Jacques Pepin & Fast Food

You may have already heard of Jacques Pépin (I hope), and you may have already heard about his book, and television show Fast Food My Way. You might not have heard that the videos are also available on YouTube! And they are awesome. In every little bit, he's teaching you something, and something useful, whether or not you ever choose to recreate the exact Jacques-inspired-dishes. He has such a comfortable, calming, and nearly meditative, although commanding, manner in the kitchen, that it is impossible not to glean little tidbits to save for later. Think of it as the best kind of leftovers, without a soggy mess, or misfit plastic bags of goo hiding in the back of the fridge. I'll admit that I am contemplating heading to the grocery store, even though it is nearly 9:30pm on a snowy Monday night at the end of March, just to make these chicken thighs with mushrooms, but I want the chowder, and the array of stilton with apples and nuts too - and most certainly with the aged Tawny port too. Decisions, decisions. Sign me up.