Improvisation | The French Chef Season 4 | Julia Child

Julia Child presents short-order cooking the French way.
About the French Chef:
Cooking legend and cultural icon Julia Child, along with her pioneering public television series from the 1960s, The French Chef, introduced French cuisine to American kitchens. In her signature passionate way, Julia forever changed the way we cook, eat and think about food.
About Julia Child on PBS:
Spark some culinary inspiration by revisiting Julia Child’s groundbreaking cooking series, including The French Chef, Baking with Julia, Julia Child: Cooking with Master Chefs and much more. These episodes are filled with classic French dishes, curious retro recipes, talented guest chefs, bloopers, and Julia’s signature wit and kitchen wisdom. Discover for yourself how this beloved cultural icon introduced Americans to French cuisine, and how her light-hearted approach to cooking forever changed how we prepare, eat and think about food. Bon appétit!
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[@koolblue6927]

Never in my life would I expect Julia Child and instant mashed potatoes together! Miss her.

[@nathanjustus6659]

All these fancy restaurants with crepe dishes use leftovers for the filling.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

She basically made a souffle of mashed potato.

[@nyingma13]

Instant mashed potatoes were something new, and her goal was to get U.S. housewives preparing more food versus TV dinners-another newer innovation-and canned foodsand she presented recipes for all levels of expertise.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@nyingma13 the books aren't really about what to cook, but HOW to cook.

[@captainamericaamerica8090]

@@nyingma13 not really. She rarely used instant junk type foods. She mostly cooked All FRESH!! FROM SCRATCH. SHE'S JUST EXPLORER HERE

[@antoniobroccoliporto4774]

Oh God…mom made me transcribe all those shows onto a piece of paper…she was a wig maker that brought her work home so her hands were occupied while she worked with her crocheted needle on the lace. So I was her secretary. I love Julia because she reminds me of my mom’s love for cooking.

[@rah62]

1:28 The art department went all out on that label.

[@antoniobroccoliporto4774]

No promoting allowed…hahaha😅

[@Indigolden]

Inst mash pots

[@juliehobbs7938]

Ha ha. I was loving the labels! T V in its infancy, and Julia was the star it needed. I have loved this show since I was about

[@juliehobbs7938]

8 yeasts old. Julie is still hands down more fun and educational to watch than Any modern cooking show.

[@DavidHall-ge6nn]

"Leftovers and instant potatoes the French way. Today, on the French Chef!" Not an intro I ever expected from Julia, but she pulled it off!

[@antoniobroccoliporto4774]

Lol…in this day and age yes…but back then people loved shortcuts. Those remind me of high school cafeteria day.

[@rah62]

@@antoniobroccoliporto4774 "Back then people loved shortcuts"? Shortcuts were the entire M.O. for that awful Sandra Lee show on the Food Network! Nowadays, people call them "hacks" (a mis-use which I loathe).

[@antoniobroccoliporto4774]

@@rah62 agreed…the thing is once you have the real thing made from scratch there’s no comparison…but folks can be lazy.

[@billbruff9613]

Instant potatos, canned carrots and mushrooms. OMG never thought I would see this!!

[@josephcollins6033]

Damn! How I love her! And, this episode I have not seen!!!

[@outtathyme5679]

Give Julia some jerky and a marshmallow and voila in an hour: Chateaubriand

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

If you stick through the credits, there's the best fed crew on T.V. Bon Appetit!

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

FABULOUS as always!

[@manxkin]

I actually like to “treat” myself to instant mashed potatoes every now and then. Thank you Julia.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

While trucking, I discovered I had a mouse that can read. A pack of instant potatoes was eaten. 2 microwave versions as well. The scary part? How did the mouse know what POTATO meant? Grits, gravy mix, a box of breadcrumbs, were unmolested.

[@lindarowe787]

I've never liked instant mashed potatoes, but I suppose the egg yolks, butter, and cream could make them palatable!

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

Think of it as a blank canvas. What do you want to paint?

[@elizabethcraig5825]

Nowadays you can find very nice instant potatoes.😊

[@joshuaharper372]

With some extra ingredients (cream and butter, or in the way Julia fancies them up) instant potatoes can be difficult to distinguish from real, I have found.

[@hansmiller664]

In Germany we had "Pfanny Puree" wich my mother used also on Sundays to save time. She enriched it also with Butter and whole Milk until she passed the pot over to me to stir with, Yes a wooden Spoon. And I, as a little Boy, stirred and stirred and stirred and stirred UNTIL Mother said Stop, took the Pot, wrapped it in a towel and put the Pot into Bed to keep the Puree hot! I still put boiled, ready potatoes nicely wrapped under the Bed Blanket. Saves Energy and you have time for other chores in the Kitchen!

