One anticipates elegant simplicity from a cook with a French name that translates to an essential aspect of quotidian life: "baker." And, like the starter of a great loaf of bread, boulangere has a knack for consistently producing delicious and delightful boulangerie: Put Some Spring in Your Bread; Cream Scones, Sweet or Savory; Power Bread ... there you have it.

Nevertheless, this Montana-based culinary veteran (a chef and caterer -- she's a pro) is no stranger to the worlds of savory and unleavened. In fact, twisting a classic or two has led her to some real home-cooked brilliance (and her winningest recipes): her Cappuccino Cheesecake, a salute to coffee and the vintage dessert, is divine, unexpectedly nuanced and subtle. Her Winter Spring Summer Fall Chicken Mousse reinterprets sophisticated French technique for, literally, year-round cooking.

Perhaps most of all, we love boulangere's narrative recipe-naming style: obviously, the simple recipe of egg, tomato, herbs, and cream that she entered in this week's contest for Your Best Dirt Cheap Dinner should be called Use the Good China Eggs, Homage to Richard Olney. Then there's My Sister's Famous (well we love it) Tartar Sauce -- nothing like a little honesty and a teaser that makes you want to give the dish a shot. We do and have yet to be disappointed!

See boulangere's profile page and fan her here.

Read her profile Q&A below:

  • What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
    Lima beans - my mother terrorized us with them. They were like eating cooked chalk.

  • What do you cook when home alone?
    I could eat pasta every night, but I'll also put anything I can get my hands on into or on top of bread

  • Your most treasured kitchen possession:
    A good sharp knife

  • Your ideal meal:
    One eaten with a good book and without a cat on the table

  • Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
    I'd love to learn to roll sushi

  • The number of bottles of wine you own:
    Usually 3 at a time

  • The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
    6

  • Kitchen pet peeve:
    I'm working on being generally less peeved. It's a work in progress.

  • Your favorite cookbook:
    With spring on the horizon, I'm spending time with The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld, very smart, gentle guy with an exquisite palate.

 

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • drbabs
    drbabs
  • RIPNGUITAR
    RIPNGUITAR
  • lmayb6
    lmayb6
  • Waverly
    Waverly
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
I am a cook / eater / writer living in San Francisco.

110 Comments

drbabs May 22, 2011
boulangere, you only joined us about 3 months ago--is that right?--but I remember thinking when you posted your first recipe, that woman is a FORCE. That you're also fun, funny and generous has been to the greater good for all of us in this amazing community. It's so nice to see you in the spotlight, and I only wish I were close enough geographically to consider coming to one of your classes...I'd be there in a heartbeat.
 
boulangere May 23, 2011
If I were closer, you'd be my optometrist in a heartbeat, and hardlikearmor would be my veterinarian. Yes, I joined recently, but had kept an eye on this amazing site for a few months before signing on. You are SO kind and emblematic of all that is kind and generous about food52. Thank you so much. And if you can't have fun with food and laugh at yourself, well, . . . . .
 
boulangere May 23, 2011
And thank heaven I'd had my roots recently done.
 
RIPNGUITAR May 21, 2011
Your knowledge, taste and flare for the art of cooking are impeccable. It's awesome to watch you in the kitchen. I'm inspired by your wisdom, enthusiasm and determination. As a Teacher, You fill me with the desire to succeed. The Knowledge and the skills you instilled into me, My mind reels at the possibilities. I thank You.
 
boulangere May 22, 2011
As you are all a constant source of inspiration and admiration to me.
 
lmayb6 May 20, 2011
Thank you for being such an inspiration. It is an honor to be in your class and learn from you on a daily basis, congrats on a much deserving spotlight.:)
 
boulangere May 22, 2011
Thank you so much. It is I who is blessed to teach you.
 
Waverly May 18, 2011
Love seeing you at work decorating what I know has to be a delicious cake - so nice to see you in the spotlight!
 
boulangere May 18, 2011
Thank you, thank you!
 
monkeymom May 18, 2011
boulangere, you've blown me away with some of your foodpickle answers. I've learned so much through them! Thanks so much for taking all the time to share your knowledge!
 
boulangere May 18, 2011
You're making me blush! Thank you so much!
 
Kitchen B. May 17, 2011
Great to 'learn' more about you, boulangere!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Thank you very much.
 
Daphne May 17, 2011
Such fun getting to know you here, boulangere! can't wait to try your recipes when we get our kitchen put back together! Thank you for all your clever contributions!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Thank you so much - and how is your kitchen coming along?
 
Daphne May 17, 2011
It's coming along... all the suggestions from the replies on foodpickle have been so helpful. Our twenty somethings have weighed in from a distance too. " Mom, keep it simple, all you need is fire" and " Lets look at flea markets for old cupboards, cabinets and hardware, instead of ordering all the manufactured new stuff" Meanwhile, we put down some plywood on top of the subfloor, pulled in a pastry table to the center of the room to sit around and we're happy campers using the outside barbeque, rain or shine!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Necessity is . . . . sounds very intimate. I love the all you need is fire!
 
