Today is the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Julia Child.
I’m thrilled that thanks to the big Julie & Julia movie/book craze of a few years ago, Meryl Streep’s lovely acting, and a plethora of new biographies and books, Julia has come back to the forefront of our cooking consciousness. Heck, today she’s even the Google Doodle!
When I was a kid, TV was not about limitless options. We had a small TV in the family room that got 5 whole channels…the 3 big networks, channel 41 which had all the crapola shows on it, and PBS. After Sesame Street and Captain Kangaroo finished, The French Chef with Julia Child and The Galloping Gourmet (does anyone remember him?) came on.
No offense meant to Grover or Cookie Monster, but Julia was my favorite by a landslide. The family story goes that one day I came up to the kitchen (I was maybe 5 or 6 at the time and as you might imagine, quite theatrical) and announced to my mother, in my best Julia Child voice, that we should make “potato baskets” for dinner. Having just watched Julia shred pounds of potatoes and fry them into little potato birds nests, I thought that was a great weeknight meal idea!
Anyone who cooks, watches cooking shows on TV, owns a good cookbook, blogs about food, or enjoys a good meal probably has Julia to thank for paving the way. All of those folks making big bucks over at the food network should be holding a Juila Parade on this date every year.
She started it all. She was the original.
So thank you Julia. I loved you long before I could cook.
16 Responses
Hey, channel 41 had “Ultra Man” on after school! It wasn’t all crap! :o)
^..^
That video was fantastic. My husband and I just watched it together and I howled – my highest compliment.
I love the end when she says, “Well, I still like you David…”
I think it’s wonderful that Julia is getting her due with this current generation of fast food lovers and microwavers. Not to mention, she was just a kickass go getter.
I would have chosen her over Sesame St. too had I been given the option!
Such a sweet ode.
And the PBS channel was 19, if memory serves…
Right!
That is Julia at her finest!
We watched the French Chef episode last night where she trusses a chicken. Great, now I can start looking for a trussing needle…and a rotisserie.
I remember watching her too….and the Galloping Gourmet?? Yes…wasn’t his name Jeff or Geoff??
Happy birthday Julia!
I had to look it up (dumb brain)…the Galloping Gourmet was Graham Kerr. I guess I should say IS Graham Kerr since he’s still alive and galloping.
Even my husband liked the Julie & Julia film! I nearly had him convinced to write a blog of his own after that.
Julia Child was the Real Deal. I loved taking my BFF (a bit of a gourmet cook herself) to see Julia Child’s iconic kitchen on display at the Smithsonian.
Have you read her book “My Life In France”? Delightful! Picked it up on impulse at Barnes and Noble–and was a perfect choice to break the Kindle reading monotony. I love the reruns of her Cooking with Master Chefs–caught an episode with Lynne Rossetto Kasper from Minnesota (The Splendid Table on MPR).
Now back to work–about to make another loaf of your yummy Lemon Zucchini bread.
I loved “My Life in France”. I’ve read several of the Julia books and biographies and I think her own writing is the best. I got a kick out of your recent zucchini comments. Can you believe I actually have to BUY zucchini? That would never happen in Minnesota!
I also loved My Life in France. I read it the first time right after my daughter was born during those long nights of waking up every two hours to feed her. Julia’s personality shone through the pages and brought me some real comfort. The video clip is hilarious, thanks for sharing!
I grew up with my family watching Julia Child – my father was a big fan. He had the cookbooks, and there is a family story where my mother went to a book signing by Julia and had her sign it to him, telling her she was the other woman in her husband’s life.
I have Volume One of the French Chef cookbook and use it frequently.
I love that story! Hope someone in your family still has that signed copy of the cookbook.