Food and Wine
 

	Jacques Pepin's Easter Celebration In this surprise-filled celebration of Spring, Jacques and Claudine prepare a sumptuous Easter dinner for friends, starting with Caviar served with Buckwheat Blini and Frozen Vodka — the perfect adult answer to Easter eggs. Salmon Steaks with a tangy, fresh Sorrel Sauce and delicate little cucumber balls make an easy first course. And of course, there’s lamb—in this case, spring Lamb Loins in Ambush, coated with a ground lamb and vegetable mousse, served over fresh fava beans. Jacques’ Leek-and-Mushroom Pie brings just the right earthy flavors to go with the lamb. And on the side, there are Eggplant “Cushions” garnished with lightly stewed tomatoes; and Artichoke Bottoms stuffed with brown-butter spinach, topped with a golden-brown gratin sauce. The meal ends as it began, with more grown-up Easter eggs: fluffy Caramel Snow Eggs floating in custard cream. In a classic Pépin pairing, this ethereal dessert is served with Jacques down-to-earth, old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookies dipped in sumptuous chocolate.
	Jacques Pepin: Fast Food My Way This 4-hour, 2-disc DVD set, adapted from the new PBS series, pays tribute to a very simple cuisine, with recipes that require little work and fit nicely into the fast-paced lifestyles of today. Use the interactivity of the DVD format to learn how to create 8 complete menus -- 30 great-tasting dishes -- all special enough for company, yet easy enough for those weekday evenings when you have no time. Easy and fast can still be deliciously elegant -- with Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way
	Jacques Pepin's Graduation Celebration A family friend is graduating from college, and Jacques and Claudine need no better excuse to create a splendid al fresco buffet lunch. There’s delicate Smoked Trout with a creamy Egg-and-Pepper Salad — just right for a sunny June afternoon. And Jacques’ classic Chicken Galantine — a boneless chicken stuffed with pork, black mushrooms, pistachios and armagnac, poached in a rich stock and served in it’s own aspic — might be the world’s most elegant picnic food. A succulent baked Ham Georgia with a tangy apricot-mustard glaze and a deep, sweet-savory peach sauce is an impressive do-ahead entrée for a party. Jacques pairs it with a simple side dish of buttered Red Swiss Chard. For the cheese course, he shows Claudine how to make creamy fresh-herb Fromage Blanc served with roasted garlic and garnished with a beautiful coral tree. Two show-stopping desserts complete the buffet. Chocolate Cloud Cake is a spectacular layered confection, with the contrasting textures of fluffy sponge cake, cognac whipped cream, and crunchy chocolate cookie crust, all topped with a bittersweet chocolate glaze. And Cherry-Raspberry Pillow tops off the summer fruit desserts — fresh cherries and berries baked in a free-from puff-pastry pie

	Jacques Pepin's Summertime Celebration It’s a special one-hour tribute to two great cultures and two great cuisines, as Jacques and Claudine create a French-American “fusion” celebration of the Independence Day and Bastille Day. A whole, poached Salmon with a light, creamy Mousseline Sauce is an easy, elegant way to feed a large group. It’s followed by charming little crocks filled with Rillettes of Rabbit — the classic French party spread that’s perfect with country bread and a crisp white wine. For the main course: a whole Grilled Shoulder of Veal, served with lemon-herb butter. And Jacques’ creamy Potato-and-Corn Packages are just right for the occasion. For dessert, there’s an all-American sponge cake soaked in sweet summer berries and brandy with a silky custard sauce and a very French Chocolate Gourmand—a decadent chocolate mousse you can serve right out of the bowl.
	Jacques Pepin's Thanksgiving Celebration Jacques is fond of saying that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday — after all, it’s the one holiday devoted entirely to cooking and eating. In this tribute to turkey with all the trimmings, we get a peek at how one of the world’s greatest French chefs prepares Thanksgiving dinner in his American home. It begins with two appetizers made from Jacques’ “Instant” Home-Cured Salmon: Salmon Tartare with a delicate cucumber salad and salmon caviar; and velvety Salmon Gravlax cured with cognac, served with cucumber, sweet onion, and rye bread. Then, it’s on to the main event: a plump, juicy Roasted Turkey with apple cider glaze and buttery Bread-and-Mushroom Stuffing. On the sideboard, there are Jacques’ Brussels Sprouts, a creamy, bubbly, decadent Gratin of Butternut Squash, and an alternative to traditional cranberry sauce, a spicy Cherry-Ginger Chutney. Two sensational desserts complete the feast: a Chocolate-Bourbon-Prune Cake with Caramelized Pecans and whipped cream; and Pears Poached in Citrus Juice with a simple, country style “home cake.”
	Jacques Pepin's Chanukah Celebration Celebrate the Jewish “Festival of Lights” with a light, French-inspired Chanukah dinner menu. It begins with a sparkling Consommé Printanier with a colorful sprinkling of carrot, turnip, zucchini, and miniature Chicken Quenelles. Then it’s a silky Cold Mousse of Chicken and Pistachios with a beautiful garnish set in aspic. A soulful Veal Roast with buttery braised lettuce is the hearty centerpiece of the meal. And Jacques serves it with crispy, golden Vegetable Pancakes Tempura — his homage to the traditional Chanukah potato latke. For dessert, there’s a spectacular Frozen Citrus Soufflé surrounded by a crown of freshly-baked lady fingers served alongside a classic rum-soaked Holiday Fruit Cake, brimming with Jacques’ own homemade candied fruit.