MY FIRST COOKBOOK & "Toad in the Hole" Recipe

 One of the prized possessions of my childhood was my very first cookbook, "Let's Cook With Gail".  There is a bookplate inside the front cover wherein I wrote my name, pre-cursive, in pencil; and since we learned cursive in the second grade, I would have been six or seven when I got this treasured cookbook.

The recipe book was first issued in 1952 by The Farmer, Saint Paul, Minnesota.  The red booklet above was issued at that time.  The beige book with red binding was issued in 1954.  The 1954 version is my first cookbook.

 The Farmer was a newspaper focused on agriculture which began in the late 1800's and has continued following many mergers over the years, to the point that it is no longer recognized by the name.   In 1952, The Farmer began a monthly series of cooking lessons "for boys and girls."  Children received the "Let's Cook With Gail" booklet, and were instructed to cut out the lessons in the newspaper and paste them into their booklet.  Gail was an actual person - the eleven-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Palmby, who lived on a general farm in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.

Most of the recipes in the booklet are basic and suitable for all ages.  For fun, I decided to make one of the recipes, "Toad in the Hole."  

Here's the final result.

I liked it!!!   

VINTAGE, ENTERTAINING & THE NATION

 It is now snowy and cold outside, and a good time to go through things and get rid of them.  Of course, when you go through things there is no telling what the result will be.

Over the years I've collected vintage cookbooks, and other books on entertaining.  Yesterday I came across this book:

The book was published in 1898 by the United Society of Christian Endeavor and the eighty ideas for entertaining include everything from a "Temperance Talking Party" to an "Evening With the Fairies" to a "Bean Social."   

In our current political scene much is being made of the concept of "Nation," and one of the "pleasant evenings" in the book is for "An International Social."  A contest was suggested called "A Tour of Nations" whereby each player gets a clue as to the meaning of the correct word to which the word "nation" is the end of the word.  Here are the clues and the answers.  Perhaps you'll have an election night party for our next election and will be able to use these to keep your guests entertained during the long watch for voter results.

1.  Nation from which we start:  GERMINATION

2.  Actors' nation:  IMPERSONATION

3.  Nation for criminals:  CONDEMNATION

4.  Murderers' nation:  ASSASSINATION

5.  Nation for astonished people:  CONSTERNATION

6.  Nation for rulers:  DOMINATION

7.  Nation for pests:  EXTERMINATION

8.  Nation for their subjects:  SUBORDINATION

9.  Nation provoking disapproval:  ABOMINATION

10.  Teachers' nation:  EXPLANATION

11.  Their pupils nation:  EXAMINATION

12.  The rebels nation:  ALIENATION

13.  Nation for labor unions:  COMBINATION

14.  Nation for unwilling people:  DECLINATION

15.  Nation for Covid-19 patients:  VACCINATION

16.  Soothsayers' nation:  DIVINATION

17.  A floral nation:  CARNATION

18.  A politicians' nation:  NOMINATION

19.  Nation for contagious disease:  CONTAMINATION

20.  Nation for seed-sowers:  DISSEMINATION

21.  Nation for deer:  STAGNATION

22.  Nation for the resolute:  DETERMINATION

23.  Nation for choir boys:  INTONATION

24.  Nation for a new king:  CORONATION

25.  Nation for the deluded:  HALLUCINATION

26.  The poets nation:  IMAGINATION

27.  Nation for travelers:  DESTINATION

28.  Nation for those whose official usefulness is ended:  RESIGNATION

29.  Nation for benevolent people:  DONATION

30.  A Charming nation:  FASCINATION

31.  A nation of sects:  DENOMINATION

32.  The critics' nation:  DISCRIMINATION

33.  The nation at the climax:  CULMINATION

34.  The nation we have now reached:  TERMINATION

Are you glad of that last one?  hehe!!

Enjoy your day, Everyone!

