Julia Child: Masters the Art of French Cooking II Quiz

Answer: One

In Volume Two, published nine years after Volume One, Julia co-authored with Simone Beck, taking the total number of authors down to two. Louisette Bertholle was the third co-author of Volume One and parted ways for the second book.

Simone Beck is a competent chef in her own right, with other cookbooks to her credit, all with very French, but not difficult recipes. She and Julia were firm friends.

Answer: Bisque de Homard

Her recipe is called Bisque de Homard, with "homard" being the French for lobster. She gives several pages of instructions on how to kill and cook the lobster, including lots of diagrams about the various parts to use. The subsequent recipe for taking these lobster parts and making them into a bisque takes up another three pages of instructions.

I've never tried to do this, but if anyone out there has, I would be glad to come to dinner at your house anytime!

Answer: Flour, Yeast, Water and Salt

Julia's recommendation of these four ingredients alone for baking an authentic French baguette is in line with the rules for artisan bakeries in France. Any bakery that uses ingredients in their French bread, other than those four, cannot use the artisan denomination.

But I suspect any self-respecting French baker would not dream of adding any other ingredients to this traditional glory of France.

Answer: Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is probably the most spectacular thing you could serve your carnivorous guests if you had the time, money and inclination to follow Julia's five pages of instruction to the letter.

I have had this cooked for me by an ambitious home cook and it is truly delicious. Not only is it prime beef and puff pastry, and how bad could that be, but it is accompanied by sauce Bordelaise, a sauce made from wine and shallots and butter!

Answer: Charcuterie

Charcuterie is the name of a selection of sausages, and other meat dishes that the French often serve before a meal, or as a meal in itself. The Charcuterie is also the name of the store in which such products can be bought (much like our fancier delis).

Really good charcuterie plates contain many different kinds of sausage, whole or sliced, duck liver terrines, hearty pates, French bread, butter and mustard. A nod to vegetables might consist of a few pickles or radishes.

Answer: True

Julia points out that during the 18th century food was often named after people or battles. As an aside, Veal Marengo was named by Napoleon when it was made for him by his chef after his victory at the Battle of Marengo during the Napoleonic Wars. Veal Marengo can be found in the first volume of Julia's book.

The name of which Anna this might be, or whether she was a friend of Napoleon's is not particularly clear, although several suggestions are made, but she has been made immortal by this potato cake recipe. The name of the pan in which to make this recipe is also called "la cocotte a pommes Anna". According to Julia, you need a large budget.

Answer: Flaming liqueur running down the sides like a volcanic eruption

What an ingenious thing this is volcanic eruption is. Julia shapes the Alaska like a small mountain. She then hollows out a small hole, or "crater" in the top, sits half an egg-shell inside it filled with the liqueur of your choice and sets it alight! It then runs down the sides just like a volcanic eruption.

I dare you to make this one. On the other hand if you already know how to make it, you can email me my dinner invitation to Fun Trivia!

Answer: Stuffings

With these stuffing recipes, I think Julia's idea was to encourage the cook who is staring at an uncooked chicken or a plain piece of fish wondering how to make them special. If you turn to this index there are several stuffings that you could use to turn your plain old entrée into something to wow your friends and family. And if you don't eat meat, she has plenty of ideas for you also.

Bon appetit!

Answer: Kitchen equipment

There is kitchen equipment and then there is Julia Child's kitchen equipment! In addition to all the knives, bowls, pots, pans, glassware and gadgets we might expect, there are, for example, four different kinds of rolling pins, and six different kinds of kitchen shears and scissors.

But, do you know, I didn't see one can opener!

Answer: Alfred Knopf

Alfred Knopf published both volumes of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". I infer from what Child says that he was quite the gourmand.

In another of Julia Child's cookbooks "Julia Child and Company", she prepares a very fancy three-course roast beef dinner which she calls "Dinner for the Boss". I wonder if she made that meal for Alfred Knopf? After all, if your publishing success is in this man's hands, then surely he is "the boss".