I watched “Julie and Julia.” LOVED the book. The movie wasn’t bad, either, as I really like Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. I felt like I am a kindred soul to those two women, kind of lost and finding comfort in cooking. I am prone to running away from my discomfort and restlessness, but nothing is helping these days. My soul is singing for simple things. Cello is my love. As is cooking. So I went back to my tried and true solutions to any crisis - goals. I was inspired by “Julie and Julia.” Julie Powell set up to make all of Julia Child’s recipes over the course of a year. Over 500 recipes. I’m not interested in that at all, but I AM interested in the Bouef Bourguignon recipe. I’ve made it the easy way, but never the authentic French way. I put on Jacqueline du Pre’s Concerto in E Minor and set to work.
Yes, I worried about having to stand too long in the kitchen, but sweet Steve helped cut up all the mushrooms, onions, and pearl onions. I patted the stew meat with a paper towel (because damp meat won’t brown), I lovingly put the butter AND olive oil into my Le Creuset pan and stirred it all with my favorite chipped wooden spoon. I browned the bacon and then browned the beef in the bacon fat (with some extra olive oil). I sauteed the carrots and onions, breathing deeply over the pan. The mellow cello notes waft over the top of my head and circle in the air above me. I am holding what’s left of a whole bottle of red wine after I’ve put three cups into the dish. Ah - there. That perfect blend of smell, touch, taste, sound that can make me so utterly peaceful and calm and happy. It’s not centered around anything much tangible, more of a desire, a love, an energy of creativity that brings me to this Place. I need to be here, more than I actually am. I don’t make many New Year’s Revolutions, but this year I have made a few. To stop biting my fingernails, to become more confident in my health (and my children’s health), and to do what brings me joy. To BE joy as many hours of the day as possible. I don’t think that’s asking too much.
So today my joy is simmering Boeuf Bourguignon and listening to Jacqueline du Pre on my Mac. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…