carrot

Happy 100th, Julia!

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*photo courtesy of kitchensaremonkeybusiness.com

Today marks what would have been Julia Child’s 100th birthday!  As a child I spent many a weekend afternoon watching old PBS reruns of Julia Child’s cooking shows.  She had a zest for food that was contagious and everything she made always looked decadent and spectacular.  She lacked self-consciousness and bounded into her recipes with more authenticity than just about any TV personality chef I have seen on television (and I watch my fair share!).  I found her captivating, even in my elementary school years.

My mother was a fan, too.  Being a great cook herself, my mom  had several of her cookbooks in her kitchen bookcase.  She consulted them for a handful of favorites that she would make when entertaining.  One of the standouts was Julia’s Gateau de Crepes from her Julia Child and More Company book.  This gorgeous dish resembles a layer cake, only it’s bound with crepes and filled with savory things like swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms.  It was Mom’s perennial favorite for Easter Brunch.  Many years ago her cookbook went missing, but I was fortunate to find a replacement on Ebay from a kind man in Hawaii.  It was my first Ebay experience and one I will never forget as I anxiously awaited this vintage book and hoped that this Ebay thing wasn’t a huge racket!  It arrived safe and sound and Easter Gateau resumed.

Gateau de Crepes

Ingredients

For the crepe batter

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

Vegetables and Cheese for Filling

  • 1 lb carrots
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper
  • I lb fresh mushrooms
  • 4 tablespoons shallots
  • 1 bunch fresh broccoli (about a pound)
  • 2 cups shredded grated Swiss cheese

Custard Mixture for Filling

  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper
  • a pinch of fresh nutmeg to taste

Rosie from Kitchens are Monkey Business photographs and describes the process better than I ever could!  Click here to see her beautiful work!

http://www.kitchensaremonkeybusiness.com/2010/12/rosie-makes-julias-gateau-des-crepes.html