Celebrating with Julienne takes you into the kitchens
of one of California’s most acclaimed cooks: Susan Campoy, the
founder and chef of Julienne, a romantic French-California spot
in the pretty Los Angeles suburb of San Marino. As a caterer,
restaurateur and gourmet-market proprietor, Campoy has spent
more than three decades creating food for celebrations large
and small, casual and formal. In Celebrating with Julienne,
she shares the best recipes of her career, along with stories,
tips and advice for the budding cook, caterer or restaurateur.
The three sections of the book showcase the three components
of life at Julienne. In the Restaurant section, you’ll find
the recipes for many of the most beloved dishes at the breakfast-and-lunch
bistro. Breakfast dishes range from the decadent Crème Brulée
French Toast to the lovely Spinach-Crusted Quiche with Roasted
Vegetables. For lunch, try Julienne’s famous Croque Monsieur
with Pepper Ham, Jarlsberg, Basil Pesto and Tomato-Apricot Chutney,
or perhaps Campoy’s personal favorite, Bourride with Grilled
Vegetables, Saffron and Roasted Garlic.
The Gourmet Market section brings richly flavorful soups, entrees,
salads, side dishes and desserts, many of which are easy to
prepare and can be made a day (or a week) in advance. A soup
of roasted red peppers and pears, a salad of wild rice, dried
apricots and toasted pecans, Julienne’s famed beef daube, and
desserts that Campoy learned to make from her mother are just
a few examples of the treasures to be found at the market —
and in this book.
In Celebrations, Campoy shares complete menus for six of her
very favorite occasions: a Harvest/Thanksgiving Feast, a Winter
Celebration, a Valentine’s Chocolate Festival, a Moroccan Party,
a Family Easter and a Hollywood Bowl Picnic.
After 35 years of creating food for others to enjoy, Campoy
is now sharing her secrets, so fans old and new can create this
sophisticated American comfort food for themselves. These richly
photographed recipes of modern American classics will inspire
you for your next party, potluck, family dinner or holiday feast.
Good food has always been a family affair for Susan Campoy. She absorbed the basics
of cooking from her parents—her mother made preserves and desserts from the fruit
from their two-acre Southern California orchard, and her father was a professional
cook and owner of a downtown Los Angeles café. Although trained as a teacher, as a
young wife and mother she fell in love with cooking and baking, especially preparing
food for celebrations: dinner parties, holidays, family gatherings.
In the 1970s, her passion for cooking led to studies at La Varenne,
Cordon Bleu and Lenotre in France and at Ma Cuisine in Los Angeles,
as well as travels to explore the culinary cultures in France
and Italy. This passion inspired a catering business, a French-California
bistro, and a gourmet market, all under the Julienne umbrella
— and all of which have earned acclaim from everyone from Bon
Appetit to the New York Times. And now her passion
for wonderful food has inspired Celebrating with Julienne.
Since 1989, two generations of Campoys have been the face of Julienne: Susan representing the
kitchen and restaurant, and daugher Julie representing the Gourmet Market. Trained as a journalist,
Julie was working as a concierge at the Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco when the 1989 earthquake hit,
destroying the hotel. Her mother suggested she come work with her, and Julie took an immediate shine
to managing and growing the market. The two have been partners ever since.
The mother of four daughters and grandmother of two girls,
Campoy lived in San Marino, California, within walking distance
of Julienne. This was her first book. She passed away in March
2009 after a long, brave struggle with breast cancer.
Julienne continues to operate under the direction of Sue's daughter
and business partner Julie.
