I binged Julia Child and Jacques Pepin's 1990s PBS show, and here's what it taught me about cooking

It started when someone on Facebook posted a photo of Julia Child flashing an old-timey pistol at her friend Jacques Pepin and wrote, "Spoiler Alert: they drink in basically every episode."

Oh, sweet streaming! I immediately fired up Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home on Amazon Prime, a show I had a vague recollection of from PBS back in the day: 1999, to be exact.

Child and Pepin -- no, let's go with Julia and Jacques -- were old friends when they teamed up for their show. They met in 1960, Jacques wrote in the New York Times, and maintained a sweet rapport until Julia's death in 2004. They were, of course, very famous chefs by the time they filmed the show, he the French author, TV star and master instructor of technique, she the American who brought French cooking to the masses at home. Their collaboration was both a lesson in classical cooking and

classical sassy friendship.

The first episode opens with footage of Jacques and Julia taking mastodon bites of hamburgers. Then come the opening credits, with their names scrawled on low-budget place cards, and an AV club fade to a giant baked potato.

My husband, Josh, walked in the house. He sat down and started watching, with barely a word.

"This one is great and terribly expensive," Julia said, poking the red flesh of a steak. "What is it, $10 or $12 a pound or more? But it's worth it to have one meal with a perfect steak!"

Their entire counter was covered in meat. Seven slabs, all in a row, with Jacques instructing the camera to get close on the sinew. They defined, butchered, prepared. Chateaubriand, steak au poivre, burgers, Julia gingerly topping hers with fixings.

"Bon appetit," they said at the end. "And happy cooking." Magic.

We binge-watched 22 episodes.

• • •

Food, and food television, is a comfort for me, cooking shows my preferred background serum. Food shows are why I am the last person in my 30s with a subscription to cable (the actual last person, look it up).

Growing up, we watched Yan Can Cook, Two Fat Ladies, The Galloping Gourmet, Emeril in his infancy. Then came Food Network greats Giada, Ina, Alton. The game shows were pretty clever at first. For many years, Chopped was my favorite show. Top Chef is still up there, though they make far too many toasts.

But food television has become a bit of a Brawndo black hole, a little cooking and a lot of idiocracy. There are a few bright spots that feel aim-high, like Molly Yeh's Girl Meets Farm. The Great British Baking Show, with its gentle nature and intricate skill performance, is a treasure Americans don't deserve.

Otherwise, these are the elevator pitches:

Cheese on Tots Casserole

Celebrity-Adjacent Cream Slam Dump Cake

Blindfolded Arms-Bound Zany Bakeoff

Blindfolded Arms-Bound Zany Bakeoff for Kids

Meat-Face-Stuff American Road Trip of Death

Anything feat. Bobby Flay

Let me be clear: I watch all of them. I'm not a monster. A household Sunday tradition is smugly watching Pioneer Woman and inventing complex backstories about Ladd and the ranch hands while Ree Drummond pours heavy cream on something.

But at a certain point, autopilot set in and the thrill of learning fell away. If you've watched TV food prep since you were in Pampers, you know how to take the core out of an avocado. And for the most part, TV chefs use pretty butcher cuts wrapped in paper. There is no fowl gore under fingernails. There are no closeups on sinew.

Julia and Jacques, though. They had actual weapons.

• • •

Rather than "California Boat Cruise Picnic," a real title of a Giada episode, these are the episode titles of Cooking at Home:

"Vegetables"

"Winter Vegetables"

"Roast Chickens"

"Soup"

"Eggs"

Do you know what J&J do? They show you how to prepare these items.

Of course they do. They are two of the finest chefs in history, with skills to dream about. Not that there's anything wrong with home cooks and weekend warriors -- aren't most of us just that? -- but to learn techniques from these two on Amazon felt like finding a magic amulet buried beneath a collection of support panty hose.

Their chemistry is real. They taught cooking together at Boston University in the '80s, and the show started after they filmed PBS specials together. Their polite back-and-forth jabbing is what people responded to, Jacques wrote in the New York Times.

"We argued on stage, stealing each other's mise en place. We felt comfortable together, had a good rapport, a good time, and we respected each other. Our affectionate disagreements resulted in heated, opinionated discussions; we had conviction, enthusiasm and passion for our métier."

It's true. On Cooking at Home, Jacques and Julia each make a similar recipe their own way. They peer over each other's creations, commenting that it could use some salt, or a stir. They're super set in their ways. Julia doesn't seem to like fish skin. She likes white pepper, not black. Jacques likes a whole lot of garlic. But their differences never break them.

They start almost every episode with a cheesy theme or a prop -- that gun, a bike pump, fire extinguishers -- and end almost every episode with a new bottle of wine.

It's dated. Please forgive the flower garnishes made out of vegetables. It also exposes the nutrition milieu of the 1990s, with Julia's constant references to people who are afraid to eat fat. There are kitchen gadgets like salad spinners. (Related: Should I get a salad spinner?)

