GBH Openvault

French Chef; Asparagus From Tip to Butt

Part of From the Vault. Part of The Julia Child Project: The Cold War, France, and the Politics of Food.

04/25/1966

When you prepare asparagus the French way, you have more of it to eat, it cooks faster, stays greener and tastes fresh from the garden. Delicious plain or served with a buttery orange sauce for a change, and most unusual in a soup, custard, or a quiche. The show opens with Child glowing over how much she appreciates asparagus and giving viewers advice about how to judge, purchase, and store it. Child emphasizes the importance of preparing asparagus the French way—cutting off only a small amount of the bottom and especially peeling the stalk--asserting that it results in using more of the asparagus, makes it easier to cook and eat, and results in fresher-tasting finished asparagus. She instructs viewers in how to peel the asparagus (using a French vegetable peeler), then tie it into bundles and cook it in boiling water. Although she is clear that it can be served simply with only some lemon juice and salt to flavor it, she prepares a sauce maltese, which consists of hollandaise sauce with orange flavoring. She demonstrates how to beat eggs yolks, juice and other ingredients over heat until they become a custard, then adds melted butter orange flavoring. She describes serving and preparation for asparagus that is to be served cold as well as warm. Finally, she demonstrates how it can be served and eaten. Throughout the episode, and especially in the final scenes, Child stresses the exceptional taste of asparagus, the benefits of cooking it as the French do, and her intense enjoyment of it. She points out that people might eat asparagus every day when it is in season, so having a sauce helps to vary it. She also encourages viewers to serve it on its own as a first course or as a substitute for a salad course. Finally, she concludes by leaning back and lowering a whole stalk into her mouth. Summary and select metadata for this record was submitted by Tracey Deutsch.


License Clip

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Series
French Chef
Program
Asparagus From Tip to Butt
Program Number

124

Series Description

Premiered locally February 1962 and July- August 1962, nationally in Feb. 1963 - approx. 300 shows produced. 1963-1973.

Original series ran 1963 to July 1966, then went into reruns through September 1970.

In October 1970 the new French Chef 200 series was shot in color and taped on the set at WGBH. Included in the programs were footage of Julia’s summer trip to France.

The 1971-1972 season was a tour of the French Classics: 26 half hour programs designed as a refresher course for experienced cooks and as a jet-assist takeoff for beginners.

After a funding scare, Polaroid funded a full 1972-1973 season. The theme was: The French Chef Faces Life. Julia shows viewers how to cope with situations that reflect the demands of society, family and lifestyle such as Sudden Company or a three course sit down dinner and getting kids involved in cooking.

NOTE: Beginning August 6, 1972, The French Chef repeated popular shows as a captioned edition. Series release date: 2/1962

Program Description

When you prepare asparagus the French way, you have more of it to eat, it cooks faster, stays greener and tastes fresh from the garden. Delicious plain or served with a buttery orange sauce for a change, and most unusual in a soup, custard, or a quiche.

Duration

00:29:16

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Hollandaise Sauce
Asparagus
Cooking-French
Sauce Maltese
Child, Julia
Genres
Instructional
Topics
Cooking
Creators
Lockwood, Ruth (Series Producer)
Contributors
Lockwood, Ruth (Producer)
Mahard, Frances (Other (see note))
Griffiths, David (Director)
Child, Julia (Host)
Publication Information
Posted with permission from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts
Citation
Chicago: “French Chef; Asparagus From Tip to Butt,” 04/25/1966, GBH Archives, accessed March 19, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_B0D9EDA444FC425C8932E0BE8198AAA5.
MLA: “French Chef; Asparagus From Tip to Butt.” 04/25/1966. GBH Archives. Web. March 19, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_B0D9EDA444FC425C8932E0BE8198AAA5>.
APA: French Chef; Asparagus From Tip to Butt. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_B0D9EDA444FC425C8932E0BE8198AAA5
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