Julia Child is my mentor. When I first started thinking about studying cooking, I had the pleasure of attending a book signing for Julia Child's newly published book, The Way to Cook. I was living in Athens, Georgia, and took a road trip to Atlanta for the signing. When it was finally my turn to appear before my beloved teacher, I was so nervous. I couldn't help but ask, “I want to go to culinary school. Where would you recommend?” Ms. Child responded in her signature voice, “Can I go to France? Le Cordon Bleu in Paris!” I had studied French for three years in high school, but I wasn't confident enough to speak conversationally, and I was too scared to go to Europe alone. After a lot of research and campus visits, I decided on The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, as my second choice.
Julia Child at age 50 Master the Art of French Cooking “The French Chef” premiered on WGBH-TV in Boston in 1962. She pioneered cooking shows on television, and without Julia Child there would be no Food Network.
Julia and her co-authors tested the recipes numerous times before putting them together in a book. Most of the recipes in the book are Master the Art of French Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2; and French chef There is bold use of traditional ingredients like butter, cream and lard. Some recipes take days to prepare (such as cassoulet). I enjoy reading these books (yes, I read them like novels) and often find myself wondering what it would have been like to be in the kitchen when the recipes were being developed. Oh, if there were flies on the wall! (Not that there were flies in Julia Child's kitchen!)
I think of her often, especially in the summer. Maybe it's because her birthday is in August, but maybe it's because I have more time off-season. Julia's 112th birthday would have been August 15th. She died in 2004, two days before her 92nd birthday. In her final book, she concluded: Living in France“…Looking back now, I am reminded that the joys of the table, and of life, are limitless. Please enjoy today as well!” Julia was a first-class food lover. I, like her, hope to continue to live a rich life surrounded by family, friends, and food.
This week's recipe is a classic quiche. Julia recommends starting with a half-baked 8-inch pie crust. Sixty years later, I still use pre-made pie crust from the grocery store.
Chief Laura lives and loves Marco Island. She is the owner of LBeeO's Hospitality Services LLC, providing personal chef services, cooking demonstrations and hospitality training on Marco Island. She can be reached at laura@lbeeos.com.