  

GORDON RAMSEY: ROASTING IN HELL'S KITCHEN

Gordon Ramsey has been a Michelin rated restaurateur and TV personality for years.  Perhaps you've seen him on Kitchen Nightmares berating restaurant owners, chefs and staff.  If so, you know that he could not be more outspoken, or use more profanity if he tried!  To me it's all very fascinating and I was excited to pick up his 2006 book, "Roasting In Hell's Kitchen."   Granted, the book is dated, but it was written by Ramsey, about Ramsey, and from what I can tell, things haven't changed much for him.  Yes, new restaurants have opened and other restaurants have closed; TV programs have changed; and in many ways his life has changed.  However, none of that changes the fundamental essence of who Gordon Ramsey is and where he came from.  To get that, you will want to read this book.

It is clear that Ramsey's childhood significantly shaped him.  The family moved continuously as Ramsey's musician, alcoholic father pursued pipe dreams, frequently, taking out his failures and frustrations on the family by physically abusing them.  He taught Ramsey how to swim by holding his head under water for minutes.  Cruel!  It seemed to Ramsey that the only way that he could please his father was by playing soccer.  He was good at it and he pursued it with a passion, achieving a commendable level of success.  After a serious injury, however, his hopes of becoming a soccer pro were dashed.  By the time Ramsey was sixteen, he had had enough of his father's abuse and moved out of the house.  By then he was already pursuing a career as a chef.

Gordon Ramsey is not a person who has ever cut corners.  It is clear that from the time he was a small child, to present day, he is all in on everything he does (even the swearing!).  In the book, Ramsey walks us through the steps that brought him to his career successes, which are undeniable.  To his credit, he has also managed to do the necessary work to build a strong family with his wife of nearly twenty years.

This is an interesting story, and not a big time commitment to read.  The challenges Ramsey has overcome are intense and most people would not have made it.  His pursuit of perfection seems to have saved him, and now we can enjoy his accomplishments.

I absolutely recommend this book.

“A COOK’S TOUR - IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MEAL” by ANTHONY BOURDAIN, AUTHOR OF “KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL”

After reading Anthony Bourdain’s “Bone in the Throat”, a murder mystery, I had low expectations for his “A Cook’s Tour - In Search of the Perfect Meal.”  After reading just a few pages of this book, however, I concluded that Bourdain is significantly better at writing about real people and real events than he is at making up characters and events for a novel.  In fact, in this book he shows his talents as a writer with well articulated descriptions and personal insights.  

“A Cook’s Tour” was the basis for Bourdain’s travel series on Food Network.  Each chapter highlights Bourdain’s trip to a new location, including cities in Cambodia, Vietnam, Portugal, France, Spain, Russia, America (San Francisco and Napa Valley), and so on.  As the title suggests, Bourdain was in search of the perfect meal.  Interestingly, some of those meals consisted of eating an iguana, an entire four-foot long cobra, beginning with the still pumping heart and a cup of its blood, and many, many other animal parts that we typically don’t find at our local American restaurants.  Bourdain writes about these meals with fascinating detail, and without censorship.  I found myself laughing out loud, squirming, feeling horrified, and experiencing a whole host of other reactions as I read about Bourdain’s adventures.  All of this made for a quick read, a desire to search out and watch his TV series, and a desire to read more of Bourdain’s travels.  

BOOK REVIEW: "FOUND MEALS OF THE LOST GENERATION - Recipes and Anecdotes from 1920's Paris" by Suzanne Rodriguez-Hunter

I just finished reading Found Meals of the Lost Generation - Recipes and Anecdotes from 1920s Paris by Suzanne Rodrigues-Hunter.  What a fun and fascinating book!!  This is a small book, and a very fast read.  I didn't want to put it down!

As the title suggests, this is a social history of American expats and the creative community of Paris in the early 1900s.  These are stories of the gatherings of Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein,  Isadora Duncan, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Cole Porter and many more, and include recipes of the foods they shared.  The book begins:

They rebelled against their parents, danced to loud and shocking music, were disillusioned by war, flirted with cocaine, pushed the boundaries of sexual freedom, cut their hair geometrically and colored it with henna, loved abstract art, joined cults, flew in airplanes in a world grown small, drove fast cars, pondered their subconscious motivations, rejected conformism, and a lot of them drank or drugged too much.

Well, perhaps things haven't changed all that much but, still, this is a good introduction!

