Enjoy cooking with Jacques Pepin and the OPL

French-born chef Jacques Pepin posted this interesting article on his Facebook page today, in which a writer claims the chef “saved his life” at a particularly “down” time. The GQ article is here.

Pepin has been an enduring presence in home cooking, as an accomplished chef and quiet personality. Some readers will remember his television shows with the iconic Julia Child.

Today Pepin’s shows are seen regularly on PBS in the United States, and his cookbooks are always popular.

Why not check out one of Pepin’s wonderful cookbooks? Our favourite in these busy times is his Fast Food My Way, and his current Heart and Soul in the Kitchen.

If you are interested in his life story, his biography is also available at the OPL, titled The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen.

On a recent edition of his TV show, Heart and Soul in the Kitchen, Pepin prepared linguine with clam sauce (in a manner reminiscent of Marcella Hazan, but we digress) and then finished it off with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. “The Italians will tell you never to put cheese on shellfish,” he intoned privately, as though you and he were the only ones in the room, “but I don’t care — I like it.”

So do we.

Enjoy!

Poulet à la Crème

Jacques Pepin writes: “Chicken in cream sauce is a specialty of the town where I was born, Bourg-en-Bresse. My mother’s simple recipe included a whole cut-up chicken with water, a dash of flour, and a bit of cream to finish. I have added white wine and mushrooms to make the dish a bit more sophisticated, and used chicken thighs, which are the best part of the chicken.” His mother served it with rice pilaf.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skin removed (about 2½ pounds skinned)

8 mushrooms (about 6 ounces), washed and sliced

1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup water

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

Melt butter in large, heavy deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add chicken thighs in one layer and brown over high heat, about 2½ minutes on each side.

Add mushrooms to pan and sprinkle with flour. Turn chicken pieces with tongs so flour is dispersed evenly. Stir in wine and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and add salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and cook gently for 25 minutes.

Add cream, bring to boil, and then boil uncovered about 1 minute, until just lightly thickened. Serve sprinkled with tarragon if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

— Adapted from “Heart & Soul in the Kitchen,” by Jacques Pépin. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, $35).

Karen Craig celebrated at retirement event

Local author Pam Collacott (L) congratulates Karen on her retirement. Councillor Scott Moffatt (L) and library patron Read Collacott are in the background. [Photo: Friends of the North Gower Library]

Despite a start time of 4 PM for the community thank-you drop-in event at the North Gower Library for retiring librarian Karen Craig, residents began lining up to extend best wishes to the popular North Gower resident at 1 PM.

People from Kars, North Gower, and as far as Burritts Rapids area dropped by to see Karen and wish her well on her new life.

Karen Craig operated the library in North Gower prior to amalgamation with the City of Ottawa, and after 2001 supervised the North Gower Branch for the Ottawa Public Library system. The OPL added supervising the Richmond Branch to her tasks a few years ago.

Among her many achievements in serving the community was her establishment of the North Gower Artist of the Month, which featured local artists, designers, and crafters. She also featured local authors whenever possible, organizing readings and book displays.

Rideau-Goulbourn councillor Scott Moffatt was among the many who attended the event, and remarked that he has known Karen since he was 10.

A “memory book” is still available at the service desk in the library for anyone wishing to leave a note for Karen.

 

 

More ways to comment on Ottawa Central Library!

Comments welcome by email, mail, or by going to the North Gower library

Rideau-Goulbourn Councillor Scott Moffatt, who is on the Board for the Ottawa Public Library, just got back to us with lots of suggestions on how to take part in the process of consultation and planning for a Central Library in Ottawa.

Here’s what he said:

Thanks for your email and your desire to get more people involved in providing input. Of course you already know the ways in which the public can get involved – through the public session being held on March 31^st (now full with a wait list), online from the evening of March 31 through April 6, and in person at the Main Branch this week.

As we move forward, there will be more opportunities to get involved and have a say in planning for a Central Library. However, at this stage, you are more than welcome to gather written comments.  All written comments can be sent to Elaine Condos, Division Manager, Central Library Project at Elaine.Condos@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. You can also send them by mail to Elaine at the Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5M2.  If anyone wants to drop off letters of comment at the North Gower branch, I’d be happy to gather them myself if that works as well.

