Red Door Kitchens Presents: A Night in Paris with Diane
We are so excited to welcome Diane Krumanaker to our Red Door Kitchen on November 24th. In addition to owning her own veterinary practice, Montgomery Animal Hospital, Diane is well known for bringing the most delicious brownies to our carry-in dinners which made her a perfect candidate for this series.
Diane [dee-on], her husband Matt and daughters Cora and Marie, found St. Barnabas in 2014 when they were searching for a church home. St. Barnabas showed them a church who embraced inclusivity, had a female pastor role model for their girls and they loved the music. Following a long history in the Catholic church, Diane and Matt jumped feet first into all things St. B and have never looked back.
During a recent interview, Diane shared how Paris influenced her culinary and personal life. Her mom was born and raised in France and in the late 70’s, while she was working for the Louvre as an english language docent, she met a handsome young american who took her tour.
He was a graduate student visiting all the museums in Paris and the next day he was at another museum and he recognized his tour guide from the day before. He jumped into the group and after the tour was over, he apologized for not having paid for the tour. The pay station was closing and the teller suggested that he take the docent out for a drink instead. They arranged to meet the next day, and after he returned to the U.S., they started exchanging letters and audio tapes because, at the time, international calling was so expensive. Eventually, her mom took a leave of absence from her job and joined him at Princeton University. Things progressed and the next thing you know, they got married. Post Doctorate work took them to Oxford, England where they began their family and Diane was born.
When Diane was four, life led the family to Santa Barbara, California. Her mom was the biggest influence on her passion for cooking. “She cooked most of our meals. She was a “throw it in the pot chef” who used simple, good ingredients which included lots of fresh fruits and veggies.”
Diane grew up with French cuisine and for many years during her childhood, they spent 3-4 weeks at her grandparents house in Paris. “I have so many memories at my grandparents table…going to the bakery, going to the market and sourcing our food everyday. We ate nothing but bread and cheese for a month! In a small Parisian apartment, you can’t go to Costco because you have no place to put it. So many things were different in France, the European sense that things don’t need to be refrigerated - cheese lives on the counter!”
One of Diane’s favorite memories with her mom was “making Mousse Chocolat with her. It was one of her signature dishes. This was her go to dish that she took to dinners. I can remember she would rip the bowl out of my hands for breaking the eggs which would make the mousse flat and heavy.”
When Diane followed her passion for all creatures great and small, she chose Vet School at Ohio State where is was easier stablish residency after only one year at and seemed like a smart financial move. “My plan was to work in Ohio for a couple of years and high tail it back to California.” But l’amour had another plan. She met Matt on Match.com and they spent their first date at Rock Quest. Exactly one year later, he proposed!
Little did she know that Matt was a great cook too! “That’s why I married him. We had our first date and then I got sick. I was calling to cancel our next date and he came over and brought me homemade chicken soup. I promptly got him sick too. I didn’t cook for him but he dated me anyway!” Matt continues to do the majority of the cooking while Diane manages her business and the girls dance schedules. “Matt uses Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking to make the Beef Bourguignon. He’s really taken that recipe and run with it. He makes it in the winter, it’s a hearty warm and amazing beef stew with leftovers for 5 days. It’s the most French thing.”
On Sunday evening, November 24, Diane will share her passion for all things French by presenting her recipes for French Apple Cake and Crepes. “Crêpes are the quintessential french food and super easy. A Lot of people are intimidated by them but if you can make pancakes you can make crêpes. And the Apple Cake, well, it’s something of a surprise - apple cake is fool proof.”
We will prepare cakes together and while they bake, we’ll share a classic french country meal of Cassoulet, Salade verte and Baquette all topped off with Crêpes and Cake!
“In our own family we try to have dinner together as much as possible. It's a chance to have a family check in and chat at the end of the day.” So come chat with us as we open our Red Door Kitchen and welcome Diane! This is a chance to learn more about her life and the cherished recipes that have brought her family together to create lasting memories.
Bon Appetit!
Register now - space is limited so don’t miss out!