The 1920's were interesting times, and the creative community in Paris took full advantage.  Gertrude Stein played an integral role in bringing these artists, writers, dancers and musicians together.  She began as a collector of the art being produced at the time.  She had little money, and the artists whose works she was purchasing were equally living on the edge.  In little time she amassed a collection of works by Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso, and many others.  These artists became her friends, and her collection of their works became an attraction to be seen by hundreds of young painters, writers, collectors, journalists, and their friends.  After 1920, when Alice B. Toklas moved in with Gertrude Stein, these gatherings would be catered by Toklas who was known to be an extraordinary cook.  One recipe in the book, "Nameless Cookies," inspired me to buy Toklas' book, Aromas and Flavors of the Past and Present.  Here is the recipe.

NAMELESS COOKIES
Sift together 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 cups white flour.  Cream 1 cup butter and add the flour mixture slowly, little by little; this procedure, stirring rather than beating as flour is added, should take about 20 minutes.  At midway point, add 1 tablespoon curacao and 1 teaspoon brandy.  When mixture has been combined, roll the dough into small 'sausage' rolls about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.  Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet 1 inch apart in preheated 275º oven; bake 20 minutes.  Remove gently with spatula, gently sifting powdered sugar over them while still hot.  Kept in tightly closed container, cookies will last up to 3 weeks.

Otherwise, the menus and recipes of those times are not unlike what would be found in Paris today.  One menu lists caviar with blinis and cream, fresh salmon steaks in cream, roast partridge, and raspberry pie with cream.  Many of the recipes use ingredients not typically found in American grocery stores.  The recipe for Jugged Hare begins "Cut a 5-pound rabbit or hare into pieces ...".   Although we do have an abundance of rabbits, they are more often found in our gardens than in our stores.

Because of the times, and because of who these people are, these stories are highly readable.  Without hesitation, I fully recommend this book!

BOOK REVIEW: "BONE IN THE THROAT" by Anthony Bourdain

You may know Anthony Bourdain from seeing his television series, No Reservations, or from reading his groundbreaking book "Kitchen Confidential," which opened our eyes to what goes on in restaurant kitchens.  Personally, I had no idea that he has also written books of fiction, including his first novel, "Bone in the Throat."   I was excited to read the book since the story takes place in a restaurant and I was curious how Bourdain would cover food and restaurant issues in the story.  This is what we're told on the back cover:

"All is not well at the Dreadnought Grill.  The chef's got a drug habit, the owner's been set up by the FBI and in the midst of this, Tommy, the sous-chef is just trying to do his job.  As depraved as it is hilarious, Anthony Bourdain's first novel is spiced with foul-mouthed Feds, drugged-up savvy and salty mob speak.  With a cast of unforgettables - like the hitman who covers himself with clingfilm to avoid leaving fingerprints - Bone in the Throat has a plot with more twists than a plate of spaghetti."

Unfortunately, on a number of fronts the book was disappointing.  First, the story line was thin and it appeared that the excessive verbiage was inserted to simply expand the book;  it would have made a better short story than a novel.  Second, the sections covering food topics simply didn't fit the flow of the story with long passages on everything from beurre blanc sauce, to details on a chef's coat, to a specially-ordered chef's knife.   I kept telling myself to go ahead and scan paragraphs rather than spending time reading the book but I kept hoping that things would pick up.  Third, there was very little tension in the story since the ending was entirely predictable after a few chapters.  Finally, the slang and cursing in the dialogue were monotonous.

Although this was a fast read, I cannot recommend that you spend any time reading this book.  Since this was Bourdain's first attempt at writing a novel, I am hopeful that his subsequent novels are better reads.

STREUSEL RHUBARB SQUARES

With this cool weather, and an abundance of rhubarb, it is the perfect time to bake.  Continuing with the "rhubarb" theme, I decided to make a recipe from another cookbook on rhubarb, The Joy of Rhubarb by Theresa Millang.   Ms. Millang is originally from Louisiana but moved to Minnesota via marriage.  She has written a number of cookbooks, including The Great Minnesota Hotdish.  Thus, this cookbook, like the one by Kim Ode I referred to in my last post, also has Minnesota roots.

