Julia Child's Galettes au Fromage

Galettes au Fromage - Cheese Wafers

Growing up with my mother, food was a major part of our lives. If we weren't making food or eating it, we were listening to the Yankee Kitchen Radio Show and obsessing over it.  When the radio was off, the TV was on, and we were looking forward to watching The French Chef.  

I loved watching Julia Child.  At an early age, I understood that cooking standards were set by the French.  Julia was clear and precise but never off-putting.

She would often launch into something surprising.  I remember one episode when Julia was wiping food off the counter, she said something like this:  

I am not throwing food on the floor.  I have a waste basket under here to catch it.

  People have written to me complaining that I throw food on the floor.

Don't they have anything better to do?  

Watching Julia on TV, and standing next to my mother in the kitchen, I learned the basics of how to measure and sift dry ingredients, how to scald milk, fold in egg whites, hold a knife, dice an onion, and make a roux. I bought my mother Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Mother's Day when I was in my early teens.  I still remember watching my mother make Julia's French Onion Soup starting with beef bones to make the stock. 

My mother dedicated her life to cooking and pleasing her family through food.

Julia Child was a special part of that.

For an in-depth look at how Julia Child impacted all of us and television, here's a fascinating book by Dana Polan, Julia Child's The French Chef.   


PBS is celebrating #CookForJulia! from August 5-15, 2012 to commemorate the 100th birthday of Julia.  

Make one of Julia's recipes, take a photo of it, share your memories, and post it on the PBS website or Facebook.  

Here's my contribution.

Tasty cheese wafers to enjoy at cocktail hour.

Recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, published by Knopf in 1961,

  Chapter Four: Entrees and Luncheon Dishes; Hors D'Oeuvres. 

Galettes au Fromage

These featherweight wafers are often made of Swiss cheese, but you can also use a mixture of cheeses that you have on hand.  There is just enough flour to hold the galettes together while they bake.  The softer the cheeses, the more flour you'll need.  Bake one as a test, and vary the flour, until you're satisfied with the results.

1/2 pound (about 2 pressed-down cups) grated Swiss cheese, or a mixture of cheeses

1/2 pound softened butter

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour, more if needed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

For the topping:

1 egg beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water l

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese for topping

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

A mixture of Vermont cheeses with parmesan and mozzarella

There's that butter.  One half pound of it.

Knead all the ingredients together in a bowl or on a board. The mixture will be sticky. Roll a 1-tablespoon bit into a ball in the palms of your hands, then flatten it into a cake 1/4 inch thick. Bake it for 10-15 minutes on a lightly buttered baking sheet in a hot oven to observe how it holds together; it should spread slightly, puff lightly, and brown. If it spreads out more than you wish, or is too fragile, knead in 1/4 cup more flour and make another test.

When you get them to look just right, bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.

First attempt.
  Quite flat, a little dark, but definitely has that wafer look. 

Looking better with more flour.
Puffed and golden at 10 minutes.