So, I'm going to cheat and not include a recipe here at all. If you're so inclined to cook this mystery dish, you can haul out your copy (or check one out at your local public library where there are tons of librarians just WAITING to help you) of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume One. . . then turn to page 407. There, on that very page, you will find. . . are you ready for this? Foie de veau a la moutarde. . . aka Liver with Mustard, Herbs and Bread Crumbs.

I have to confess, I've owned my copy of Julia's cookbook (and Louisette and Simone) for over a year and haven't cooked any of the recipes. I had decided when I first acquired the book (through nefarious means) that I needed to eat better - like a FRENCH person. I was going to live off of recipes from the book. And then I actually started to look at the recipes and quickly changed my mind. I think that's why I was so fascinated when I began to read Julie and Julia. Julie had made the same decision and followed through with it. In a way I envy her, and in a way I'm glad that she did it, so I know in advance that I'm better off cooking a Julia Child recipe once every two years or so.

When I was reading Julie and Julia, there were a couple of recipes that she mentioned that really caught my attention and stood out to me. I'm sure that this is a fairly common experience. . . Miss Powell is an entertaining storyteller after all. So, this recipe was one of those that really caught my attention. . . and since there are no lobsters writhing around in tanks in Donaldsonville. . .

Okay, I'm going to be honest here. My dad fries beef liver about once a year. My mom always refuses to be in the house when this happens and rarely eats it herself, always in a gravy, never fried. I've never been able to handle liver or do the cooking myself because the texture of it raw really freaks me out. However, I would always eat a piece when dad fried it up (although I won't go near it in a gravy). Since I've been out of my parents house for a little over ten years, and fried liver isn't always that easy to find in restaurants. . . . okay, there's no real justification for craving liver. However, that IS the one recipe that I really wanted to try. I don't know how many people that I've told that I was cooking a Julia Child liver recipe tonight. I've sent Sarah at least six e-mails trying to convince her to come and visit me in my lonely apartment and to experience this with me. . . Alex has even run away across the entire state. . . I can't imagine why, but no one wanted to be here. . . which leads me to my question. . . what did Julie and what's his name do with all of their leftovers? Imagine this. . . she was cooking every day. Most of these recipes serve 6-8 people. . . and sure your friends come over. . . when you're cooking lobster. . . but what do you do with all of the leftover liver?

That is for me to know, and you to find out. . . ha ha ha ha ha. . .

(Actually, it came out quite tasty, if you were wondering.)