Friday, December 12, 2008

Cordon Bleu, You're a Dinosaur!

The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry was a very enjoyable book. I always love reading books about people who make shifts in their lives. It's stimulating to think that you can always do something new. It takes alot of courage to go in a new direction, especially when you are successful in what you are currently doing. Our author was fired, but she still could have clung to her old career skills instead of launching out in her cooking direction. And what about her new hubby? Wasn't he great!! Bravo for a supportive husband who also came to live in Paris when he had a good career going in Seattle.

Writing skills are often not the forte of the journalist. Doesn't that sound weird? They're so used to "reporting" that I think they sometimes forget how to just write from the heart and the soul. Kathleen was an excellent reporter of her days at the cooking school, but something was missing in her prose. I would love to see what she's doing now..... let's keep an eye out for anything new she does.

Now, about the "Dinosaur". I wonder where this school has been concerning the food revolution that is currently taking place; especially in France. France is on the cutting edge of the organic movement and anti-genetically modified front, and anti-animal cruelty front. Don't they realize that people are marching in the streets to get Wolfgang Puck to STOP using Foi gras in his restaurants???? Where are these chefs in this revolution? It appears that they have their heads in the sand or are just so set in their ways that they have missed the boat. Now, I realize that there may have been some action by the school on this topic and that Kathleen just didn't report on those conversations. I certainly hope so. But.... to write a book about cooking and food and not make a mention of the quality of products that go into the cooking.... Hmmm.... I've seen the ocean in the south of France.... don't think I'd want to eat too many fish that came out of that body of water. Anyway, I got to thinking that Cordon Bleu might want to snap ahead to 2009 and drop the foi gras that seemed to go into everything! If you want to read a good book that will explain foi gras and the many other atrocious cruelties that are done to animals in the name of "fine dining" pick up a copy of Jane Goodall's Reason For Hope".

Thank you, Maggie, for picking a book that had Severs Baby Metro stop and BHV mentioned. Brings back the good old days!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nicely put. I was actually wondering why the chefs didn't buy produce at the organic market (biologique), or why the author didn't dive into the story behind the massive Les Halles markets. Tres interessant! I think she left out a very large chunk of French culinary culture. Concerning BHV...I could take it or leave it. :) However, Mariage Freres...always a take! Where was my favorite tea house and home away from home Laduree? Mumsey, remember those puff pastry, whipped cream strawberry dubobs?!

mikeandlinda said...

I think maybe her mind was more on cuisine than baked goods. What a nitwit! And.... what about standing in line to get into Laduree and checking out the cases filled with goodies that you can order inside the dining room or take back to your cave!!! Bonus.