“Jacques Pepin’s Christmas Celebration” Provides the Perfect Holiday Feast Solution

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As we find ourselves in the thick of the Holiday season, many of us our faced with the dilemma of last minute shopping and/or travel/vacation planning. We commonly get engulfed in the hustle and bustle of the season and before you know it, one moment you look up and it’s Christmas Eve… but what about the family feast you were supposedly in charge of? In recognition of this common holiday crisis, Janson Media offers a delicious solution, Jacques Pepin’s Christmas Celebration. As told in a recent  Library Journal review:

“Second only to the recently deceased Julia Child, Pepin represents the best of French cuisine in America. He has had a fascinating career as founder of the Culinary Institute of America and French Culinary Institute, the author of many cookbooks, and a TV celebrity. In this series, Pepin’s daughter, Claudine, acts as sous chef for her famous dad as he demonstrates a series of menus for celebrating truly special occasions—events that demand impressive food. Each selection resembles the foods traditionally associated with the date but also bears the stamp of Pepin’s own traditions, which are inevitably French and gloriously rich-tasting. Easter features salmon and lamb; Graduation highlights peach-glazed ham and Chicken Galantine (boneless whole chicken with a splendid Gallic stuffing); and Summertime serves up salmon and veal. There are elegant openers and fabulous desserts as well. Pepin’s personality adds warmth, charm, and graciousness to each program, as do his personal observations….Highly recommended for all public libraries. Three more series titles cover Christmas, Chanukah, and Thanksgiving. This reviewer is buying the rest of the series for herself!” -Library Journal

Jacques Pepin’s Christmas Celebration delivers the feast of your dreams, starting with Oysters on the Half-Shell served over ice with a tangy Mignonette Sauce, a perfect counterpoint to silky Home-Smoked Salmon, served in delicate bundles filled with Cucumber Salad. It wouldn’t be a Pépin Christmas without foie gras, and Jacques prepares both a classic baked terrine of Foie Gras in a delicate Cognac Aspic as well as a simple Salt-Cured Foie Gras served with roasted nuts, crunchy sea salt, and sweet preserves. The centerpiece is Braised Duck with a tangy honey sauce, Glazed Shallots, and Honey Sweet Potatoes. A Black Truffle Salad with lemon dressing is an elegant addition. For dessert, it’s back to the classics, with a step-by-step lesson in creating a Bûche de Noël, a beautiful Yule log with all its enchanting decorations, as well as an English Christmas Pudding with raisins, nuts, candied fruit, and old-fashioned Hard Sauce.

School Library Journal, is the leading print magazine, and now SLJ.com serving librarians who work with young people in schools and public libraries. The two resources give librarians up-to-date information needed to integrate libraries into the school curriculum, become leaders in the areas of technology, reading, and information literacy, and create high-quality collections for children and young adults.

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