Philosophizing About Food With Francine: Roast Leg of Lamb and a Charming Boquet Garni.

by Francine Black

If you have an herb garden, I encourage you to visit it in the aftermath of a good strong rain as I did the other evening. The pelting of the rain drops against the leaves and blossoms managed to release an amazing mix of beautiful scents.

We already know the powerful effect that food flavors have on memory and mood. Science has also proven that scents alone have the power to evoke a wide range of emotional responses: they can transport us to distant memories, energize us for a busy day, and even calm us in stressful situations.

I can’t quite identify which, if any, of those responses walking among my herbs and flowers evoked, but I can assure you that I felt great joy at their beauty and even a bit of awe at their power.

These same herbs help make a perfect Sunday dinner of roast leg of lamb on a bed of vegetables flavored with fresh garlic cloves and the charming little bouquet garni.

The bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs tied together with a bit of kitchen twine, is first mentioned in French and English cookbooks of the 1600’s. These days the bouquet garni is largely associated with Provençal cooking and shakers of dried herbs labeled “fines herbs de Provence” can be found on most grocery shelves.

Herbs of course had been in wide use for thousands of years, but the idea of bundling certain aromatics together in a bouquet seems to have come into use fairly recently in human culinary history. I certainly use the dried herbs, but when they’re available, I much prefer the fresh ones.

For the lamb roast, I enjoy using thyme for its floral sweetness, parsley with stems for that earthy warmth, and rosemary for its citrusy, minty pungency. Together they add a wonderful complexity to the rich flavor of the roast and vegetables and the sauce is just out of this world. 

High in the mountains above Bally, where the dense groves of treetops seem to touch the sky, is Francine Black, Boyertown’s own version of chef Julia Child. Her daily activities reflect the things she most values: family and friends, music, and lovingly prepared food.

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