Butter Bon appetite

Stirring stories and spices from around the world

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about

I’m not a trained chef I’m not a world traveler (yet) I’m a home cook with global cravings a woman with a wooden spoon,a dream, and a pantry full of spices from places I haven’t even been yet. I Started this blog because I believe food is the most universal language.

  • Does Anyone Love Butter as much as I Do?

    Sometimes I wonder… does anyone love butter as much as I do?

    Not just like it.

    Not just cook with it.

    But truly love it- the way you love something that has walked through life with you. flavoring, your memories one golden smear at a time.

    My love affair with Butter began when I was just 15 years old, roaming the busy streets of chicago with the curiosity only a teenager can carry .Someone handed me a piece of authentic French baguette- that crisp, crackling crust giving way to that pillowy, warm center- and then they added the magic real butter.

    It wasn’t margarine we grew up on.

    It wasn’t the pale block that never quite melted.

    no.

    This was the real deal- creamy ,silky, sweet pure heaven.

    The second that butter touched my tongue something inside me lit up. It was, warm comforting, almost emotional it felt like the kind of moment that stamps itself into your memory and whispers” you’ll never forget me”

    And I haven’t

    From that day forward, butter has been a staple in my kitchen – my right hand companion, my trusted friend. My secret ingredient in almost every dish I touch. Let’s just face it …butter makes everything taste better.

    Whether I’m whipping up a pot of mashed potatoes, searing chicken In a skillet, baking biscuits, or sliding a pat of butter over a stack of pancakes, that familiar richness always shows up and shows out, it never fails me . We’ve been through thick and thin together- literally and we’ve never parted ways. And I never will.

    The French knew the truth long before I did.

    Butter elevates everything.

    It’s the heart beat of a sauce , the soul of a pastry , the warmth behind a perfect slice of toast . It softens edges , rounds out flavors, and turns simple ingredients into something memorable.

    Butter changed the culinary world ,and its still going strong. Long after im gone , long after today’s trends fade away, butter will still be here- golden, creamy,mouth- watering and timeless, waiting for the next person to discover it’s magic for the very first time.

    so,

    Does anyone love butter as much as I do?

    But even if they do, no one will ever love it quite the way that fifteen – year old girl in Chicago did- taking her first bite of warm French bread and tasting pure joy for the very first time.

  • Do I ever see wild animals?

    I have a racoon at stays near by I feed him scraps I live far deep in the wilderness we have deer , coyotes, raccoons, possums.

  • Cooking Polute a la creme A night in my kitchen with Julia

    Last night, as I stood in my kitchen preparing Polute a la creme for the very first time , something magical happened somewhere between the soft sizzle of chicken browning in butter and the aroma of mushrooms rising with the steam , I felt the unmistakable presence of Julia child herself.It was as if her warm spirit had slipped into my kitchen, guiding my hands and whispering ” be fearless “

    I imagined her in her own kitchen – tall ,joyful, and fully alive in her craft- making this exact dish for the family she loved so dearly.That vision gave me courage .I dove head first into this classic French recipe with the same bold enthusiasm Julia became famous for.

    Cooking , after all, is an art .It’s not just mixing ingredients. Or following steps- It’s a form of manifestation. You take simple ,humble., foods and transform them into nourishment for both the body and the soul. When you cook with love , that love becomes part of the dish. And last night ,every stir,every seasoning ,every drop of cream felt like a little prayer for comfort and joy.

    There’s something healing about it too.When your having a tough day.You can step into the kitchen, close the world out for a while,and let the alchemy of butter, herbs, and a good sauce remind you that beauty still exists, By the time the velvety, creamy sauce came together – Thick, glossy, and just slightly nutty- I could feel my whole spirit soften.

    I folded in the tender chicken , the earthy mushrooms , the fragrant herbs and suddenly the bad parts of the day didn’t feel so heavy anymore. Polute a la creme has that kind of magic ,flavorful, comforting, elegant without trying too hard- It’s the kind of dish your family will love and remember.

    I served mine with garlic mashed potatoes enriched with a little butter and a splash of cream.The way the sauce melted into the potatoes…unforgettable.

    Last night wasn’t just dinner. It was a moment of connection – with a classic dish ,with my own creativity, and with a culinary legend who continues to inspire cooks like me to be brave, bold and full of heart in the kitchen.

