December Cook and Eat - Yum!

Wednesday December 1, 2010 Day 154

It had just stopped raining when I set out for Caroline Grasset’s house. I was running late, but after a 20-minute walk, I arrived at the same time as Sue, so at least I wasn’t the last person to walk in. I am still suffering from my cold, and I pondered not going. But if I don't go, it is too late to notify anyone else to take my place, and I think there are always more would-be participants than there are spaces in the Cook and Eat, and I would feel guilty about no one taking my slot. So I told myself that I could go and perhaps not work on any of the food. This was easy to accomplish! I established myself as the group’s photographer and moved around getting photos of the activity, the food and the members. There were enough hands cooking that I only cut up a few apples that someone else had peeled after careful hand-washing, and that was the extent of my contribution.

Anne and Danielle prepare mushrooms

It's crying time as Sara chops onnions

As always, Caroline Grasset graciously opened her lovely house to eleven other Cook and Eat women who came armed with aprons, knives and lots of chatter. The Cook and Eat menu was a capon with dried fruit stuffing, Brussels sprouts with chestnuts, Kapusta (braised red cabbage with apples), Scallops Saint Jacques Parisienne, and Apple Crumble.

When I arrived, the group was already sitting around the table discussing the logistics of approaching the meal - who would do what, when, where and why. There is only one cook top and one oven in her sunny kitchen, so things have to be carefully paced. There is also a limited amount of space, although the generous table gives plenty of workspace for preparation. There were two women new to Cook and Eat - Danielle and Sara, so we went around the table and introduced ourselves.

  

Leslie, Patricia and Rosie peeling apples

   

Lots of cooks in the kitchen!




Ingredients lined up on the counter, waiting their turn.

 














Caroline announced that her gift to us was champagne and fois gras, so we cut up a baguette and two of the workers spread fois gras on the bread rounds. The champagne was served in colorful flutes and we had an easy time getting through the preparation work, lubricated by the eats, drink and camaraderie.

Caroline had such beautiful champagne flutes



Fois gras and baguettes


 

Sunshine coming through an amber glass of bubbly

We had the scallops as a starter. Caroline thought she had a dozen shells downstairs, and returned from the dungeon clutching the requisite twelve shells. They made a splendid presentation for the scallops, which were equally splendid-tasting!

 The capon was outstanding - golden brown and so moist and succulent.

The stuffing was served separately and was quite tasty. The Kapusta was tasty and added a lovely color to the plate. The Brussels sprouts were really wonderful - the chestnuts and all that butter gave them a marvelous flavor.



Danielle and Sara working on Brussels sprouts

What with the fois gras, champagne and the meal literally under our belts, there was little room for the Apple Crumble, but we pressed on bravely and ate our share of it. It was served with crème fraiche, which was the perfect accompaniment to this delightful dish.

We each brought a small item for a gift exchange. Caroline had a unique manner of passing out the gifts. For the gift exchange, Caroline reached into a bag and pulled out a gift and Sara, one of the new members, had to say the name of the person who would get the gift. (The other new member, Danielle, had to leave early to go and nurse her baby. I think Caroline wrapped some food for her to take with her.) Sara did remarkably well at recalling our names, with only a little prompting from others.

I didn't get the dog's name, but he is old and just laid around.

Paris, who came and went as he pleased.

I waddled home afterward, glad to be able to walk off a bit of what I had consumed. Such good food! All in all, an excellent Cook and Eat. Thanks, Caroline and the rest of the crew.