chickens!
My friend, Peggy, had two extra chickens in her freezer that she very graciously gave to her pastor's family (us :)). While extremely grateful for the gift, I will admit I was a bit apprehensive about roasting them. After all, I am more of a baker than a cook. In fact, this morning I already made gluten free blueberry scones...and ate two of them without hardly blinking. Yum!
I also spent three summers in college baking at a guest ranch in Colorado. I was in charge of most of the desserts, which made me run about five miles a day to alleviate the effects of sugar, butter and chocolate on my waistline...and on my diabetes.
Baking is what I do for fun. Cooking...well, that's what I have to do to feed my family. If only they could live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. :)
So, back to the chicken.
I also need to note that my mom gave me Mastering the Art of French Cooking (and the movie, Julie and Julia) for Christmas. Obviously I'm not either Julie or Julia, but I've been trying some of the recipes.
Julia writes passionately and poetically. Here's a blurb about Roast Chicken: "While it does not require years of training to produce a juicy, brown, buttery, crisp-skinned, heavenly bird, it does entail such a greed for perfection that one is under compulsion to hover over the bird, listen to it, above all see that it is continually basted, and that is is done just to the proper turn."
Me! Me! Pick me! I have that greed! I also turned the bird four times during its hour and forty-five minute party in the oven (and basted it every ten minutes).
But, most of all, look at her writing. She could have said, "Anyone can roast a chicken." Instead, she makes me want to roast a chicken her way.
The result: A pretty fine heavenly bird, if I say so myself!
For the second time today....Yum!!
