Your name was mentioned in the CBS segment, Rona! I used your cornbread recipe and added a little cheese and jalapeno to the top because it’s all cornmeal. No flour. Such a wonderful gluten-free and pure recipe. Love it. And thank you!
What a great article Anne. I can totally relate to your spending a rainy afternoon reading through this cookbook getting transported to France. One of my favorite things to do is to seek out vintage as well as new cookbooks when I go to book fairs and independent book stores. My husband is about ready to divorce me because the cook books are literally overtaking the house, but I can’t help it I absolutely love reading them.
By the way, I did watch you on CBS the Morning Dish,and I thought it was a fabulous series! You so eloquently gave tribute to all the women who deserved credit for the recipes throughout history that may have never been properly acknowledged. Your thorough research and excellent writing skills are so evident in your beautiful cookbook, which is a work of art and a piece of American Southern history. Your baked goods looked so delicious and inviting on TV, and you looked so beautiful& and a total natural on TV. Congratulations!!
Ha! Debbie, I know the feeling and am completely over the comment, ‘’you don’t need another cookbook.’’ I don’t ask him anymore. I know I do need another cookbook because I, too, read them for pleasure. Especially the older ones. And thank you regarding CBS. I did splurge and have a hair and makeup gal come to my house the morning of filming. I did all the baking (except the pie, Martha Bowden made that for me!) and styling of the food so I did not hire a food stylist which most people do if on national TV. My face and hair were more important than Rona’s cornbread or my Aunt Elizabeth’s banana pudding. They’re just good!
South Wind Through the Kitchen was the very first book I read from Elizabeth David, the book that convinced me I wanted to pursue a career in food writing. Once in a while I leaf through the book and read one of her essays, just for the comfort it gives me.
Anne - I just watched your segment on CBS. Congratulations! That was wonderful to watch. So timely to what is going on in our country with women and people of color's histories being scrubbed from government websites. I'm going to keep reading and cooking from your wonderful book, but I'm also going to pay closer attention to how my heritage and where I live has informed how I bake. Someday I'm going to see you in person and get that book signed!
Sounds good, Karen! Let’s do it. And yes, when you take the time to think in a different way about things you’ve always taken for granted, it’s a moving experience.
I am pleased that Elizabeth David brought you cheer during the recent storm you were enduring.Whilst I do little cooking these days I do have six of Elizabeth’s on my shelf. She certainly had an interesting life and remains in high regard in this country.As always your writing is equally stimulating. Julie
Julie, I look forward to the day when I can peruse your Elizabeth David cookbooks and we can talk about what you have cooked from her. Hopefully sooner than later!
Thanks for another fascinating and beautifully written column, Anne. My mother used to make scalloped potatoes, which I think are fairly close to this recipe, though minus the cheese. I was also excited to learn more about Elizabeth David—now I want this book, of course. Where I’ll fit it in my library, I don’t know, but that’s a small price to pay for a treasure.
The older I get the more I love the essays about food from MFK Fisher and now Elizabeth David. I want their opinion and am eager for what women in another time and another part of the world had to say about putting food on the table.
Love Elizabeth David's books. Thank you for this fascinating post.
At Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris, Chef Chambrette made his gratin dauphinois differently. He simmered the potato slices in milk until tender, then drained them and put them in a gratin dish (same seasonings as yours) and covered them with creme fraiche and baked them. He said this ensures the potatoes cook evenly.
Faye, that is such an old school method if my memory serves me. Feel like some of the early scalloped potato recipes also called for simmering the potatoes in milk. I make a fish and potato pie from a British friend and you simmer the potatoes and layer with fish and bechamel then bake. So interesting. Where was Chef Chambrette from in France? I remember him well from La Varenne!
What a marvelous, inspiring and delightful read. I have only recently become other than a yam potato lover thanks to Melissa’s Produce baby potato’s and will definitely try this dish, which will always remind me of this article. Thank you!
Thank you for telling us about Elizabeth David. I know of her - but I didn't know too much. I know that Laurie Colwin references her once or twice in Home Cooking and More Home Cooking. Have you read those? I think that you'd like them a lot.
I'll make these potatoes this week. I have a bowl of potatoes from my last CSA share of the winter and I think they'll work well for this. The potatoes are looking a little sad - but heavy cream should perk them up.
Cream perks anything up, Karen! Well, maybe not everything…but it helps! I have read Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking. Not the second one. I do love her voice. I’ll make a mental note to write about and explore LC sometime this year.
What a glorious post, Anne, as rich as the gratin itself. Thank you for doing the work of learning and sharing these stories with us.
Your name was mentioned in the CBS segment, Rona! I used your cornbread recipe and added a little cheese and jalapeno to the top because it’s all cornmeal. No flour. Such a wonderful gluten-free and pure recipe. Love it. And thank you!
What a great article Anne. I can totally relate to your spending a rainy afternoon reading through this cookbook getting transported to France. One of my favorite things to do is to seek out vintage as well as new cookbooks when I go to book fairs and independent book stores. My husband is about ready to divorce me because the cook books are literally overtaking the house, but I can’t help it I absolutely love reading them.
