The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister Recipe by Sophie Fenlon
Let’s talk Erica Bauermeister!
Erica is the author of many books including this month’s read and bestselling novel The School of Essential Ingredients, along with Joy for Beginners, The Lost Art of Mixing, and The Scent Keeper.
Not stopping there, she’s also co-author of the non-fiction works, 500 Great Books by Women: A Reader's Guide and Let's Hear It For the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14
With a PhD in literature from the University of Washington, she taught there and at Antioch University.
She is a founding member of the Seattle7Writers and currently lives in Port Townsend, Washington.
No matter what I write, no one can say it better than Erica herself.
Erica writes “I remember when I was young, thinking that if you didn’t publish the Great American Novel by the time you were thirty, you would never publish at all. Well, my life tells a different story.
I wrote for years—decades in fact—before The School of Essential Ingredients, was published the year I turned 50.
That book, and the ones that have come after it, have been some of the greatest gifts I could ever imagine. And the books that came before, the ones that weren’t published?
I am grateful for them all the time, because those are the books that taught me how to write, so that when I was finally grown up enough to write what I was meant to write, my skills were right there waiting for me.
At this point, I have four novels, including The Scent keeper (a Reese’s Book Club pick in 2020), The School of Essential Ingredients (a Pennie’s Pick for Costco in 2019), Joy for Beginners and The Lost Art of Mixing (a sequel to The School of Essential Ingredient).
My books have hit the NYT and USA Today bestseller lists and have been published in over 25 languages.
My most recent book, House Lessons: Renovating a Life is a memoir-in-essays twenty years in the making. It examines not just our renovation of a hoarder house, but how a renovation can impact a family and a marriage, and how the designs of our houses can affect who we are and can become.
A friend suggested once that every author writes the same book over and over. What is your book? she asked. I thought about it, but the answer was simple. I write about the subliminal, the things we don’t pay attention to—the food we cook, our sense of smell, the houses we live in, the rituals and fears in our lives. I write about connection and disconnection and serendipity.
But most of all, I write about compassion—because it is what helps us see everything else.” Erica Bauermeister!
So, what is the book about?
This month’s read, The School of Essential Ingredients, shows the lives of a group of students who meet each week for a cooking class.
As the weeks progress, the students are transformed by what’s happening in the kitchen, the smells and textures of the food leads to reflections about love, romance, friendships, death and life.
They all realise that they are there not just for the cooking classes, and find new skills and friends, and a lot about themselves too!
The School of Essential Ingredients
by Erica Bauermeister
My humble opinion?
I liked this book and have added Erica Bauermeister to my ever-increasing list of authors, so I’ll be reading her other books around the pool on my holiday this year.
Not just about food, this book has a feel of other books I like, from other authors.
I’m not saying this is a bad thing, the opposite in fact.
She clicked into my love of the depth of characters coming together around a love of food.
A win, win for me so I give this a 3-egg rating.
I give it a 3 egg rating.
Now let’s talk food and this months featured chef, Sophie Fenlon.
I’ve taken most of her bio from articles by Jill Van Gyn, from a press release Meet the chef, and from herself.
Chef Sophie Fenlon
Sophie was born in England, a small Cotswolds town, but moved around a great deal with her military parents, ending up in Vancouver Canada.
Coming from a family who thought of food as fuel, Sophie always knew she wanted to be a chef.
After graduating from high school, she began her training at Vancouver Culinary Institute and a Red Seal apprenticeship under Chef Lee Parsons at the Wedgewood Hotel.
Sophie was chosen to represent Junior Team Canada by the colleges with competitions across the country. After receiving her red seal she moved to London, to the Ritz Hotel, but didn’t love the cut throat conditions.
Clapham Junction was her next move, to a small Michelin starred restaurant, Trinity. This is where Sophie began to find her stride.
But living and working in London is sometimes not the best combination to maintain a positive work life balance, which prompted her move back to Victoria.
Finding roles at the Olo, The London Chef and the acclaimed White Mountain, Sophie now had the balance she was looking for and encouraged it in her kitchen staff too. Setting a four day week and encouraging outside interests Sophie says: “If we stop trying to put cooks in a box, of what passionate high pressured cooks position should be, like we see in TV, then we can create careers that people want to stay in.”
Sophie is now head chef at the Ginger Man Restaurant in Brighton
Read on to find out more about her, straight from her own pen, taken from Eat Magazine
Sophie Writes
“In 2014, I came to Victoria to find balance in my life as a cook. A couple of years later (when I was 26) I was hired as Executive Chef to execute the vision Mr MacNeil had for his restaurants, Vis a Vis and Penny Farthing Pub. I was thrilled to be chosen to lead such a large team, to be the conductor of such an extensive operation – here was a real challenge, and I felt ready to showcase my leadership skills. There were, of course, a few hiccups along the way but I finally reached my goal; building a team from the ground up, a group that worked hard together, produced the excellent quality food required and maintained loyalty and positivity. There was nothing that made me prouder than teaching one of my cooks a technique and then later seeing them pay that lesson forward.
