Good things come in small packages, as the saying goes.
That’s especially true with things of excellent quality. Farm-fresh butter and heavy cream. Artisanal cheeses and thick slices of apple wood smoked bacon.
Indulgent ingredients can fit into a healthy lifestyle. It’s the size of the serving and how best to enjoy them that counts. A delicate swirl of cream added to butternut squash soup or a smear of butter melted on a warm whole-grain roll adds to the enjoyment of healthy foods.
“Maxi is out and mini is in!” says dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix. “This way, you get to enjoy the real deal without filling up or filling out.”
Sweet treats
Chef Thomas Keller (celebrated for restaurants French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., Per Se in New York and several locations for Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery) writes in the forward of his new “Bouchon Bakery” cookbook about the apple tarts he first tasted as a young chef in Paris, “They were beautiful to behold and they taught me about the level of excellence a bakery might strive for.”
During a recent book signing at Aria restaurant, Keller and co-author pastry chef Sebastien Rouxel greeted foodie fans as they sampled sweet treats from the book.
My favorites were Bouchon Bakery’s decadent version of peanut butter cookies called the Better Nutter filled with a mixture of buttercream and creamy peanut butter.
Aria executive chef Gerry Klaskala noted the crowd lining up to meet Keller, get a book signed and have a photo taken were serious food enthusiasts: “Chef Keller is a standard-bearer of excellence in this country. He is a culinary icon.”
Lisa Koonin of Atlanta says she believes Keller’s cooking is the ultimate perfection. “It’s the balance and proportion of ingredients,” she said. “I only eat healthy, so it’s important to me. It resonates with the healthy cook and eater. He uses the best quality in ingredients so you don’t have to use so much.”
From buttery sticky buns to whole-wheat pecan demi-baguettes, “Bouchon Bakery” includes sweet and savory recipes.
Time to savor
The reception attracted Atlanta chefs paying homage to Keller. That included chef Mihoko Obunai, who shares her culinary mission to do things just right at her restaurant: “The pork stock is from scratch. It takes 20 hours to make our ramen dishes, and we sell out in one hour.”
The appreciation of good food, expertly prepared — whether it’s a vegetable plate or a pretty pastry — means taking the time to enjoy it.
“It’s not about depriving yourself of delicious foods,” says dietitian Rachel Begun, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “When you pay attention to the food you are eating, you allow yourself to truly enjoy it, and can become satisfied with just a few bites.”
Rouxel signed my copy of the “Bouchon Bakery” cookbook with “It’s all about childhood!” Maybe that’s why the peanut butter cookies were that much more enjoyable.