I have made a number of recipes from this cookbook but my favorite is this recipe for Streusel Rhubarb Squares.

STREUSEL RHUBARB SQUARES.
Crust:
*  1 cup all-purpose flour
*  1/3 cup powdered sugar
*  1/3 cup butter, no substitution
Filling:
*  1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
*  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
*  1/2 teaspoon salt
*  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*  2 eggs, slightly beaten
*  3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces  (Fresh or frozen rhubarb may be used, but do not thaw if using frozen.)
Topping:
*  3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*  1/2 cup granulated sugar
*  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*  1/3 cup butter, no substitution
Preheat oven to 350º.  For the crust, mix flour and sugar in a bowl; cut in butter.  Press into an ungreased 8-9" square baking pan.  Bake 15 minutes; cool.
For the filling, mix sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and rhubarb in a bowl.  Pour over cooled crust.
For the topping, mix flour, sugar and cinnamon in another bowl; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over filling.  Bake 50 - 55 minutes.   

The bottom crust has been made and I begin making the topping.

Stir together all topping ingredients.

Then pour over the baked, cooled crust.

Tip:  I keep a measuring cup for 1 cup in my flour jar, and a measuring cup for 1/2 cap in my sugar jar.  It saves dishes and is so convenient!

I use this tool to "cut" butter into my other ingredients.

The topping was sprinkled over the rhubarb mixture.

Out of the oven and tasted a.s.a.p.!

RHUBARB CRISP from "Rhubarb Renaissance" by Kim Ode

A few weeks ago a friend and I went to a talk and book signing by Kim Ode, a local food writer and cook.  Kim has just written a new book Rhubarb Renaissance, published just in time for rhubarb harvest.  Her focus in the book is not simply on rhubarb desserts but, also, on rhubarb "savories."  How do these recipes sound:  Baked Camembert with Rhubarb Compote; Crostini with Goat Cheese, Prosciutto and Rhubarb Chutney; Spicy Chicken Breasts with Creamy Rhubarb Sauce; Halibut Skewers with Mango-Rhubarb Salsa; or Pork Loin Chops with Rhubarb Stuffing?  Interesting, huh?  I had to buy the book!

I have two "Chipman's Red" rhubarb plants that put out a lot of rhubarb.  Looking for something sweet, fast and easy, I turned to the book for Rhubarb Crisp.  I couldn't just follow the recipe, though!

RHUBARB CRISP WITH A TWIST.  Serves 9.
*  4 cups rhubarb, cut in 1-inch pieces
*  1/3 cup currents
*  Zest of one orange
*  1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
*  1/2 cup granulated sugar
*  1 teaspoon cinnamon
*  1 cup packed brown sugar
*  1 cup old-fashioned (not quick-cooking) oats
*  Pinch of salt
*  8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350º.  Toss rhubarb, currents and orange zest with 2 tablespoons flour and granulated sugar, then spread evenly in an ungreased 9x9-inch glass pan.  In a medium bowl, mix remaining 1 cup flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and salt, and then work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture looks crumbly.  Spread over the rhubarb and bake for 45 minutes.

Tip:  Use a glass baking dish.  Metal ones can become pitted.

Tip:  Serve with ice cream.  

"I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence" by Amy Sedaris - a Book Review

Having read a number of books by David Sedaris, I was interested in this book by his sister, Amy.  It particularly appealed to me because the focus of the book is on entertaining, which I love to do.  If you enjoy David Sedaris' books, you will also enjoy this book;  it is wildly entertaining, outrageous, vulgar, clever, and has references to drugs and alcohol, just like David's books.  Midway through the book, I paused and asked myself whether I should continue reading the book since there were few things regarding entertaining that I didn't already know, and I have more than enough recipes to last my lifetime.  The answer was - because I really enjoyed her writing!  So, if you think you will have problems with the humor, don't bother with this book.  In addition, buying this book as a gift could be tricky since this type of humor may not be appreciated by the recipient.