But the techniques are real. Watching Jacques cut up poultry is absorbing. We learn to make a chicken three ways: whole rack-roasted, trussed and stuffed under the skin, butterflied. We learn to make a proper omelet; how to prepare vegetables simply. The war horse is a whole turkey, stuffed, cut up and reassembled. Our Thanksgiving this year will be an epic disaster.

They have an almost religious reverence for lettuce -- NEVER SQUEEZE!!! This doesn't translate seamlessly in triple-washed and ready-to-eat 2018, but it seems right to know. You have to have reverence for something in this world, even if it's lettuce.

• • •

Some friends eloped and another had a birthday, the perfect excuse to throw a little dinner.

You know who had the menu? My other friends, Julia and Jacques.

Josh, who now does expert impersonations of J-squared, got me the show's companion cookbook for my birthday. It's hardcover, heavy and impressive, with lots of hot takes from Jacques and Julia. All the recipes from the show are in it, plus some more, ranging from incredibly simple to "dial 9-1 ..."

We made Jacques' Mediterranean seafood stew with crusty baguette and spicy rouille, a mayo-like spread of bread, broth and other goodies. We made Julia's stuffed Provencal tomatoes and Jacques' Pommes de Terre Macaire, which is fancy hash browns.

The cooking was a full-day affair, baking potatoes, cooling and peeling, grinding bread crumbs, chopping herbs, letting broths develop layers. I treated my salad with godlike regard, even though it was a hydroponic butter lettuce with no dirt on it. It was relaxing, therapeutic, as far from Grocery Store Face Race as it gets.

There's a time and a place for all kinds of cooking, including cheesy tots. Cheesy tots are great. But there's definitely still a place for the effort, love and care demonstrated by these two in 1999.

My friends politely argued about politics, which felt true to the lessons of sassy friendship. Dessert was layered crepes with raspberry jam, and sparkling rose, because you can't end an episode without opening a bottle. And there were Jacques and Julia in spirit, saying bon appetit. And happy cooking.

Contact Stephanie Hayes at shayes@tampabay.com. Follow @stephhayes.

MOderate

Jacques' Mediterranean Seafood Stew or Soup

For the soup:

1 ½ pounds fish fillets, a mixture of fish, or all one kind (I used cod and swordfish)

1 ½ pounds small clams, littlenecks or cherrystones

½ pound scallops

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped onions

5 large scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (2 or 3 large cloves)

2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes cored and chopped into ½-inch chunks, with skin, juice and seeds (about 1 pound fresh tomatoes)

1 cup white wine, such as chardonnay

4 cups fish stock

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

For the rouille:

1 slice firm, home-style white bread

6 to 8 large garlic cloves, peeled

? cup cooked potato (1 small potato)

¼ cup canned pimiento pieces

¼ cup broth from the soup pot

1 egg yolk

½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

? teaspoon cayenne, or more or less to taste

For the croutons:

24 slices of baguette, about ¼ inch thick, cut on the diagonal

Cut the fillets into chunks about an inch thick. (If you want the skin on, scale it.) Scrub the clams and rinse, if necessary. Wash the scallops to remove any sand.

Heat oven to 400 degrees and toast the croutons on a baking sheet until they are crisp and starting to color, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the oil in the saucepan and stir in the onions, scallions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, wine and fish stock, and then stir in the thyme, salt and pepper. Bring quickly to a boil; meanwhile, taste and adjust seasonings. Cook at a gentle boil for 10 to 15 minutes, partially covered, while you are making the rouille.

Make the rouille: Tear the bread slice into pieces and put in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic cloves. Process finely. Add the potato, the pimiento and ¼ cup of broth from the soup and process until smooth. Add the egg yolk, salt, black pepper and cayenne and process until smooth. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil slowly to form an emulsion. Taste and adjust seasonings. Scrape the rouille into a bowl.

With the soup base at a boil, add all the clams and the saffron and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the fish and the scallops, return to a gentle boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the fish pieces are cooked through and opaque and all of the clams have opened . (Discard any that are closed.) Stir in the chopped tarragon, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Spoon some rouille on half of the croutons (or on 2 or 3 per serving). Serve stew in large soup bowls and place some rouille-topped croutons alongside each serving or set them in the broth.

Serve hot, with extra croutons and rouille on the side.

Makes about 3 quarts, serving 6 to 8.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

EASY

Basic Green Salad

1 large or several small heads Boston lettuce (about 1 pound)

½ cup or so Jacques's Vinaigrette in a Jar (recipe below)

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, chervil (optional)

Fill the sink, or a very large bowl, with lots of cold water. Pull off any large, wilted outer leaves from the lettuce. With a sharp paring knife, remove the bottom core. Remove coarse tops from large leaves. Using a stainless steel knife, slice on either side of the thick central rib to get two pieces. Toss these into the water.

Slice smaller leaves in half on the head, cutting down the middle of the rib, and peel the cut pieces directly in the water. Wash the leaves by tumbling them gently in the water. When the dirt has settled, lay the leaves out in bunches, being careful not to squeeze.