By the way, I did watch you on CBS the Morning Dish,and I thought it was a fabulous series! You so eloquently gave tribute to all the women who deserved credit for the recipes throughout history that may have never been properly acknowledged. Your thorough research and excellent writing skills are so evident in your beautiful cookbook, which is a work of art and a piece of American Southern history. Your baked goods looked so delicious and inviting on TV, and you looked so beautiful& and a total natural on TV. Congratulations!!
Ha! Debbie, I know the feeling and am completely over the comment, ‘’you don’t need another cookbook.’’ I don’t ask him anymore. I know I do need another cookbook because I, too, read them for pleasure. Especially the older ones. And thank you regarding CBS. I did splurge and have a hair and makeup gal come to my house the morning of filming. I did all the baking (except the pie, Martha Bowden made that for me!) and styling of the food so I did not hire a food stylist which most people do if on national TV. My face and hair were more important than Rona’s cornbread or my Aunt Elizabeth’s banana pudding. They’re just good!
South Wind Through the Kitchen was the very first book I read from Elizabeth David, the book that convinced me I wanted to pursue a career in food writing. Once in a while I leaf through the book and read one of her essays, just for the comfort it gives me.
Very nice. I get the feeling it would make Elizabeth David extremely proud to know she influenced others to write about food with such passion.
Anne - I just watched your segment on CBS. Congratulations! That was wonderful to watch. So timely to what is going on in our country with women and people of color's histories being scrubbed from government websites. I'm going to keep reading and cooking from your wonderful book, but I'm also going to pay closer attention to how my heritage and where I live has informed how I bake. Someday I'm going to see you in person and get that book signed!
Sounds good, Karen! Let’s do it. And yes, when you take the time to think in a different way about things you’ve always taken for granted, it’s a moving experience.
Hope you have my latest suggestion.As you can see technology is not my strength. Julie
How about a short cruise around the British isles with Saga in May? Julie
A thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing post! I’ve now gone in search of both books. Thank you!
Maybe you will find another treasure? If so, let us know!
I’m on the hunt! 🧐
I am pleased that Elizabeth David brought you cheer during the recent storm you were enduring.Whilst I do little cooking these days I do have six of Elizabeth’s on my shelf. She certainly had an interesting life and remains in high regard in this country.As always your writing is equally stimulating. Julie
Julie, I look forward to the day when I can peruse your Elizabeth David cookbooks and we can talk about what you have cooked from her. Hopefully sooner than later!
Wonderful.Any chance of joining a cruise around the British Isles in May? Julie.
Thanks for another fascinating and beautifully written column, Anne. My mother used to make scalloped potatoes, which I think are fairly close to this recipe, though minus the cheese. I was also excited to learn more about Elizabeth David—now I want this book, of course. Where I’ll fit it in my library, I don’t know, but that’s a small price to pay for a treasure.
The older I get the more I love the essays about food from MFK Fisher and now Elizabeth David. I want their opinion and am eager for what women in another time and another part of the world had to say about putting food on the table.
Anne, I feel the same. Perhaps such writing is another form of comfort food.
So sweet to have dear John Egerton evoked in your lovely post. I’m looking forward to reading Elizabeth David. Thanks so much!
John was a brilliant writer and good human. We need him now.
Sounds like a fabulous book by a wonderful woman.
I love cheese in my gratin.
I second that emotion. Cheese in gratins all day long!
ps. thanks for the link to the CBS interview.
Love Elizabeth David's books. Thank you for this fascinating post.
At Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris, Chef Chambrette made his gratin dauphinois differently. He simmered the potato slices in milk until tender, then drained them and put them in a gratin dish (same seasonings as yours) and covered them with creme fraiche and baked them. He said this ensures the potatoes cook evenly.
It was absolutely scrumptious!
Faye, that is such an old school method if my memory serves me. Feel like some of the early scalloped potato recipes also called for simmering the potatoes in milk. I make a fish and potato pie from a British friend and you simmer the potatoes and layer with fish and bechamel then bake. So interesting. Where was Chef Chambrette from in France? I remember him well from La Varenne!
Hi Anne,
How interesting! I had never heard of that method until Chef Chambrette taught it to us.
Glad to know you remember him well. He was from Ile de France.
What a marvelous, inspiring and delightful read. I have only recently become other than a yam potato lover thanks to Melissa’s Produce baby potato’s and will definitely try this dish, which will always remind me of this article. Thank you!
Hope you enjoy! Thanks, Gerry!
Loved learning all of this about Elizabeth David, what a great post. I really want gratin dauphinois now, A+ comfort food! ❤️
I think you would have loved ED, Jolene. And yes to comfort food especially now.
Thank you for telling us about Elizabeth David. I know of her - but I didn't know too much. I know that Laurie Colwin references her once or twice in Home Cooking and More Home Cooking. Have you read those? I think that you'd like them a lot.
I'll make these potatoes this week. I have a bowl of potatoes from my last CSA share of the winter and I think they'll work well for this. The potatoes are looking a little sad - but heavy cream should perk them up.
Cream perks anything up, Karen! Well, maybe not everything…but it helps! I have read Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking. Not the second one. I do love her voice. I’ll make a mental note to write about and explore LC sometime this year.
Thank you for sharing this fascinating story, Anne. What a remarkable woman!
She must have been a lot of fun to have dinner with, Eileen! I am now on the lookout for Elizabeth David recipes.