Otherwise, the book is absolutely chock full of information, tips, suggestions, recipes, and all aspects of entertaining.  There is everything from guest etiquette, to mottoes for living, to gift ideas (hilarious!), to dealing with unexpected guests, to party themes with related recipes, to selecting music for the party, to decorations.

Included are over 100 recipes which span the spectrum:  from easy things like popcorn, hot tea, baked potatoes, and southern fried chicken, to more involved recipes like pastitsio, fennel and arugula salad, and cinnamon sour cream coffee cake.

The craft ideas are mostly kitchy:  tissue ghosts, paperclip necklaces, pantyhose plant hangers, paper aprons and the like.

Despite the humorous tone of the book, the etiquette suggestions are excellent and more people really need to be aware of them - things like how to introduce guests to each other, the importance of the RSVP, how to say goodbye when the party is over, and so on.

In summary, the book is a fast and entertaining read, and a good source of recipes for entertaining.  Used copies are available at Amazon.com for just a few dollars.

"ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE" a Book Review

There is so much information available today on food production and my decision to read about it in book form wasn't easy.  One can become depressed, angered, feel powerless, and all sorts of other emotions that are unpleasant when reading about what has been happening in the food sector.  In deciding to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver I was influenced by the fact that the technical information would be couched in a casual narrative of this family's year of eating "local" and growing their own food.

Kingsolver presents a plethora of information on all aspects of the food industry.  Here are a few passages from the book:
*  Modern U.S. consumers now get to taste less than 1 percent of the vegetable varieties that were grown here a century ago.
*  Six companies - Monsanto, Syngenta, DuPont, Mitsui, Aventis, and Dow - now control 98 percent of the world's seed sales.
*  An estimated 67 million birds die each year from pesticide exposure on U.S. farms.

Kingsolver's family took a vow to eat only foods grown and produced locally which meant that they needed to radically change their diets. No more bananas, salmon and many other foods that they were used to.  In addition to their other life tasks (work, school, etc.) they now also needed to plant, tend and harvest their food.   They needed to cook their meals rather than to eat at restaurants.  They needed to prepare their produce for long-term storage.  Their trials and rewards are all recorded.

Daughter, Camille, assumes a key role in the book, adding sidebars of her own, and tackling such topics as whether potatoes are good for us (due to high nutritional value) or bad for us (due to their high glycemic index, their ability to make us gain weight, and their contribution to type II diabetes).  She points out that eating potato skins isn't always safe since conventional potatoes are among the most pesticide-contaminated vegetables.  Since this family grows their own, their potatoes are safe.  Camille includes seasonal recipes for potato salad.  Recipes from the book can also be found at www.animalvegetablemiracle.com.

Camille, a vegetarian, experienced difficulties with her friends over her food preferences.  Apparently, they felt that she was becoming too vociferous in her views.  After careful consideration, Camille decides that it is best to be less judgmental of others, to present her views as less of a mandate and more of a "choice" based on full knowledge.

Despite the heaviness of the topic, Kingsolver manages to present the material in a charming, readable manner, occasionally incorporating wit.  One small example - she includes a New York saying:  "A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat."

Two thumbs up for this book.

By the way, you may already be familiar with Barbara Kingsolver.  She has written twelve books of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction including the novels "The Poisonwood Bible" and "The Bean Trees."

BOOK REVIEW: "Take Big Bites" by Linda Ellerbee

Linda Ellerbee is a journalist first, then a producer and author.  As such, she sees the world with her eyes wide open – from the big picture beauty of Santorini Island from her bedroom window, to the focused caviar bites on Malcolm Forbes’ yacht.  The title of the book says it all “Take Big Bites – Adventures Around the World and Across the Table.”  She is at once charming, irreverent, funny and completely engaging. 

Weaved throughout the book are very real tales of her childhood in 1950’s Texas, her hippy days in the ‘60’s, her long-lasting childhood friendships, her divorces and then, finally, successful marriage, her parenting experiences, her experience with breast cancer, and the challenges of travel.  She takes us from her home town in Texas to Italy, Turkey, Paris, Bolivia, France, and the list goes on. 

An almost minor thread throughout the book is the food she ate.  She shares the recipes, all of which sound delicious and appear very easy to make.  The major thread throughout the book is the message in the life she has led, and that is to “take big bites,” to live life completely, and to never hold back.  That focus makes this a very, very readable book!

