A doctor in the kitchen

Hannie prepares large Lebanese meals for family

Cooking for a crowd is no problem for Dr. James Hannie. The retired pediatrician is as comfortable in the kitchen as he is at a medical conference, and getting along with people of all ages comes naturally. With five children and 13 grandchildren, preparing and serving large meals is a given in the Hannie household.

“I mostly cook for myself and the family,” said Hannie. “I can fix breakfast for all the kids in 30 minutes.”

He’s taught his children to cook, and two of his sons earned extra money while in college cooking for friends.

His wife, Pat Hannie, certainly helps out in the kitchen. “At Christmas and special occasions we have Lebanese food and American dishes,” she said.

James Hannie specializes in Lebanese cooking. “My grandmother was from Beirut, Lebanon,” he said.

His father, Joe Hannie, was a partner in The Crescent, a café on Laurel Street in downtown Baton Rouge between Third and Laurel streets. “In summers when I was a kid, I worked down there. I worked at the soda fountain. If one of the cooks didn’t show up, my mother went down to cook.”

Watching Hannie put together a meal is a lesson in timing as he moves from one task to another.

Many of his dishes are simple, yet very flavorful and nutritious.

His advice to young families is equally simple. “If a meal is balanced, you don’t have to worry so much. You watch the volume, they (children) eat,” he said, “Obesity isn’t always about dieting. Make sure your kids get proper nutritional consulting.”

While he doesn’t need a cookbook, Hannie refers to two books from time to time. The first is a small volume, “Home Cooking: Favorites Remembered,” a family book he wrote with his four sisters. “It contains a handwritten recipe from my mother, and a bill when it cost less to shop than it does now,” he said. The second book, “ Extra! Extra! Read All About It!” by Corinne Cook, “contains my Mint Sauce recipe on Page 80,” said the doctor.

Cook said she liked his recipe so much she also included it in her new book, “Extra! Extra! Read More About It!” for those readers who don’t have the first book.