A Marmie Life: Haute Cuisine. {A cook is not an accountant}

Haute Cuisine Star Catherine Frot

When you watch a movie and it makes you want to research all the info that you can, it's a great movie! Andy and I watched the french film called Haute Cuisine. It's about the cook, Daniele Delpeuch who was appointed as the personal chef to President Francois Mitterrand from '88-'90 and while she cooked for a research camp in Antarctica. She was picked to be his personal chef by the recommendation of a friend who briefly met her. She wasn't a taught chef or anyone who even had a cooking establishment. She was just like me and you who enjoyed cooking and learned the French cuisine recipes from her mother and Granny. The President wanted her to feed his soul with flavors that were simple, not fussy and reminded him of his childhood.

Daniele Delpeuch Photo source

I was drooling over the exquisite style and creativity of the dishes that she would make for him. I also loved her informalities in the kitchen. She used her hands to toss the salad. She wore everyday clothes when cooking. She said the recipes out loud when she cooked. She cooked from her heart. She's my kind of women!

My favorite quote of the movie -

"A cook isn't an accountant. A cook is an artist."

This is what she said to her sous chef on giving him the recipe for the salad dressing. It was 1/3 balsamic, 1/3 walnut oil, 1/3 olive oil and 1/3 dijon mustard.

Here are the noteworthy items that I wanted to learn more about:

*Cookbook that the President tells her about: “Eloges de la Cuisine Française” (1933) by Edouard Nignon. - link takes you to amazon with a new release of the old cookbook which sells for a pretty penny.

*Choux Farci au Saumon (Cabbage Stuffed with Salmon) Recipe

*Les Jonchee - I looked everywhere and I can't seem to find a recipe on the computer. It's a type of cheese that is fermented in reed mats but it has a sweet, smooth taste with a hint of almonds.