A GOOD SET OF HANDS

Among the many hobbies I’ve diddled around with in the past was cooking. My mother was not a good cook and I think maybe I was merely a passable cook until I discovered the LA Times Thursday Cooking section back in 1975. I began snipping recipes out of the newspaper, making Jerry the guinea pig when I incorporated them into our dinners. About that same time both Julia Child and James Beard started appearing on Television, and both Jerry and I watched the shows faithfully. (“Yan Can Cook” was another must-see.)

I didn’t buy a lot of cookbooks because I had plenty of recipes on hand, but what I did buy was a set of what were called “James Beard’s Hands,” pictured above. They were a high class version of salad tongs. We loved using them, but as time went on we could see they were going to get a bit tatty-looking if we kept using them. We felt they were as much a piece of kitchen art as they were a kitchen utensil, so we hung them on our kitchen wall and went back to our utility tongs. They have appeared on the wall of each kitchen in every house we’ve ever lived in. We think their design is lovely and they certainly bring back memories of 1975, the year we were married and began cooking together.

Over the ensuing years I’ve given away almost all my cookbooks, but I’ve always kept the “keeper” recipes in a three-ring binder. Several of James Beard’s recipes appear. I’m sharing one today that is a real favorite. No, it doesn’t need his hands to be really yummy.

JAMES BEARD’S CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC

8 to 10 chicken drumsticks and thighs
40 cloves garlic, about 3 heads
½ cup olive oil
2 t salt
¼ t pepper
Dash nutmeg
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
6 sprigs parsley
1 T tarragon
¼ cup dry vermouth
Hot toast, or thin slices of pumpernickel

Rinse chicken parts and pat dry. Peel garlic cloves, but leave whole. Dip chicken pieces in olive oil, thoroughly coating each piece. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place chicken parts in a 3-quart casserole with a tight fitting cover. Add any remaining oil, garlic cloves, celery, parsley, tarragon and vermouth to casserole. Seal top of casserole with a piece of foil and cover tightly with lid. Bake at 375 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Do not remove lid during cooking. Serve from casserole or serving platter, if desired.

Spread garlic cloves on toast and serve with chicken (the strong flavor will have disappeared). Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Enjoy!