I spent my sophomore year of college at Mills, a small women’s college in Oakland, California — just across the bay from San Francisco.
Because I have kept in touch with the school, I was thrilled when I got a call a few weeks ago asking if I had time to have coffee with Alecia A. DeCoudreaux, the newly selected 13th president of the college.
We met on a Sunday afternoon at Il Fornaio, a wonderful Italian restaurant in Irvine. And the first thing she said was, “I love Frieda’s Produce. I cannot tell you how you saved my life when I made my boeuf bourguignon on Thanksgiving!”
“You must be talking about our pearl onions!” I said to her, knowing fresh pearl onions make all the difference in the world when it comes to boeuf bourguignon.
I could tell she was impressed that I instantly knew what she was talking about, and since she lived in Ohio, I knew she bought them at a Kroger supermarket. Who would have thought that a president of a prestigious college would be interested in talking about culinary skills and recipes?
It was a great way to start the conversation.
In the summertime, these fresh pearl onions are great on barbecued skewers. Try making veggie skewers with colorful bell peppers, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and pearl onions.
And if you’re in the mood for some French cooking, here’s a link to my favorite boeuf bourguignon recipe…thanks to the queen of cooking, Julia Child.
Have a great July 4th holiday!
Karen
