Julia Child would have been 100 years old August 15th.
I have always been a huge fan of Julia’s. I have many of her cookbooks and never tire of reading them. Unlike Julie in the movie “Julie and Julia” I have not cooked through “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” cover to cover, but I continue to cook her recipes and refer to her techniques.
It seems fitting to dedicate this blog to her, and share some thoughts of others who marked this occasion with their remembrances of her.
In an article by Marlo Thomas, a contributor to HuffPost’s The Blog, Marlo says…
“Julia Child was a great chef, but she was also hilarious – a true original. There are a lot of chefs we admire today, but Julia was the only one who could flip a pancake, miss, have it flop onto the floor and say "Oops!” – then toss it back into the pan and carry on.“
When Marlo asked famed chef Anthony Bourdain for his thoughts he gushed…
"Julia Child was the single most important, influential and game-changing figure in the history of American gastronomy. Everything tracks back to her. And though uniquely situated to do so, she never endorsed a thing: not a pot, not a pan, not a chain of restaurants, not a spice blend, apron or boil-in-the-bag dinner. She will be remembered for what she did on this earth, which was to inspire millions to cook – and eat – better.”
Marlo goes on to say…
“From her straightforward recipes to her stove-side candor to the ease with which she floated around the kitchen, she could make even the most food-challenged among us feel like we were master chefs.”
She continues …
“although Julia never set out to change the world, educate the masses or become a best-selling author and TV star, she accomplished all that, anyway – with grace, humor and, of course, her signature sign-off: "Bon appétit!”
I’ll close this post with some words of advice for all those aspiring cooks out there. It comes from the forward of Volume One of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which Julia co-authored with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck.
It is advice that I wholeheartedly share…
“Our years of teaching cookery have impressed upon us the fact that all too often a debutant cook will start in enthusiastically on a new dish without ever reading the recipe first. Suddenly an ingredient, or a process, or a time sequence will turn up, and there is astonishment, frustration, and even disaster. We therefore urge you, however much you have cooked, always to read the recipe first, even if the dish is familiar to you. Visualize each step so you will know exactly what techniques,ingredients, time, and equipment are required and you will encounter no surprises. Recipe language is always a sort of short-hand in which a lot of information is packed, and you will have to read carefully if you are not to miss small but important points. Then, to build up your over-all knowledge of cooking, compare the recipe mentally to others you are familiar with, and note where one recipe or technique fits into the larger picture of theme and variations.
We have not given estimates for the time of preparation, as some people take half and hour to slice three pounds of mushrooms while others take five minutes.
Pay close attention to what you are doing while you work, for precision in small details can make the difference between passable cooking and fine food. If a recipe says, "cover casserole and regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly,” “heat the butter until its foam begins to subside,” or “beat the hot sauce into the egg yolks by driplets,” follow it. You may be slow and clumsy at first, but with practice you will pick up speed and style.
Allow yourself plenty of time. Most dishes can be assembled, or started, or partially cooked in advance. If you are not an old campaigner, do not plan more than one long or complicated recipe for a meal or you will wear yourself out and derive no pleasure from your efforts.
If food is to be baked or boiled, be sure your oven is hot before the dish goes in. Otherwise, souffles will not rise, piecrusts will collapse, and gratineed dishes will overcook before they brown.
A pot-saver is a self-hampering cook. Use all the pans, bowls, and equipment you need, but soak them in water as soon as you are through with them. Clean up after yourself frequently to avoid confusion.
Train yourself to use your hands and fingers; they are wonderful instruments. Train yourself also to handle hot foods; this will save time. Keep your knives sharp.
Above all, have a good time.
So on this 100th anniversary of Julia Child’s birth, I’ll leave you with this wonderful quote of hers reflecting Julia’s unforgettable spirit,
“The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded, then whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit. ”