Remembering Pierre Franey

I once wrote a fan letter to chef Pierre Franey, who died last October. I told him that if he had been writing his “60-Minute Gourmet” column when I began cooking, I might never have become a food professional.

His straightforward, inspired recipes always worked, unlike some of my earliest attempts, the disasters of which prompted me to delve further to get to the bottom of how cooking, particularly baking, works.

My first oatmeal cookie, from the back of an oatmeal box, was just that--a cookie. During baking, all the batter merged to form one giant sheet.

Conversely, my first cake--from a mix, no less--came out of the pan in three pieces. (The instructions had said to grease the pan but hadn’t mentioned flouring it.) Puzzled and disappointed, with my little brother at my elbow asking what I was going to do, I glued it together with frosting from a can.

The filling for my first lemon meringue pie wouldn’t thicken, even when, in desperation and out of scientific curiosity, I added three-quarters of a box of cornstarch. I was living in a rural area at the time and suspected that the only possible culprit might be the water, so I had it tested. Sure enough, it was at the highest level of mineral content. The nascent food professional in me was born.

Early in my career, while trying to make classic buttercream icing and having it crystallize each time, I made the astounding discovery that thermometers, which I had believed to be infallible scientific instruments, varied widely in accuracy.

I complained to my husband that better thermometers were made for human temperatures than for baking, and he encouraged me to design and produce ones to my own standards. Thus the Cordon Rose thermometers, one for chocolate and the other for sugar/deep fat, were born.

And that is how I met Pierre Franey. He was writing a column on equipment for the New York Times, and it was my hope that he would feature the thermometers. He asked me to meet him at Le Cirque after a special luncheon in which he was participating.

I arrived to find an armed guard standing at the door. I knew Franey was a national treasure, but this seemed a bit extreme. When I asked him why he needed protection, Franey looked at me as if I were crazy and explained that the guard was there because the guest of honor was the King of Spain.

I replied, “For me, it is you who are king and worthy of protection.” He bowed his head modestly.

Then I showed him the thermometers. One side of his mouth went down in his characteristic smile, which was merely a physical quirk but seemed to indicate a dash of irony.

“Just how many people do you suppose will buy a chocolate thermometer?” he asked.

Awed though I was by his presence, my playfulness and daring got the better of me and I replied: “About as many as will buy the refrigerated marble top you wrote about in last week’s column. You see, people who are interested in tempering chocolate are failing and blaming themselves instead of the equipment. This thermometer will make it possible for them to succeed.”

Franey made no promises but asked whether he could try out the chocolate thermometer. A few weeks later, much to my delight, he mentioned it in his column.

Perhaps he was right; my little thermometer business never made me a fortune, though it did gradually find its market. And not only do I have reliable thermometers for my own use (my main motive in the first place), I also earned enough to put a down payment on a much-needed kitchen renovation.

Just weeks before his death, I saw Franey at the 50th anniversary celebration of the renowned restaurant La Co^te Basque, and I remember thinking that he was one of the culinary cornerstones of this country. It is sad to have lost him.

Below is one of my favorite Franey “60-Minute Gourmet” side-dish recipes. It is colorful, delicious, complements a wide variety of main courses and, therefore, makes regular appearances at our table.

SAUTEED POTATOES WITH SWEET RED PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Salt

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/4 cup olive oil

2/3 cup thinly sliced onions

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Pepper

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Yukon gold or Idaho potatoes work best in this recipe.

Place potatoes in cold water. When ready to cook, drain and place in medium saucepan with cold salted water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Drain well.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Add onions, peppers and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, until tender and golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

319 calories; 90 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.