Cooking with Tom

Like Julia from the book Julia and Julia, I am cooking my way through Thomas Keller's ad hoc at home.  The chef of top restaurants in both Napa Valley (French Laundry) and NYC (per se), he wrote this book to offer everyday meals for families.  I embrace his philosophy - our lives are enriched when we share meals together.  I love finishing my day with Dave as we enjoy a glass of wine and a chicken caesar salad with homemade croutons, dressing and fresh grated cheese.

I grew up with the language of food.  When I talk with my grandmother, I describe my week through the foods I tried - the fresh ravioli at a new Italian place, the bratwurst at the market, the tomato pesto sauce I discovered at Rewe.  My mother quickly follows, "I went to a shower this weekend" with a full run down of each dish served.

Frankfurt frequently reminds me of New York from the culinary perspective.  I found butchers for my meat.  I buy my Parmesan cheese from a cheese-maker.  Bakeries sit on every corner.  Somehow,  I like the food better when I sense fewer layers between me and the producer.

This weekend, I tried the Chicken Soup recipe.  I made the broth on Wednesday, and I still spent two hours preparing the soup on Friday.  I made dumplings for the first time and a roux to thicken the soup - delicious.

The picky eaters who live with me prefer sliced turkey, pizza, and apples with peanut butter - plus occasional treats like happy-meal shaped desserts.