    Bon appetite, Julia And thank you for cooking with me.

    To all my fearless readers I bid you a good night and a Bon appetite

  • Poulet a’ la creme

    Ingredients

    1. Whole chicken cut into pieces ( bone in chicken thighs)
    2. salt and black pepper
    3. 2 tbsp butter (real butter no margarine)
    4. 1tbsp olive oil
    5. 2 shallots finely chopped
    6. 1 leek finely chopped
    7. 1 c.of fresh sliced mushrooms
    8. 1c. of bone chicken stock
    9. 1c. of heavy cream
    10. 1 tbsp flour
    11. 1 splash of white wine
    12. Fresh parsley or chives chopped
    13. 1 lemon just a generous squeeze
    14. 1 tbsp thyme

    Instructions

    1. Season the chicken

    pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.Julia always said ” Dry your chicken or it won’t brown”

    2 Brown the chicken

    in a heavy skillet , melt the butter with the olive oil add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides until golden.

    3 Add Aromatics

    Remove the chicken and set aside add the diced shallots , and mushrooms remember dont crowed the mushrooms or they won’t cook properly.Saute until soft and lightly browned.

    4 Build the sauce base

    Sprinkle in the flour and stir- this helps thicken the sauce. Add the bone both, and white wine stirring to dissolve any brown bits on the bottom of the pan ( this is a French technique called deglazeing)

    5 Simmer

    Return the chicken to the skillet ,cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until tender

    6 Add the cream

    Reduce the heat and slowly stir in the heavy cream simmer uncovered for 5- 7 minutes until the sauce becomes silky and thick .

    7Finish with fresh herbs & lemon

    Add a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle fresh parsley or chives on top.

    8. Serve over rice , eggnoodles, or garlic mashed potatoes, so that creamy sauce can shine.

    A French feast made with love

    As I stir, simmer, and taste tonight.

    I’m carrying Julia’s spirit with me cooking poulet a la creme for the first time feels like stepping into French culinary history – but doing it in my own way, for my own family, with my own heart.

    May this dish be as rich in memory as it is in flavor.

    Here’s to fearless cooking, French comfort,and a kitchen full of warmth.

    Bon appetite- and thank you Julia

  • My First Time Cooking Poulet a’ La Creme

    A Julia child – inspired French dinner in my southern kitchen.

    Tonight, I’m stepping into my kitchen with a little more excitement – and a little more courage- than usual. I’m cooking Poulet a la creme for the very first time a rich, velvety French chicken dish that julia child herself adored. If your watching Julia… please dont judge me too hard, I promise to cook with love ,curiosity, and a whole lot of butter- Just like you taught us.

    For fifteen years I’ve cooked for my family ,but this is our very first authentic French dinner together. There’s something special about recreating a traditional dish that meant so much to the woman who opened Americas eyes to the magic of French cusine. Tonight I’m stepping into that legacy,- flour on my hands.apron tied tight,and confidence slowly simmering like the cream sauce on my stove.

    I’m going to be fearless in the kitchen ,adding my own little spin while honoring the heart of this iconic dish. I’ll be thinking of Julia the whole time- her laugh,her fearless spirit, and her belief that anyone can cook beautifully if they simply dare to try. I hope she’d be proud of me for keeping her passion alive… a passion we share deeply : a love ❤️ of good food.

    And now here is the recipe I’ll be cooking tonight.

    Bon appetite, mes amis !

    Poulet a’ la creme chicken ( in cream sauce)

    A beautiful, comforting French classic inspired by the one and only Julia Child.

  • Last night was hard,but love is stronger.

    A raw honest reflection on marriage ,arguments, growth,and choosing love after a difficult night.A reminder that relationships require attention, forgiveness, and appreciation.

    The first night we ever slept apart

    Last night was the first night in fifteen years of marriage that my husband and I slept apart. Not in different houses -not even in different rooms- but him in the recliner and me in our bed. And even though the distance was only a few feet, it felt like miles.

    We had an argument, the kind that sneaks up on you after years of routine and responsibility. He feels like he doesn’t get enough of my undivided attention. And from where he sits ,I’m sure that feels true.

    The weight I carry everyday

    But sometimes I don’t think he realizes just how much I do for him,for our home,for our life together,he’s eight years older than me ,retired from the trucking industry after a lifetime of hard work.