I'm so happy to see you spotlighted here!! I love your recipes and always look forward to seeing what you're cooking each week. Keep 'em coming!!!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
You are so very kind!
 
lorigoldsby May 17, 2011
Congrats on the spotlight article! Very well deserved. You are an inspiration to all of us food52 readers. I love your food pickle contributions almost as much as your yummy recipes...but I really appreciate the encouragement and enthusiasm you provide. Keep it coming!!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Food52 inspires us all.
 
lapadia May 17, 2011
@lorigoldsby - just want to mention that I love that profile photo with your new BF Martha! :)
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Definitely one for the scrapbook - its cover!
 
Brokenfoodie May 17, 2011
Well Deserved my friend! What's the best about you? Your sense of humor radiates throughout your kitchen and creations. Congratulations!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
I'll be seeing you this afternoon, missy.
 
aargersi May 17, 2011
YAY Boulangere! Such a well deserved spotlight. Wishing I were in Montana or the PNW too, for a meet-up feed-up ... lacking that I certainly do love your recipes, headnotes, comments, Pickles, and everything!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Thank you, thank you! Speaking of pickles, those onions of your are freaking amazing.
 
ChefMommy May 17, 2011
Congrats!! This is amazing!!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
I'm certainly amazed.
 
betteirene May 17, 2011
Forgot this part. . .sorry. Congratulations! Woohoo!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
Too much!
 
betteirene May 17, 2011
Me too, me too!. . .and there's more of us around the Sound: Syronai, lapadia, ChefDaddy, Abra Bennett, hardlikearmour is nearby (Portland)--Yes, let's do something!.
 
lapadia May 17, 2011
If the time is right for me, I'm up for it!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
How great is that!
 
cookinginvictoria May 17, 2011
Yay, boulangere! So happy to see you in the spotlight. It is so well-deserved. You are such a great and generous presence on food52. I love your wise and witty responses on food pickle. And your imaginative and delicious-sounding recipes always make me hungry. I would so love to take one of your cooking classes. I'm not sure if I could swing it, but it would be so great if a PNW meet-up could be arranged. (Did I see Seattle mentioned below?) How awesome it would be to meet some of the talented and wonderful food52 cooks who live in this neck of the woods (figuratively speaking!). Please keep me posted on the plans!
 
lapadia May 17, 2011
Ditto!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
It's a promise!
 
kmartinelli May 16, 2011
Great, much deserved spotlight! Your recipes are always an inspiration.
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
You are very kind.
 
thirschfeld May 16, 2011
It is so wonderful to see you in the spotlight and so great of you to share your wonderful recipes with all of us. It is a wonderful community and we are lucky to have you as part of it.
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
thirschfeld, you have no idea what your affirmation means. I am the fortunate one to be among you. I and the 3 cats milling around the keyboard, expecting dinner.
 
wssmom May 16, 2011
Woohoo!! So much fun! Top to bottom, boulangere ROCKS! Great spotlight!
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
Let's raise a glass!
 
SKK May 16, 2011
Boulangere, what class are you teaching? I want to register!
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
You live in Seattle, right? Well, I'm thinking we need to arrange a meetup this fall (September?) and cook together. Are you in?
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
Alternatively, come to Montana, stay in my house, and we'll cook together.
 
SKK May 16, 2011
Would love to come stay with you and learn from, prep for, cook with you! And I live in Seattle. And would come to a meet-up. Whoopee - having it all. Yes, I live in Seattle with family in northern Idaho and Montana.
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
Oh we are so on! Seattle, yes! Where in Montana and Idaho do you have family? I'm sensing some seriously great food and friends and stories here.
 
SKK May 17, 2011
I have family in White Bird, ID and Helena MT - also had a place on Big Mountain. Defintely stories and sources of seasonal great food. A lot of history. Many moons ago (like that term better than years) would haul peaches over the LoLo and sell them in Missouia right off the truck.
 
fiveandspice May 17, 2011
Oh man, I want to come too, even though I don't live even remotely close by!
 
gingerroot May 17, 2011
Aw, me too! I'm definitely not close, but the PNW is as close to me as anywhere else...
 
BlueKaleRoad May 17, 2011
Congratulations, boulangere! And I live in Seattle, too, so would love to join a meet up and cook.
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
We've got some serious planning to do.
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
LOVE your photo, BlueKaleRoad!
 
boulangere May 17, 2011
I'm giving a lot of open to the public one-day classes in August, and I would LOVE for any food52ers who want to come to Montana to come and stay with me, and help me teach some very fun classes. I'll be working on them this weekend and will post them to anyone interested. Leave your interest here, and we'll be talking. Tease, tease: I'm very close to Yellowstone Park. Field trips can be arranged.
 
phyllis May 16, 2011
I love reading your recipes. Congratulations, boulangere.
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
So envy you that stove. Where in NJ are your? My family lived for a few years in Hopewell, near Princeton. Thank you so much!
 
phyllis May 16, 2011
It's a fabulous stove!!! I live in Westfield, NJ. It's about 45 minutes from the Hopewell/Princeton area. I love your homework assignment for your students. I've not been successful trying to teach people how to build a taste palate (just friends and family). Does it work for your students?
 
boulangere May 16, 2011
Oh my gosh, you should have been in the room when we were discussing/voting this afternoon! I won't tell you (all) which recipe we ultimately voted for, though they were all encouraged to cast their own votes based strictly on discussion of the flavor profiles of each. This is such fun!

I have a nephew in Seattle who I suspect would love to have us all invade their kitchen and cook for them this fall. Cannot wait, my friends!