[@mariahwhitneycelinejanetmadona]

In bed?

[@antoniobroccoliporto4774]

My mom was Italian and we used the bed to for laying out the home made pasta on a linen tablecloth dusted with flour…yes the bed!😅

[@hansmiller664]

@@mariahwhitneycelinejanetmadona When your boiled Potatoes are done, pour off the rest of water (save a cup, in case your sauce has thickened too much....), put the pot back on the flame to steam off the liquid at the bottom. Put a clean towel between Lid and Pot, wrap the rest of the Towel around and, Yes you said it, put it IN BED! Now while Potatoes keep nicely hot and tender, you have time to fry the meat, prepare the sauce, vegetables, salad ...

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@antoniobroccoliporto4774 Patton, in War As I Knew It, describes the Sicilian method for making tomato sauce. LOL, if it ain't true, it oughta be.

[@jamieohiogal9559]

Divine.

[@jelsner5077]

My mother never used instant mashed potatoes, but we must have had them two or three times a week. They probably would've made her life a lot easier. I keep instant potatoes in my pantry as an emergency. I would never serve them at a party, but they come in handy when you're rushed.

[@skinnysnorlax1876]

They can be very nice for thickening soups. Jacques Pepin uses that trick a lot

[@Dinki-Di]

Amusing to see all the comments here having a fainting fit over the use of instant potatoes. Dehydrating is a time-honoured method of food preservation. I suspect those same people would have no quarms about using dried mushrooms, herbs, garlic flakes or dried fruits in their cooking.

[@brianhudson7822]

I have no problem with instant mashed potatoes. I just heat up some good stock, half/half, butter, and garlic and that's it. I promise that not one person complains, and NONE are left in the bowl.

[@francesmaurer185]

❤❤❤❤

[@Angellady11]

You could buy that Charlotte pot online that she’s using. I believe you can buy about two 450 bucks even though they are antique used.

[@JRandaII]

I will say that nowadays you should take package directions with a grain of salt. I find that most package directions produce undercooked and bland food because consumers don’t like dark, flavorful food…

[@Roccodabest]

I just love her breathing. Dunno why lol

[@internationalparam]

I just cant believe she had a prominent career in the CIA. This sweet lady

[@misstee101]

I'm not a fan of Swiss cheese. Any substitutes?

[@truethat774]

Parm maybe? Just use less salt, since parm is salty.

[@murathanakordeon]

Actually, cooking works both ways like this, you buy ingredients because you think to do a dish, and you do dishes from what you have at hand.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

Someone asked Pepin how to do soup. He said, empty your refrigerator. Of course, some stock and seasonings are a must. Cream and a boat motor, etc. Bon Appetit!

[@murathanakordeon]

@@nomadmarauder-dw9re He still does videos especially on Facebook.

[@MIKECNW]

Can you believe it you can see studio equipment as she's tasting the potatoes.

[@billy4072]

Julia , you have sinned lol.

[@robertdoherty2001]

Any instant mashed I’ve tried absolutely reek of monosodium glutamate and horrible preservatives; you can taste them.

[@janmicnat]

@robertdoherty2001 Instant mashed potatoes do not contain monosodium glutamate.

[@elizabethcraig5825]

Seems French cuisine is perfect if you want to gain weight, rich and heavy.😊

[@MaryHemmings]

Carrots come in jars?

[@truethat774]

I guess back in the day. 😂

[@youtubehatesus2651]

I don't think she was pleased making instant mashed potatoes. Perhaps a sponsor? Oh, look. Julia used instant mash so they're OK. (??)

[@mikehill3728]

she seemed to try to embrace the "modern" trends of the time - electric stovetop, canned veggies, etc.

[@tonyboloni64]

Canned bouillon in French Onion soup with a knowing glance at the camera and "whoooo's to know?" Can't remember the episode number.

[@youtubehatesus2651]

@@mikehill3728 ha ha, and we love her

[@youtubehatesus2651]

@@tonyboloni64 +_+

[@7karlheinz]

Funny, She advises against "improvising" a recipe from a nondescript instant mashed potatoes box.

[@Angellady11]

True, but this is part of her early career, where she was forced to do certain things, or they would take her off the air

[@MaryHemmings]

Nooooo, instant mashed potatoes. Molded. No. Keep that butter on your glasses and stop reading package instructions.