I won’t tell the story behind this recipe… It’s a good one! 

SUPER FRESH COLD CREAM-OF-TOMATO WATERMELON SOUP.  Makes 2 quarts, more or less.  “Follow the recipe below or buy the tomato soup at a good takeaway market.  For homemade soup, I use canned tomatoes.  So shoot me.  Everything else is fresh”  L. Ellberbee.

2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes (preferably Italian) and their liquid

1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter

4 large shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth (if using canned broth, don’t add salt until the very end; you may not need any)

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and cayenne to taste

1 quart chopped, seeded watermelon

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 lime

Fresh mint, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450º.  Spread the tomatoes on a nonstick cookie sheet, reserving their liquid.  Sprinkle with the brown sugar.  Bake 30 minutes.  Peel off the tomatoes and set aside in a bowl.
2. Heat the butter in a saucepan on low.  Add the shallots and tomato paste.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened.  Add the flour and whisk until everything is combined.  Whisk in the chicken stock, the juice from the tomato cans, and the roasted tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender.  Add salt and cayenne to taste.
3. Stir in the cream.  Let it sit until it’s room temperature and then put in the refrigerator to chill.
4. When the soup is chilled (overnight works best), put it in the blender, in batches, with the seeded watermelon chunks.
5. Serve the soup cold.  Thin the sour cream with lime juice and water until it is the consistency of heavy cream and then drizzle it in ribbons over the top of the soup.  Scatter chopped mint over the whole bowl.

BOOK REVIEW - "The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry" by Kathleen Flinn

The book, The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry, by Kathleen Flinn ("Kat") isn't a literary piece but it is delightful reading for people like me who enjoy reading cookbooks in bed before going to sleep.   The author had been working as a journalist, principally in the food sector, prior to deciding in 2003 to pursue her dream of attending the venerable Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute in Paris.   The book is based on her 600 pages of personal notes, 120 hours of audio recordings, and selections from the 300-plus recipes in the Cordon Bleu program.  Her experiences at the school include demanding yet charming instructors, struggling classmates, and fascinating food ordeals and trivia.  Woven through the book is Kat's developing relationship with Mike, who follows her to Paris to set up a life together.  If that isn't enough fun reading, the book also contains mouth-watering recipes!  Following is one from the book.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH GARLIC AND HERBS.  Serves 8.  SEE NOTE BELOW.
* 1-1/2 pounds chicken pieces, skin removed
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 chopped onion
* 2 large chopped carrots
* 2 stalks chopped celery
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 5 quarts chicken stock (may substitute water for half)
* 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (may substitute thyme or mixed Italian herbs)
* 1/2 bunch parsley, 1/2 bunch thyme, 3 bay leaves - all tied together in a bunch
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 ounces wide noodles (or substitute per your preference)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus fresh pepper to taste
* 2 teaspoons minced parsley (optional)
Rinse the chicken under cold water; pat dry.  Trim any excess fat.  Set aside.  In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.  Add the white wine and stir the bottom to loosen any brown bits as it reduces by one half.  Add the stock and/or water.  Heat through.  Add the chicken.  Bring to a low boil, skimming fat and foam from the surface.  When it appears that no more skimming is necessary, drop the heat to a simmer and add the herbs.  Simmer partially covered for a half hour.  Add the garlic.  Simmer another half hour.  Remove the chicken from the soup with tongs.  Continue to simmer the liquid for a few moments while the chicken cools.  Remove the meat from the chicken and shred it into pieces and return to the pot.  Add the noodles and increase the heat to a gentle boil, then cook until soft.  Skim off any foam and check seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed.  Remove tied herbs.  Stir in the fresh parsley. 

NOTE:  When reading other cooks' reviews on various websites (e.g. Epicurious.com and Allrecipes.com) it is advisable to first assess the culinary credibility of the reviewer.  The same goes with this blog!  Although I haven't tested this recipe I trust Kathleen Flinn's culinary credibility and will definitely make this recipe.  It sounds perfect!