    I take care of his health.

    I check his bloodsugar four- times a day.

    I make sure he gets the right dosage of insulin.

    I cook our meals – from scratch- every single day.

    I do the laundry.

    I keep our home clean.

    Ido the grocery hauls which let’s face it takes alot of time these days because keeping it as organic as I possibly can.

    I keep our home running.

    Making sure all the bills get paid on time every month.

    Why I started Bon appetite

    I do all these things out of love .And at the same time I’m learning to make space for myself too. That’s why I started this food blog as an outlet , a place to express my thoughts , my passions, and my voice . A space for everyday people living everyday lives, because we all carry struggles, burdens,joys, and dreams.

    But Love….. Love is still center

    I’m not perfect .

    I will make mistakes.

    I can be difficult sometimes.I own that .That’s the part of being human that we all share.we stumble,we learn,we grow. But I love my husband deeply. And despite everything, he has always cheered me on from the sidelines, supporting every dream I’ve dared to chase.He maybe grumpier now – age has a way of doing that to us and he has earned that right- but he still shows up for me in his own way.

    This morning I choose Love again.

    So this morning I’m putting on my big- girl panties, I’m going to say ” I’m sorry” I’m going to tell him I’ll try to do better.

    I’m going to set aside one day each week for us to go out, or stay in, do something fun ,reconnect, and remember why we’ve chosen each other all these years.

    Because at the end of the day ,family, friends, and love are what truely matters. LIfe is short, our season here is brief. And the people closest to us deserve to feel loved, valued, and appreciated.

    Today is a new day.

    A fresh start.

    And love gets another chance.

    To all my fearless readers I bid you a good morning and a Bon appetite

  • What if I had chosen France? A nurses reflection on the Dream I never chased.

    For twenty-five years , I gave my self to nursing. I worked every holiday , every overtime shift ,every long night when my feet ached, and my heart felt heavier than the patient chart I carried. I poured myself into a profession that I cared for deeply- yet ,looking back ,I’m not always sure it cared for me in the same way.

    And somewhere in the middle of those years , time slipped past me .

    Twenty-five years…. Just gone.

    Lately ,I find myself sitting quietly ,pondering all the what ifs. What if I had let myself dream bigger?

    What if I had trusted my heart more than my fears?

    What if I had taken the bold leap toward the life I secretly wanted?

    I always dreamed of cooking not just cooking – but mastering it studying at a premire culinary school ,maybe even the legendary Le cordon Bleu, But I was young ,and the weight of responsibility pressed against my chest. Financial stability, raising a family, doing ” the responsible thing” ” they all whispered louder than my passion ever could.

    So I chose nursing.

    And cooking stayed tucked away like a handwritten recipe I never took out of the drawer.

    But sometimes when the house is quiet and memories stir, I let myself imagine another version of my life- one where I didn’t let fear win.In that life , I’m walking down the same historic halls Julia child once walked., I’m sitting in the very class rooms where she began her journey, learning the art of French cuisine with the same fire and curiosity she carried decades before me.

    I see myself in Paris-

    Stepping onto a cobblestone street just as the sunrise touches the rooftops. I’m sitting at a café with a warm, flaky croissant layered with fresh , silky French butter that melts the moment it touches my tongue.

    I wander through a farmers market overflowing with the scent of fresh herbs ,bright vegtables, and the salty perfume of the mornings catch. Riped sun- kissed fruit hangs heavy from baskets as though it were just picked from a tree moments ago .

    I imagine visiting the museums , losing myself in art and history older than anything I have ever known.

    I imagine tasting authentic French dishes prepared with love , care and the kind of soulfulness only French cooking seems to carry.

    I imagine sitting at a little Cafe table , watching the world move softly around me as I breath in the culture, the beauty,and the magic of a life I never allowed myself to pursue.

    And though that dream lives in the realm of what could have been , it still warms my spirit. Because deep inside me, that spark for cooking …..it never died.

    Maybe I didn’t walk the halls of Le cordon Bleu.

    Maybe I didn’t study in France or follow the path Julia child once took.

    But here I am now….Finally giving myself permission to dream again.

    And maybe this time ,I’ll choose myself.

    To my fearless readers I say this do what you love and never give up on a dream.