I also learned there was a downside. I have spent hours writing schedules, creating systems, costing food, planning menus, and hiring and training staff. Even though these duties were a great learning experience, I knew that in the long term, I couldn’t find personal happiness and satisfaction based on these duties alone. I also felt lucky to have struck gold with such a close-knit community in Victoria, where support is found not just from the owners you work for but in the hospitality community at large. In Victoria, people are not scared to talk about some real issues that lie within the industry (mental health, drug dependency, work-life balance); people aren’t afraid to expose the weaknesses and to deal with them head-on. That support system is unlike anywhere else I have worked in the world.
But I had started to feel disconnected from food for the first time in my life. Food and cooking have been my only goals and motivations in life so far, closely intertwined with my identity as a person, and I felt them slipping away. I lacked inspiration, and I had never felt so lost within my craft; my biggest fear was that the skill I worked so hard to hone was melting away. Even my own personal relationship with food was becoming harmful to me. I didn’t cook for myself anymore; instead, I choose unhealthy, easy options to fuel myself.
After spending two years as an executive chef, I knew I had to rebuild my passion and find the spark that made me choose this career in the first place. I have devoted the last twelve years of my career studying French cooking; the traditional techniques and recipes for which it is known, but had not yet lived in the country that created those principles.
As you read this letter, I have just left the life I have built in Victoria and moved to France. I have said goodbye to my job, my family, and my friends, have sold all my possessions and have moved to Lyon. I’m filled with considerable excitement and a healthy dose of nerves.
I am eager to submerge myself in the culture and the food that this city and country have to offer. Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, and I believe it will be the perfect place for me to lose myself in new ingredients, traditional methods, and a very different culture. On top of being the third largest city in France, Lyon is situated at the intersection of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Its downtown core has over two thousand years of history from the Roman Amphi théâtre des Trois Gaules, to the Medieval and Renaissance architecture there. Mixed with the new districts in the Presqu’île peninsula, Lyon is truly a unique city. With the highest density of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, I know I am going to be exposed to the best possible learning experiences. What better place to go to reconnect with my craft?
In my life, I have always done things that scare me, and I always come out the other side stronger, more open-minded, and with a wealth of new experiences. I hope you will come with me on this adventure—from local vineyards to the myriad of restaurants and markets, I am excited to share my discoveries through my monthly updates on eatmagazine.com and in EAT Magazine.” Sophie Fenlon
A few fun questions about Chef Sophie Fenlon before you get to the recipe!
What are you best known for as a chef?
“I move fast. I’m loud. I sing — a lot.”
What are the 10 or so most important ingredients in your pantry?
“My top 10 thing to always have on hand, and which I believe are the basic ingredients to almost all well-balanced dishes are: butter, kosher salt, lemons, fresh herbs, chicken bones, onions, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil and sherry vinegar.”
Favourite dish to cook and eat on a warm, FALL day?
“A big pot of mussels and spot prawns, with ridiculously crusty bread and way too much.”
What’s your go-to item when sampling other chefs’ fare?
“When I dine out I usually go for anything I can share; therefore, I can try more things on the menu. I love quality in food, so I do tend to seek out restaurants that are trying to bring more business to the local farms here on the island.”
Hobbies?
“I really like to incorporate as much music as possible into my free time. On top of that, I enjoy the time I have with friends and family, and my most valued hobby — the art of conversations.”
Find out more about Sophie here: Instagram, Linkedin. Twitter, The Ginger Man Restaurant Eat Magazine
Now to the recipe gifted to us by Chef Fenlon!
Sophie Fenlons Poulet au Vinigre
“A classic Lyonnaise dish, dating back centuries. Served with a tangy red wine vinegar reduction sauce and tons of fresh herbs. This is my twist on the classic with preparation time 15mins and cook time of 20mins.
I have used the famous ‘Poulet de Bresse’ in this recipe, but any local/organic chicken can be easily substituted.” Sophie Fenlon
Poulet au Vinigre by Sophie Fenlon
INGREDIENTS:
1 4lb organic chicken, cut into 10 pieces
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 shallots, sliced
4 sprigs of thyme
3 whole garlic cloves
4 peppercorns
¼ cup fresh parsley
2 fresh bay leaf
1 Tbsp butter
¾ cup crème fraiche
Prepping ingredients helps speed up the cooking.
METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 425f.
In a deep cast iron skillet, heat the butter and oil together over medium-high heat
Season chicken pieces with sea salt & cracked pepper
Brown the meat, and set aside once golden all over
Drain off the excess fat in the pan. *very important
Add garlic cloves, bay, and thyme – lightly caramelise.
Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar and shallot slices, reduce by ¾
Turn down heat to medium and stir in crème fraiche, and the rest of the butter
Return the chicken pieces to the pan – place lid on skillet and bake in the oven for 18 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through
Finish with parsley, and serve with crusty bread, lentils, rice or roasted potatoes.
A Brief History on ‘Poulet de Bresse’:
The chickens of the Bresse region have for years held a status of high reputation, and in France, they are sometimes referred to as “the queen of poultry. These healthy chickens earned legal protection on Dec 22 of 1936 and gave them the reputation of being the best quality chicken in the world.
Production and breeding is overseen by the “Centre de Sélection de la Volaille de Bresse” and farmers must follow strict rules in order to qualify their birds for the ‘Bresse’ status.
Ready to eat!