The report on this will be presented to the Board on June 9^th, 2015 and anyone in welcome to attend as a delegation and present comments directly to the Board at that time. There will also be an opportunity to provide comments in writing at that time.

As you know, the North Gower branch can also be used by any constituents who don’t have home access to the Internet. I’m sure that the staff would be pleased to assist them in getting to the online website to provide their comments. The webcast will be available for viewing (it will be archived on the Central Library website – ottawacentrallibrary.ca).

Scott Moffatt

City Councillor Rideau-Goulbourn ward 21

Christmas Open House North Gower Library today

The Library in North Gower (now in its 124th year!) is hosting a special Christmas Eve Open House today until 3. Coffee, tea, cider and plenty of delicious home-made treats (really!) on hand as staffers Christine, Louise, and Karen wish all our patrons and volunteers a very Merry Christmas!

Fund-raiser coffee treats on sale

Step into the Library at North Gower and you just might catch the aroma of … coffee? That’s because we’re offering small bags of our exclusive Library Blend Coffee, prepared for us specially this holiday season by NoGo Coffee. Just $3 for a bag of this special blend—great for stocking stuffers or as an addition to your holiday gift baskets.

The freshly roasted and ground shipment arrived yesterday, and it won’t last long!

Celebrating 123 years of library service in North Gower!

Daughter Lane is among the first for cake while Dad Councillor Scott Moffatt serves up; staffers Karen Craig and Louise Drouin-Backs look on

Library patrons, staff, volunteers and Rideau-Goulbourn Councillor Scott Moffatt celebrated the occasion of 123 years of continuous library service in North Gower today.

A chocolate cake decorated with multi-coloured candies was sliced by the Councillor for staff and visitors, including his daughter, Lane.

Councillor Moffatt remarked that the North Gower Library’s history of over a century of service was remarkable in the history of Ontario and that today, as part of the Ottawa Public Library system, library users have access to a huge range of materials.

“This library may seem small physically,” he said, “but it has large circulation numbers and is an important part of our community. My children enjoy coming here to read and play,” he said.

While the grown-ups were making speeches, several children were playing in the children’s area at the back of the library, where there are toys and three walls of shelved picture books. Other children were comfortable in chairs, reading graphic novels, waiting for the speeches to be over and the cake to be served.

Staffers Karen Craig, Louise Drouin-Backs, and Christine McKay were on hand for the celebration today.

The North Gower Library began on November 14th, 1891, when the Mechanics Institute convened a library service for local residents. The library was in at least six locations over the years, but since 1978 has been housed in the former Rideau Township Fire Hall, next door to the Rideau Archives in the former Town Hall.

Councillor Moffatt remarked that the upcoming 125th year will be one of celebration for the community, which prizes its library.

The 123rd celebration event was organized by the Friends of the North Gower Library.

friendsofthenorthgowerlibrary@gmail.com

Where the smart Library patrons go in North Gower!

The recently returned cart can be full of surprises!

Once you’ve passed by the unique wall murals at the North Gower Branch of the Ottawa Public LIbrary, and entered, there is plenty to see and do!

“Smart” patrons of the North Gower Branch know that there are books, and DVDs, and magazines and music, but they also know about:

• the gently used cart–books and magazines are for sale, with all proceeds going to the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library (which then come back to North Gower as funding for equipment or special projects)

and

• the Recently Returned cart—this is where books and movies and other materials have just been returned to the Library by other patrons, and have yet to be shelved. It can be full of delightful surprises!

Be sure to look at the Express Reads shelf, the Just Arrived shelf, right next door, and then the special subject display of the month, right next to the books to be picked up area.

On the third set of stacks is staffer Louise’s display of the Author of the Month.

Finally, on the display area behind the service desk is the North Gower Artist of the Month—always something interesting and marvellous.

This website is maintained by volunteers with Friends of the North Gower Library.

Annual bulb sale on now!

Tulipa Don Quichotte

This year for our annual fund-raising bulb sale, we have a beautiful pink tulip (thanks to Richmond Nurseries and Peter Rofner).

The tulip is Don Quichotte and it is a lustrous pink that grows to 20 cm tall, and blooms in mid- to late spring.

See the service desk at the Branch for the tulips which are just $4 for a bag of 5. Funds will go to Friends of the Ottawa Public Library.

Hurry in ! Supplies are limited!