http://people.tribe.net/2d4fd146-4eca-444f-9a7d-a45374e41c87/blog Tribe.net. Local Connections http://people.tribe.net/2d4fd146-4eca-444f-9a7d-a45374e41c87/blog/ab9ac62b-25f1-4b1c-b7ec-f4f3164670e8 <div>This summer at a bookstore in Columbia City on Rainier, I found a beautiful cookbook, "The Joy of Eating French Food: Great French Dishes Made Easy" by Renny Darling. It makes my mouth water just to look at the recipes. I made something from this book, I don't remember what, that was truly wonderful. So when I attempted the Roulade Souffle with Creamed Crabmeat tonight, I was most disappointed that it didn't turn out right. What went wrong? I wasn't sure if I was supposed to sprinkle the top of the souffle roll with grated Parmesan cheese before I put it in the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or after. Apparently the brown wax paper I used wasn't as waxy as regular; even though I buttered it as instructed, the souffle did not want to come off the paper. Perhaps I should not have lined all the edges, only along the bottom of the pan with a couple inches extra on the ends. Inverting the pan as instructed to release the souffle roll was a sure-fire method to deflate it. Should I have waited for it to cool before I added the crabmeat spread? It certainly didn't roll like a jelly roll the way it showed in the enticing illustration, cracking instead and laying quite flat with all the crabmeat spread spilling out the edges. Maybe I should have refrigerated the crabmeat spread while the souffle roll was baking. Yeah, that might have worked. And if I'd waited for the souffle roll to cool, it might have rolled okay. I'm a little concerned now that the biggest problem was that the recipe was not well-written for someone new to French cooking. It actually tastes great, although the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. This was supposed to serve 10 or 12 people as an hors d'oeuvre. Thank the Goddess I wasn't fixing it for guests! I didn't have a lovely porcelain server to move it onto either, just a large round green platter. Oh well, I hope other recipes turn out better from this cookbook because I want to try most of them. </div> Sat, 26 Nov 2005 10:09:11 GMT http://people.tribe.net/2d4fd146-4eca-444f-9a7d-a45374e41c87/blog/ab9ac62b-25f1-4b1c-b7ec-f4f3164670e8 Ariel 2005-11-26T10:09:11Z