Navarin de Mouton

Appears in

Published 1963

About

I first became interested in French casserole cookery when I lived in Paris and Naomi came from her native Burgundy in answer to my advertisement for a housekeeper in the daily press. As soon as I saw her I knew that hire her I must. She was a trim, white-haired, little old lady with fat rosy cheeks, dressed in a strict blue suit and cream flannel blouse, with a narrow black tie that exactly matched the ribbon on her pince-nez.

Naomi had been a cordon bleu cook to a famous Marquis and as such was qualified for the highest of positions, but age and recurrent attacks of migraine had taught her to avoid the heavy responsibilities of haute cuisine and hire herself out as cook and maid of all work. I engaged her on the spot and for the five long years that I remained in Paris I never regretted the day. For Naomi proved to be a treasure such as I have rarely known, a superb cook, a wonderful housekeeper and a true friend.