Six California Kitchens

Sally Schmitt’s Stories & Recipes From Over a Half-Century of California Cooking.

[The French Laundry @_TFL_]

Celebrating Sally Schmitt, the original owner of The French Laundry and the heart of our history. #IWD #IWD2020

[L.A. Times Food @latimesfood]

By swapping in tomatillos for the more common tomatoes and pairing them with citrus, Sally Schmitt, co-founder of the original French Laundry, brings bright tangy notes to this simple soup. https://t.co/GhdQb2MAl3

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

@latimesfood @DanielNMiller @latimesfood thank you! Sally and her family couldn't be more grateful for your beautiful telling of her and Don's story.

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

Sally and her family couldn't be more grateful for this article and beautiful short film. Thank you @DanielNMiller and the @latimes!

[Daniel Miller @DanielNMiller]

In 2017, I read an obit for Don Schmitt, the French Laundry co-founder. I had no idea that before it was Thomas Keller's French Laundry, it was Don and Sally Schmitt's place. Since then, I've wanted to tell this story — one of love, loss and tortilla soup: https://t.co/sBgEbeIgcb

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

We’re thrilled to announce Chronicle Books will be publishing Six California Kitchens in the Fall of 2021!

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

@ruthreichl and her vast collection of menus in @taste_cooking. On Sally's cooking at The French Laundry: "You can see how their food is kind of hard to characterize, at this time when so many restaurants were either French or Italian". https://t.co/XYewt30tvD

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

Thank you, Diane Peterson, for the great feature in the @pressdemocrat today! 📷 by John Burgess

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

In the Apple Farm teaching kitchen, Sally demonstrating the preparation of her Lamb en Croute, a dish she loved preparing at The French Laundry.⁣ https://t.co/dX6KqM34gr

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

@_TFL_ just celebrated their 40th anniversary. For the commemorative menu that night, @Chef_Keller requested that Don and Sally’s daughter, Kathy Hoffman, hand letter the menu, just as she had done during the sixteen years that her parents had owned and operated the restaurant.

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

I decided to do only one menu each night, as I had been doing for our monthly dinners at The Chutney Kitchen. Chez Panisse was already doing that, which gave me the courage to do this. But at the last moment, I panicked... https://t.co/Wmzd2jEQaB #TFL40th #sallyskitchens

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

@_TFL_ @sfchronicle A big hug for Thomas from Sally for being so generous in his
acknowledgment of our first French Laundry.

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

A big hug for Thomas from Sally for being so generous in his
acknowledgment of our first French Laundry. https://t.co/Sa0ZVA8c2o

[The French Laundry @_TFL_]

Forty years today, The French Laundry began its first service under Don and Sally Schmitt. 📷: Otto Greule; courtesy @sfchronicle @_TFL_ #sallyskitchens

[The French Laundry @_TFL_]

As we prepare to celebrate the original anniversary of our restaurant on February 9th we’re sharing our archives. The original handwritten menu on opening night and chef/owner Sally Schmitt on the cover of Napa Valley magazine.
📷: Michael Farrer for Napa Valley Magazine, 1979

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

At The French Laundry, as Sally ruled the kitchen, the wine list was the domain of her husband Don. They never topped off glasses or pushed wine sales; this was wine country, it simply wasn’t needed. https://t.co/Wmzd2jEQaB #thefrenchlaundry #californiacuisine #sallyskitchens

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

The first menu at The French Laundry illustrated by Sally's daughter Kathy Hoffman. https://t.co/Wmzd2jEQaB

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

On a Tuesday evening just about seven o’clock, forty years ago today, we welcomed our first customers into The French Laundry. https://t.co/Wmzd2jEQaB

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

This chocolate dessert became one of my signature offerings after I was inspired by a recipe I found in a Gourmet magazine in the 1970s. https://t.co/vxWZ0T4TfI

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

Sally Schmitt, honored as a pioneer of California cuisine, beloved by patrons of her restaurant, The French Laundry, has finally compiled her stories and recipes in a soon-to-be-published cookbook. Follow along at https://t.co/xzNCDbuz88

[Six California Kitchens @6CAKitchens]

Just one year after opening The French Laundry, Sally Schmitt was featured in a cover story for the Napa Valley Magazine that called her cuisine "elegant and sophisticated" and praised her for only "using fresh seasonal ingredients."