Jacques Pepin makes me feel...


 
BFletcher said:
What was your experience with CC that led to your opinion?
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It just flat did not work and left a jagged useless edge on my knives. And believe me I tried VERY VERY hard to follow directions on it to a T. I forgot the model (I think 110) it has the 2 little stones in it that oscillate up and down in an ellipsoidal direction. Maybe they have a different model that might work better but heck this one cost an arm and a leg
 
I thought I’d add my two cents to the sharpener part of this discussion. I use mainly Asian knives (Global, Shun) and use the Chef’s choice 1520. I also use the Spyderco Sharpmaker Tri-Angle. For me they both do a great job. As a little side note many many MANY years ago I attended the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) when I still lived in New York and had the privilege of working with Chef Pepin. He is nothing short of amazing and a wonderful person.
 
Dang it, I really used to like your posts but, now I kn W you’ve met probably the highest ranking of my culinary idols I am going to be forever jaded!
Just kidding, he actually spent a week half a block teaching Betty Upjohn (yes, THAT Upjohn) when I lived on the other side of the woods from her house. She was as cool as J.P.! Mrs. U was a good customer when I was in several businesses here in Kalamazoo.
I really envy your time with Jacques! Must have been a joy!
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Dang it, I really used to like your posts but, now I kn W you’ve met probably the highest ranking of my culinary idols I am going to be forever jaded!
Just kidding, he actually spent a week half a block teaching Betty Upjohn (yes, THAT Upjohn) when I lived on the other side of the woods from her house. She was as cool as J.P.! Mrs. U was a good customer when I was in several businesses here in Kalamazoo.
I really envy your time with Jacques! Must have been a joy!
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He was a very demanding instructor but great to work with. He used to regale the classes with stories of when he was first training. He’d tell use how he got many a kick in the pants from the chefs he studied under. I remember learning French omelette techniques and on the rolled omelettes he wanted no brown at all. I’d make one he’d look at it and tell me do it again. After around a dozen times I got it. To this day I can’t still make a perfect French rolled omelette.
 
You know, that’s the one thing I really don’t care for with “Classic” French omelettes, my dad taught me when I was maybe twelve years old how to do His omelettes, I like them with a touch of brown!
J.P.’s autobiography is one of the most fun reads I have ever enjoyed!
I’m sure he was strong as a teacher, he came up through the old apprentice school, it was tough. You still remember the things he taught you though, don’t you?
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
You know, that’s the one thing I really don’t care for with “Classic” French omelettes, my dad taught me when I was maybe twelve years old how to do His omelettes, I like them with a touch of brown!
J.P.’s autobiography is one of the most fun reads I have ever enjoyed!
I’m sure he was strong as a teacher, he came up through the old apprentice school, it was tough. You still remember the things he taught you though, don’t you?
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You bet I do. To this day with some dishes I make I can still hear him. I do still talk to him occasionally. I too prefer the country style omelette with some browning.
 
How cool! I'm Really jealous!
I’m revisiting the galantine in another week or two, the more I do it the better it will get, I figure by #50 I might be under twenty minutes!
Maybe.
 
Let me start by saying Jacques Pepin makes about 99.99999% of the world feel incompetent. I think Gordon Ramsey feels just slight inferior in comparison.

As to knives, I gave up on my Chef's Choice many years ago. No matter what I did I could never get a decent edge with that thing. I went back to my hand sharpening kit with the blade holder that let me sharpen at specific angles. It takes a long time, but it puts on an edge that's very hard to beat.

I'd also say one of the best things I ever bought for my knives was a ceramic honing rod. I got this one at Amazon. Can't say if it's better or worse than other similar ones. I can now go a year or more between sharpenings and still have a very keen edge. There was one I sadly can't remember the name of that was considered better, but it was a lot more expensive. That one was steel, maybe with diamonds, and had an oblong cross section with different surfaces around the perimeter for different types of honing.

