Country Coq Au Vin

I've been spending more time out in the country over the last month or two. S.'s kitchen is much better suited for slightly more ambitious meal making. My kitchen is set up all weird so that the counter with electrical sockets is in a corner between the stove and sink, and in such a manner that it's awkward to stand and food process, blend or whatnot. S.'s kitchen is a different beast entirely. Sockets where it makes sense. Counter space next to the stove so you can chop and throw etc. I just feel bettter about cooking in a better laid out space. So about two weeks ago I decided I'd take another stab at coq au vin. I made a version of it once when I was in Chicago, but I didn't understand just how important it was to brown the chicken, and I did a few other things wrong...which resulted in still a tasty dish, but with too much of a purple color. The readers of Chicagoist tore me apart about it; I remember their comments still. Well I remember they thought I was dumb, not what the actual comments were.

But let me just tell you something. This coq au vin was super duper successful. Oh man. I was really quite pleased with myself. Tender mushrooms, not purple chicken. Oh me oh my oh and hell yes.

I pretty much just followed Julia Child's recipe with a touch of the Barefoot Contessa.