A Note for Kids
My husband, Rollie; my father, Jacques; my mother, Gloria; my daughter, Shorey; and I would like to welcome you to Let's Cook French. We had such fun putting together this book. Rollie and I were in charge of recipes, Jacques and Shorey, the artwork and tasting; and everything I know about organizing, entertaining, and cleaning I’ve learned from my mom, Gloria. Truth be told, I’ve learned a lot about great food from her, too.
Cooking’s fun; that’s why we love to do it! It also makes people happy. Eating great food is good for your brain, your body, and your soul. Following recipes and cooking helps you learn math and science, and, in this case, maybe a bit of French or English. My father always says, “Cooking is an expression of love because you always cook for another person.” I agree completely. Remember, there’s no culinary prison. If you make a mistake, even a really big one, don’t worry … try again!
These recipes represent the tastes I love and developed with both my parents cooking. Now these tastes are part of me. I cook for my family, but I do it in my own style. I didn’t grow up knowing how to cook, but I was around tremendously good food. I often spent summers in France with my father’s side of the family. His youngest brother, Richard, was a chef, and his older brother, Roland, was an engineer who loved food. My grandmother owned and operated several restaurants in and around Lyon and is the thriftiest person I’ve ever known. She could make a terrific meal for ten from one chicken and what she’d pull from the garden. At the start of summer, she’d buy several dozen small, fresh goat cheeses and leave them in a garde-manger hung on a tree in the backyard. Day by day they would get smaller and more concentrated in flavor. By the middle of July, the cheese would start to get hard; by the beginning of August, I could no longer bite it but, instead, had to gnaw or suck on it. Also, since this was during the hot summer, when I’d sweat, I stank like goat cheese. Well, “goat,” really; I smelled like a goat, but I loved those cheeses—and still do.
As you wander the pages of this little book, I hope you get excited and inspired to cook for your family, friends, and yourself. I also hope that you try our family dishes and that your favorites from this book will also become your family favorites.
Family mealtimes are essential to communicate, to bond together, to laugh, to argue, to share, and to enjoy life.