I watched a video of Gordon Ramsey showing how to prepare a salmon. Having only seen him on his TV shows I was very surprised to see him as an understanding and patient teacher. Complete night and day personality change. Anyway, he steeled his knife after every single cut. He made a point out of how it was extremely important to have a razor sharp knife so each cut was smooth and cleanly sliced through the fish rather than tearing. Even when he was down to cutting the salmon into steaks, he steeled the knife each time so the knife would glide through the salmon in one smooth motion without any hesitation.
 
I have that steel Jay and it does great on my Globals. Timothy I haven’t done a galantine in years but used to do them quite frequently.
 
Thanks Jay, I don’t feel quite as bad about it as I did right after the first galantine. Better drying of the bird initially I think will help as well as more practice and a new ball of trussing twine. I have about enough to do three more projects.
 
The only recipe I have dared try of Chef Pepin's is his french omelet. Tried many times, and although I think mine is good, it's still nowhere near his. It's the simple things that are sometimes the hardest master.
 
KE Quist said:
The only recipe I have dared try of Chef Pepin's is his french omelet. Tried many times, and although I think mine is good, it's still nowhere near his. It's the simple things that are sometimes the hardest master.
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He used to say all the time if he wanted to check the skills of a chef he would ask him to cook him an omelette and a medium rare hamburger.
 
I have heard that from other people who have had first hand contact with him and asked cooking questions. It is the most basic things which determine real talent, when the basics are mastered, more involved things are just putting all the basic parts together in the PROPER ORDER.
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
I have heard that from other people who have had first hand contact with him and asked cooking questions. It is the most basic things which determine real talent, when the basics are mastered, more involved things are just putting all the basic parts together in the PROPER ORDER.
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Couldn’t agree more Timothy. Cover a beef dish with sauce or gravy yeah thats good. Serve a perfectly prepared med-rare ribeye or strip with just maybe a little pat of butter (I did study French cooking after all lol) and you’ve got skills.
 
I believe he is attributed with the comment “Cover something with a sauce and, you have hidden the fact that, you did not make the dish properly.” Or words to that effect.
JR, we have got to meet! You can teach me a lot!
A sauce should be a sauce not, a “Couverture”!
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
I believe he is attributed with the comment “Cover something with a sauce and, you have hidden the fact that, you did not make the dish properly.” Or words to that effect.
JR, we have got to meet! You can teach me a lot!
A sauce should be a sauce not, a “Couverture”!
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Yes he is and I agree we need to meet but I’ve seen some of your cooks and it’s I who could learn much from you. We’ll need to make this happen.
 
Thank you for reminding me that I love making chicken galentine. I'm okay at it but it does take time. I think it make a nice Sunday dinner for the family. And it is delicious. And the thing about the knife sharpening. I gave up years ago. I simply can't do it as well as the professionals. So I just drop it off at a reputable knife shop here in Oakland. And then I have to warn everyone that my knives are very sharp. Than I can have the tools like Pepin and prove to myself unequivocally that I am inadequate.
 
I’m not the best knife sharpener but I’m really good maintainer! When I notice one feeling like it needs help the guy at a sewing center is great. So he gets things from me pretty regularly. I know my limitations!
I have been warning people to “Not Mess with my Knives!” for most of my life, I’ve spent a lot of money and time choosing them and don’t want someone getting hurt or to have to replace them. I bought my first Chefs knife when I was 15 (10” Chicago Cutlery) I’m 62 now and still use that knife. Proper care for any knife will extend its working life. The latest acquisition is a rosewood handled Lamson paring knife, have not used it much but, it’s nice!
 
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KE Quist said:
The only recipe I have dared try of Chef Pepin's is his french omelet. Tried many times, and although I think mine is good, it's still nowhere near his. It's the simple things that are sometimes the hardest master.
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There is a pretty easy recipe he calls “Ouffes Jeannette” in his book which I’ve made a few times and it is a ten minute recipe, not quite a deviled egg but, more delicate. The time does not include hard cooking the egg!:D
 
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