Belated Bastille Day - Poulet à l'estragon

Thursday 19 July

In honor of Bastille Day, which we missed, a French classic. Chicken bosoms (skin and bone on - do we have to say that any more?) with some tarragon and kosher salt pressed on, sautéed in the beurre de la belle France. Then throw in shallots, more tarragon, a bay leaf, shot of wine. Cover, cook 35 minutes. Reduce the juice till it's of use, and add the cream. Heat, and eat.

While preparing dinner, we read this appropriate section of a letter from our friend Helene in Philadelphia. "The high point of the Bastille Day Festivities is the 'storming' of the Bastille - a.k.a. the Eastern State Penitentiary. One of the owners of a local restaurant dresses up as Marie Antoinette and flaunts herself from the balcony of the prison, drinking champagne as the town crier reads out the crimes of the aristocracy and the crowd boos. At the immortal line 'Let them eat Tasty Kake,' Hostess Twinkies are thrown into the crowd (it seems Tasty Kake is not willing to donate several thousand of their Krimpets for the occasion, so Twinkies are used instead). Eventually, Marie is carried down to the guillotine and the crowd is asked whether to cut off her head or grant clemency. Regardless of the crowd's will, clemency is granted, but the guillotine is used to chop several watermelons as proof that it is in working order."

Next Bastille Day, we'll have watermelon for dessert. But this time, all we had besides the chicken was a small salad of cukes, arugula, and the VERY FIRST TOMATOES, all from our garden.