At the beginning of his new memoir, Jacques Pépin writes, “Proust has his madeleine; I had chicken.” According to Pépin, who has been cooking since he was 13 years old, no ingredient makes him happier than chicken. Except for the egg, perhaps.
“I am in awe of the modest bird’s contributions to international cuisine as a chef. As an artist, I admire the dazzling hues and varied splendour of its plumage, “Pépin pens words.
In the kitchen, he can make scrambled eggs into a meal fit for a single person or a dinner party for fifty. With his paintbrush, the birds take on expressive and vibrant features; occasionally, they resemble regal birds and other times, they resemble pineapples.
Jacques Pépin, who is 86 years old, holds 16 James Beard Awards, a Lifetime Emmy, and the Legion of Honor of France, in addition to his numerous television endeavours. He has prepared meals for former French president Charles de Gaulle and Julia Child. Pépin has written more than 30 cookbooks and devoted his life to demonstrating to millions of Americans how wholesome cuisine can sustain and enliven our existence.
Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird is his most recent book title.
Cooking quickly requires planning. Utilize these three suggestions to maximize your kitchen space quickly.
Cooking quickly requires planning. Utilize these three suggestions to maximize your kitchen space.
With Scott Simon of NPR, Jacques Pépin discussed his lengthy career and his artwork. The following portions of that conversation have been edited for length and clarity.
On preparing, consuming, and decorating chicken
I consider the Bresse chickens among France’s best because I was born in Bourg-en-Bresse. The French flag’s colours are bleu, blanc, and rouge, and these lovely white hens with blue feet and a red comb. Anyone visiting Bourg will be served chicken. From pâté to cream-sauced chicken with tarragon to cold chicken in aspic. It is very inclusive meat. Truffles inside the skin are everywhere, from truck stops to three-star restaurants.
After realising I was drawing chickens quite frequently, I decided to write a book about chickens.
The new book Art of the Chicken by Jacques Pépin includes watercolor depictions of chickens.
Pierre Pépin
There are parallels between cooking and art. Without a doubt, my increased training has made me a better cook. When you work at a restaurant, customers occasionally place orders for everything from chicken to morels. It will never be precisely the same since 15 minutes later, you receive a second order, followed by six, eight, or ten more of the same meal. It might be a little thicker. You added two teaspoons of water because it seemed a little dry. I respond to how the food seems. Taste, modify, taste, modify.
Cooking Chicken In A Pig’s Bladder With Bill Buford (It Sounds Better In French)
FOOD
Chicken Prepared in Pig Bladder (It Sounds Better In French) Including Bill Buford
And, for me, the resemblance to the painting is to some level. I don’t always know where I’m heading when I start a painting, but eventually, it takes hold of me. I then respond to it. I chose that color and shape because I like how it feels. So resembling, in some ways, the act of cooking.
on preparing meals for Charles de Gaulle, the president of France
It was a different world at the time. In terms of social standing, the cook was at the very bottom. When you tried to peek around the door to observe the visitors, you discovered that whenever anyone went to the kitchen, it was probably to voice a complaint.
The procedure frequently deals with state dinners, such as those with [President] Eisenhower. Otherwise, I would sit down with [Madame Yvonne de Gaulle] on Monday to plan the meal for the week. Additionally, they were fervent Catholics on Sunday. After church, the family supper with the kids, grandkids, and so on took place. So they started eating however they pleased at that moment. “I want a leg of lamb, not too rare; it’s no good for the president,” Madame de Gaulle used to say.
I recall that the foreign minister returned from Russia with three cans containing two kg of beluga caviar apiece. So, for a while, we enjoyed caviar in the kitchen. Additionally, they occasionally brought me eight, ten, or twelve pheasants at several of the presidential hunting locations, like Rambouillet. from which I had to make pâté. Otherwise, it was pretty routine.
Regarding Julia Child’s cooking :
Helen McCullough, a friend of mine, worked as a culinary editor. Helen said, “Oh, I’ve got that Bostonian woman here. Next week, she will arrive. You desire to cook.” I responded, “Sure, yeah.” She stated: “She stands at a great height. She speaks in an awful voice.” That was Julia, of course. So in 1960, we started to get along. So, in a nutshell, we were friends for fifty years. That implies that not only did we dispute constantly, but we also drank a lot of wine.
I began hosting a show on KQED. 26 shows throughout 13 series were mine. That amounts to hundreds of shows. They stated [after the first two performances], “You must finish it on time. Editing would be prohibitively expensive.” Cooking took about 29 minutes, and I had to complete three, occasionally four, recipes. A man is now passing by while holding a sign that reads, “Wrap up in 14 minutes, 12 minutes, 9 minutes, and 3 seconds.” Therefore, it could be pretty stressful. When we did it with Julia, she responded, “OK, we’ll start cooking and let you know when it’s done.” Some of the shows, in my opinion, ran longer than an hour.
The second is that, when making a television series, you often bring at least the book’s manuscript so that the back kitchen knows what you’re going to do. We lacked a recipe there. She advised me to list the things I wanted to do. I created a list of, say, 80 or 100 recipes. She also took the same action. And I believe only three of my recipes were included overall [laughs]. But I didn’t care. With Julia, we lacked a schedule and a recipe. A bottle of wine was present. It was, therefore, a fun show.
Though perhaps not as much as I used to, I still like cooking what he prepares these days. You are aware that as you get older, your metabolism alters. Young chefs tend to add to the plate. To increase the garnish. Then, add it. As you age, you go through a process where you eliminate more and maybe get closer to something more substantial.
I don’t need more garnishes if all that’s left is a lovely tomato from my garden, some coarse salt, and olive oil. So, yes, I still cook, but it’s pretty basic. Last night, I ate some clams. Old-fashioned pigs’ feet with breading and mustard on top.
Wine is still in my glass; set the bread on the table. It’s less elegant than what my late wife Gloria, who would have set the table by herself with flowers and other decorations, would have done. But we still prepare dinner, sit down, and eat it.