, too high … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on April 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment
The very first asparagus is in the market and this means some of my favorite Spring recipes will be possible. I will buy two or three pounds of asparagus at the market and I’ll start on day one making food for later in the week. The mindset of buying and cooking ahead is a great … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on April 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment
The first outdoor Dane County Farmers’ Market was bright and sunny and the crowds were out to celebrate Spring and the arrival of fresh local produce. We ate well this first week. It was good to see my favorite farmers again after Winter. We went down to the square later than I usually go and … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on April 4, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Yesterday was gray and cool so I decided to get some cooking done in the morning. I ended up cooking at both ends of the spectrum: long-and-slow and quick-and-simple. I pre-heated the oven to 425F to bake bones to make beef stock. Stock-making is a religion with more liturgies than modern Christianity. To French purists, … Continue reading →
Posted by jimphelps on March 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment
“Mise en place” is a cooking term that I learned in formal French cooking. To me, there are three reasons to follow those teachings. I have come to believe that there are also three meanings to “mise en place”.
Posted by jimphelps on March 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Today is the first day of Spring and we have an inch of new snow on the ground. That doesn’t stop me thinking of the year ahead. The soon-to-come fresh asparagus and frost-sweetened spinach are waiting for warm soil and Spring rain. The Dane County Farmers’ Market will move outside in four more weeks and … Continue reading →
My Market Year(s) 
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