Shake off excess water and put leaves in the salad spinner if you have one. (I dried them in a colander.)

Drizzle ? cup dressing over the lettuce and toss the leaves until they are evenly, lightly coated. Add salt, pepper and, if using, herbs.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

EASY

Jacques' Vinaigrette in a Jar

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup red or white wine vinegar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil, or a mixture of the two

Put all ingredients in a glass mason jar with a lid and shake well. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more oil or vinegar as you like. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 ½ cups.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

EASY

Pommes de Terre Macaire

3 pounds russet potatoes (about 5 large)

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon freshly grated or chopped nutmeg

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the (optional) topping:

½ cup sour cream

2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about ? cup), or ? cup grated Parmesan

Bake the potatoes in a 425-degree oven until done, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven. If proceeding with the recipe immediately, keep oven temperature at 425 degrees. (Or you can set the potatoes aside at room temperature for 2 or 3 hours.)

Cut away all the potato skins and discard. Roughly chop the potatoes with a round 3-inch cookie cutter or an empty soup can (or a sharp knife), but don't mash or mince them -- the potatoes should break apart into ½- to ¾-inch chunks.

Heat the oil and butter in a nonstick 10-inch ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. When hot, spread the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle on nutmeg, salt and pepper. Immediately begin turning the potato pieces to mix in the seasonings, oil and butter.

Flatten the potatoes to a solid layer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Near the end of the cooking time, shake and rotate the pan quickly to loosen the potato cake from the sides and bottom of the pan. The sides should be browning.

Place the skillet in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes or so, until the top is crusty and light brown. Remove the hot pan from the oven and let sit 30 seconds, then immediately cover it with an oven-safe serving platter or baking sheet. Invert quickly to unmold the potato cake.

Turn on the broiler. Spread the top of the hot potatoes with the sour cream and sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

EASY

Julia's Stuffed Provencal Tomatoes

3 large firm ripe tomatoes

Salt and pepper

For the stuffing:

1 to 1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Core the tomatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Squeeze each half gently to force out the seeds and juice. Arrange in a shallow baking dish, lightly brushed with olive oil, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir together the bread crumbs, shallots, dried herbs, grated cheese and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil, tossing well to moisten the crumbs evenly. Spoon the stuffing into the tomato halves, pushing it down in the cavities and mounding on top. Drizzle oil over each half.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until topping has browned and tomatoes are hot but still keep their shape. Serve in baking dish or on a platter.

Makes 6 tomato halves.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

Moderate

Dessert Crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

¾ cup milk

? cup melted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Large pinch of salt

¾ cup water

2 or more tablespoons melted butter for brushing the pan

Put the flour in a blender. Add the egg and egg yolk, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt. Blend for 5 or 10 seconds to make a thick, lump-free batter. Add the water and blend until smooth. Refrigerate the batter for at least an hour. Store it in the blender jar so after an hour you can pop it on the blender and remix it.

Set a crepe pan or a 7-inch nonstick frying pan over moderate heat for a minute or two. Brush the bottom with a very thin coat of butter. Ladle 3 or 4 tablespoons of batter and pour on one side of the pan.

Immediately tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter all over the pan bottom as quickly as possible. If the batter doesn't cover the entire bottom, drizzle a few more drops of batter onto the bare spots and tilt to spread it in a thin, even layer.

Cook over medium to high heat for about 45 seconds to 1 minute, until the edges are cooked and the bottom is lightly browned. The first cooked side should have dark streaks and swirls. If it is still pale after 45 seconds, raise the heat slightly and cook a little longer; if too brown, lower heat. To loosen the crepe, bang the bottom of the pan on the stove or smack the side of it with your hand, padded by a towel or pot holder. Toss with a fork or spatula, then pick it up with your fingers and turn it over.

Cook the crepe on its second side about 30 to 45 seconds and slide it onto a plate or a wire rack to cool, first side up. Wipe the pan, return it to the heat, brush with butter and repeat. Stack the crepes on top of each other as they come out of the pan, or cool on racks.

Makes 12 to 15 (7-inch) crepes.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)

MODERATE

Susie's Gateau of Crepes

2 cups (8 ounces) pecan halves

4 tablespoons sugar

15 to 20 Dessert Crepes (recipe below), room temperature

1 ¼ cups raspberry jam, stirred to soften

Chocolate sauce

Put the pecans and sugar in the food processor. Pulse in short bursts for 5 or 6 seconds total to grind the nuts into a coarse powder. Don't overprocess.

Lay one crepe on a round serving plate. Spoon a tablespoon of raspberry jam on top and spread it over the whole crepe. Sprinkle about 1 ½ tablespoons of ground nuts over the jam.

Cover the first crepe with a second and top it the same way with jam and nuts. Repeat the layering with all your crepes, stacking them to form a round cake with even sides. Reserve the prettiest crepe for the top.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice in wedges and drizzle chocolate sauce over each serving.

Serves 8 or more.

Source: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999)