My memories of Julia Child are of watching some of her shows on the local PBS channel with my sister in the 1970's. We would laugh at how she talked and how her "little bit of wine" ended up being so much. Years later she became the butt of skits on shows like Saturday Night Live.
Let's set a little ground work by saying I am not a "foodie" but would like to learn to cook better. I have no desire to cook meals that take hours to prepare but would love to create ones that are both tasty and healthy. I need to put in the time, which isn't plentiful at this point in my life. I was fascinated to see that Julia didn't start until her late 30's in pursuing this hobby, which later turned into her profession.
When you read a book about a cook, much will be dedicated to the preparation and discussion of entrees, etc, so it's my own fault if I was bored during those passages. Julia was a hard worker and quite determined to perfect the different techniques as she made her start in the art of French cooking. I found the time period while she was in France, late 1940's and beyond, to be so interesting. It was the time when many ex-patriots gathered in Paris and it was very arty and bohemian. It was also post-World War II. I have read several books about that time period set in England but never about France and their recovery. I really wish she would have focused more on that, though.
I have no desire to be a great French cook but it was interesting to hear how Julia got her start. However, what turned me off was the fact she and her husband, Paul, came off as such snobs right from the beginning. Frankly, many of the secondary characters were more inspiring or charming. In addition, her painful attention to some details were just plain boring.
I have wondered what her reaction would be to all the new food shows like Top Chef, etc.
Rating: C
Let's set a little ground work by saying I am not a "foodie" but would like to learn to cook better. I have no desire to cook meals that take hours to prepare but would love to create ones that are both tasty and healthy. I need to put in the time, which isn't plentiful at this point in my life. I was fascinated to see that Julia didn't start until her late 30's in pursuing this hobby, which later turned into her profession.
When you read a book about a cook, much will be dedicated to the preparation and discussion of entrees, etc, so it's my own fault if I was bored during those passages. Julia was a hard worker and quite determined to perfect the different techniques as she made her start in the art of French cooking. I found the time period while she was in France, late 1940's and beyond, to be so interesting. It was the time when many ex-patriots gathered in Paris and it was very arty and bohemian. It was also post-World War II. I have read several books about that time period set in England but never about France and their recovery. I really wish she would have focused more on that, though.
I have no desire to be a great French cook but it was interesting to hear how Julia got her start. However, what turned me off was the fact she and her husband, Paul, came off as such snobs right from the beginning. Frankly, many of the secondary characters were more inspiring or charming. In addition, her painful attention to some details were just plain boring.
I have wondered what her reaction would be to all the new food shows like Top Chef, etc.
Rating: C
2 comments:
Hi Kari,
I really enjoyed your review. Thanks for sharing your memories about Julia Child.
Thank you, Tea. I appreciate that.
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