    I bid you all a good night and

    Bon appetite

  • How French Cuisine changed American kitchens – Through the Eyes of someone who Fell in love with cooking

    When I step into my kitchen,tie on my apron, and reach for a stick of butter, I always feel a little whisper of history behind me. A gentle nudge. A familiar voice saying ” you can do this don’t be affraid”

    That voice is always julia

    Growing up, I never knew that French cuisine wasn’t always a part of American life. I never knew that before Juila, home cooks had almost no way to learn true French techniques. There were no English – language books explaining how to saute. how to braise, how to make a proper wine reduction. French cooking was locked behind a language barrier, a world away from American kitchens filled with canned soups and boxed dinners.

    But Julia child – this tall ,determined, endlessly curious woman – looked at the gap and decided she was going to bridge it.

    The world didn’t ask her to do it but she did it anyway

    In 1948 Julia arrived in France not as a chef, but as a woman searching for purpose, She fell in love with french culture ,people ,and French food the way some people fall in love with music- instantly ,deeply, forever. France awakened something in her spirit she wanted to understand the technique behind every bite.

    So she went to Le cordon Bleu , stood out like a star on a clear summer night above the other student’s and dove head first into the world of French Technique.

    But learning it wasn’t enough.

    She wanted to share it.

    At that time no one had written a French cooking book for American home cooks. Everything was in French, meant for French chefs , using methods and measurements Americans didn’t understand Julia saw perfectly what was missing . A French cookbook written in English for Americans , in measurements they knew, with instructions they could actually follow.

    She wasn’t trying to become famous she simply wanted American Women ordinary everyday cooks – to feel the joy she felt when she first tasted a proper French meal.

    And today when I cook dinner – my favorite meal of the day. I feel connected to that history.I feel connected to her bravery, her humor, her joy. When I slice herbs, or stir a pot of cream , or pour wine into a pan to deglaze it. I’m standing in a kitchen shaped by Julia child’s dream. She is always with me in spirit in my kitchen. She is the reason I fell in love with cooking at a young age I will forever be grateful to her for this extraordinary gift.

    To all my fear less readers I bid you a farewell good night and a Bon appetite.

  • Growing up with Julia child the chef who taught America to love French cooking.

    Growing up in the 80s there was one thing that could pull me through the door faster than the school bus could pull away— julia child on TV. While other kids rushed home for cartoons , I rushed home for the woman who could glide around a kitchen in a 1940s dress,pearls gently swinging, and a copper pot in each hand like they were extensions of her heart.

    Juila wasn’t just a chef .

    She was a movement

    She was the woman who walked into American living rooms and said ” yes you can cook like the French – and you can have fun doing it “

    From her warm laugh to the way she fearlessly flipped food in her skillet (even if it fell) , she made French cooking feel possible for every day American families , She gave us permission to use butter generously, to taste boldly, and to cook with joy instead of perfection.

    I grew up mesmerized

    Julia child felt like a magical doorway into another world- a world of copper pots from Paris, hand written recipes from Le cordon Bleu , and kitchens filled with love , history. and the smell of something incredible simmering on the stove.

    And today ,as I cook my own dinners — my favorite meal of the day – I carry her spirit with me.

    Her passion

    Her curiosity

    Her courage

    Her belief that food is more than ingredients,, it is memory , comfort, culture,and connection.

    This blog is my way of honoring her,

    A place where butter is celebrated

    French technique meets real life

    Dinner in the heart of the home and Julia’s legacy continues, one recipe at a time.

    Welcome to my kitchen – where julia still lives in every whisk every simmer and every bite

    To all my fearless readers I wish you a good night and Bon appetite.

  • A walk through the markets of France.

    Imagine strolling through a French Farmers Market at sunrise. The stalks glow with color -deep purple figs , sun- sweet peaches dripping with juice ,tomatoes so plump they look like they might burst , and baskets of herbs so fragrant they almost take your breath away.

    Thyme, Tarragon, Rosemary, Lavender you can smell them before you even spot them .

    Vendors call out greetings ,children chase pigeons . A baker wheels out fresh croissants, steam still rising from the layers , And somewhere, a farmer is selling the pale, creamy slabs of cultured French butter _ wrapped in simple parchment paper, stamped with nothing fancy except the promise of pure craftsmanship.

    You pick one up , and it’s cool in your hands, heavy with richness it’s the kind of butter that changes a dish changes your life even.