NEWS FROM MY HOLIDAY KITCHEN

How does an American cooking teacher get invited to appear on public television in France? In my case, this unusual opportunity arrived in the form of an email from Chicago’s Alliance Francaise. Two video artists from TV5 would be in Chicago over the Thanksgiving weekend. Did the Alliance know of anyone willing to prepare this uniquely American holiday meal for a French audience?

This request struck a deep patriotic need. I wanted my favorite meal of the year to appear in the best possible light. Yes, it would be a lot of work. But what if our French visitors only saw the “traditional” sides of canned cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes studded with marshmallows and gelatinous Campbell’s Mushroom Soup poured on over-cooked green beans? I cringed at the thought ... and volunteered my services.

Our French reporters (and dinner guests) Virginie and Julien proved to be engaging, thoughtful and extremely well organized. They made us feel comfortable, a talent you might expect of artists who travel the world making documentaries. They came with me when I purchased a turkey at Hoka Turkey Farm, shopped at Whole Foods and watched me cook the whole dinner. This sequence will appear in a 90 minute program devoted to Chicago on Echappees Belles (Great Escapes) in France next spring.

Now, about Christmas. This year I’m stocking my kitchen with lentils, rolled oats and fresh raspberries, ingredients you’re unlikely to find in any one recipe. In a break with past Decembers, when my freezer was filled with delivery-ready butter, nut and sugar cookies, I’m shelving those baking recipes. Out with the sweets (mostly) and in with savory treats. The homemade goodies from my kitchen will be nourishing as well as nurturing.

To my mind, there’s an long-unfilled need for homemade food staples - soup mixes and granolas - that a

home kitchen gift fills perfectly. My children’s generation has so little time to cook that they rely on boxed and canned foods. Most of their parents, who have more time to cook from scratch, are seduced by the ease of packaged items. But ‘organic’ goods still include preservatives and lose freshness on the shelf.

In the next few days, I will be send you three recipes for ‘better than store bought’ food gifts. Today’s recipe is for a rich Lentil,Soup Gift Mix http://www.chezm.com/welcome-to-recipes/42-soups/677-lentil-soup-mix

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Last October, eight of us spent a unforgettable week in St. Remy de Provence. Our home at aptly-named Provence Paradise, was a carefully restored farm house, La Tuilerie.

We have received superlative reviews for the quality of our lodgings for which we thank Downers Grove native William Moore; the weather (cloudless and 80 degrees every day) - over which we had no control but are happy to take credit for - and the charming Provence towns and markets we visited. After such a successful first run, we hope you will join us when we return in 2012.

Visit the pages reserved for Provence Odyssey details at ChezM. com:
http://www.chezm.com/tours-montmartre-2010/provence-odyssey-2012
Read more about Provence Paradise at their website: http://www.provenceparadise.com/

Contact Madelaine with any questions you may have: 630-514-8712 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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NEWS FROM MY HOLIDAY KITCHEN

Madelaine Bullwinkel