Julia Child....and the road to hell~

When Lisa, at Champaign Taste announced her "2nd Annual Julia Child Birthday Event" I promptly jumped in.  I would make something wonderful, a fitting tribute to this marvelous woman who did so much for so many of us aspiring cooks.

And I had a whole month to think, plan, prepare.  I had the best of intentions. 

We all know what the road to hell is paved with, now don't we?   I have placed far too many of those paving stones personally.

So, rather than a recipe, I'll post photos of my excuses and words of my thoughts on this lovely, quirky lady.

My first exposure to cooking on the telly came when I was at university in the 70's.  We used to skip class (for shame) to watch the 'Galloping Gourmet'.  For those of you unfamiliar with the original, and the hilariously funny, Graham Kerr, he would uncork a bottle of wine at the beginning of the show and finish it by the end, tossing a few glugs into whatever he was cooking as he went along.

Then I pretended to grow up and started watching  PBS - public television.  I was introduced to Yan (Yan Can Cook), Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet) and Julia Child.
("I will not express my opinion of most of the current 'cooking' shows", she sniffs, disdainfully)

Yan was dazzling with his fancy cleaver work.

Jeff was earnest in his endeavor to widen our culinary horizons, traveling the world to introduce us to  foods, markets and cooking of other cultures.

Julia just wanted to show us that we, yes, the ordinary 'we', could cook and do it well. 

She emphasized the importance of learning the basics:  "Once you have mastered a technique,  you hardly need look at a recipe again."  then let us know that it was okay to deviate.

She let us know that cooking could be fun.  It was serious business: planning and preparing a proper dinner, but we could have fun doing it and our guests (our just ourselves) should enjoy the result.  Certain foods can be very intimidating, especially for new cooks, but she showed us how to break recipes down into manageable steps.  I have the "Way to Cook" videos (yeah, VHS) and have watched them dozens of times.  I like them as background entertainment when I'm working in the kitchen.  Every time I watch them I pick up something new.

She let us know that flubs happen.   I mean, if Julia  Child can screw something up (this is a tribute, after all)....  If Julia Child can be less than perfect that gives me a whole lot of freedom in my own kitchen.  And she reminded us to laugh when it happens, fix it as best we can, and move on.

Finally, she let us know that good food is part of good living.  Get the best ingredients you can, prepare them with care and enjoy them with gusto.

She said the world was divided between feeders and eaters:  Feeders eat to live; eaters live to eat.  She was an eater; so am I.

Every time I grab a bottle of wine and add a 'glug' to the pot I think of Julia.   Are my glugs the same measure as hers?  I know she would say it wasn't important...

And I know she would understand that this week, in my kitchen, the beans and pickles needed care...

If she were here, I think she'd join me, sitting on the terrace with a glass of rosé, snapping beans.

Go visit Champaign Taste, after August 15th for more on Julia Child, her life and food.

Comments

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

And the road to heaven would be sharing that glug with you and Julia! You've got her spirit spot on Katie! She'd be a blogger today.

[Kalyn]

I watched all those same shows, and I think I agree with your opinion of most of the current cooking shows too! One thing Julia, Jeff Smith, and Yan all had in common was a sense of real delight with what they had created.

[Katiez]

Tanna, I think you are right, she would be a blogger - and a funny one!

Kalyn, yeah, they all seemed to enjoy what they were doing and weren't selling so hard.
Plus they had fun and I had fun watching!

[Simona]

Look at all those beans!
I know a person that reminds me a lot of Julia Child (and in fact she studied with her): their enjoyment of life is infectious.

[Nora]

It'm not that familiar with Julia Child since I grew up in Singapore, but I'm glad to her that she says that it's ok to deviate from recipes. :-)

I like Yan can Cook, wonder what he's up to now.

[bluezebra]

What a great post! And I KNOW Julia woulda been in her element with you as yall pickled your little hearts out!

Bon Appetit!

BZ

[Nirmala]

Your tribute is awesome. I enjoyed watching Julia cook in the kitchen. She brought humor to cooking and so much more!

[JennDZ - The Leftover Queen]

Thanks for that great tribute to Julia! She was always so much fun to watch and learn from! Very nice tribute. Katie!

[Lisa]

Katie, I love your post and thank you so much for taking part. Great quote from JC about the state of current "cooking" shows. What would she say about Giada's Esquire layout?!?! You've summed up her philosophy and joy in living perfectly.

Wish I could try some of your pickles and green beans!

[joey]

I never got to watch Julia Child much where I grew up but of course I knew of her :) Lovely tribute!

[FarmgirlCyn]

If I remember correctly, Julia found the Saturday Night Live skit about her and the raw chicken quite hilarious! I know I did! (until too much blood was flowin'!)

[maggie]

Lovely post.

And, thanks for reminding me about the Galloping Gourmet - he was a hoot.

[Katiez]

Simona, That is a lot of beans! If this keeps up I'm going to start feeding the compost pile!

Nora, Yan was so much fun! ...I deviate lots (now that I have permission)

BZ, Thanks, and no one can get the pitch quite right to say it like Julia!

Thanks, Nirmala, she did make good cooking seem much more do-able, didn't she!

Jenn, thanks so much...

Lisa, Actually, it would be very interesting to get her opinion on Giada's pic's...but I bet she wouldn't say anythng...

Thanks, joey!

Farmgirl, I'd forgotten about that - yes, it was a scream.... and they did it so well!

Maggie, he was worth skipping classes for, ahem...

[Lydia]

Julia's spirit of fun is still the guiding spirit in my kitchen. I watched The Galloping Gourmet, too, but it wasn't until Julia that I really thought cooking could be something I'd want to do. Thanks for celebrating her birthday!

[Katiez]

Lydia, we never missed the Galloping Gourmet - except during test when we had to go to class!
But you're right, Julia was more about cooking for real people!