I don't believe in Santa Claus anymore, but after last Thursday I'm not so sure. My mom has a habit of taking anything I order from amazon.com (usually cookbooks) within 3 months of my birthday or Christmas and wrapping them. I'll walk around, scratching my head, double checking the tracking number, and then finally ask her, "Have you seen anything from amazon for me?"
"Noooooo" she says, winking coyly. I really should just start shipping things to my place. Anyway, midway through ripping the Christmas wrapping from around what appeared to be a cookbook, my mom joked that another of my amazon orders had become a casualty of her holiday policy. Perplexed, I responded that no, I had not purchased a book on the sous vide method, by the god-chef Thomas Keller. While I happily take on any cooking challenge (because really, what's the worst that can happen?), the sous vide method has always felt out of my grasp. It's very "chef-y." People who win Top Chef do it. Sous vide, French for "under vacuum," is a method of cooking that uses low cooking temperatures over an extended period of time (sometimes over 24 hours) to maintain the integrity of the food and emphasize its flavors. Unlike cooking in a slow cooker, sous vide cooking uses airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well below boiling point. It requires a good deal of special equipment (thermometers, water baths, vacuums, etc). The food cooked under sous vide is supposed to be phenomenal, with rich flavors, delicate texture, and completely even cooking.
As I no longer believe in Santa, the only realistic conclusion is that Thomas Keller, while reading my blog, has developed a secret crush on me. He sent me the book as a secret admirer would send a love letter. Thank you Thomas, but I already have a boyfriend!
I guess I'll have to start researching sous vide, so expect a recipe or two in the coming months. Happy New Year, and I'll keep you posted if Thomas Keller sends me any more tokens of his affection.
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