Julia
I've just finished Julia Child's autobiography, "My Life in France" and I loved it. It combines my favourite reading genres -- travel, biography and cooking -- as Julia chronicles her post-war discovery of France, food and "cookery" as she calls it. It's almost by accident (but also hard work and determination) that she became the American icon she did.
Oddly enough, I don't have much interest in French food (other than French bread -- which in the first edition of her cookbook she recommended to be baked on an asbestos tile!) but it has again sparked an interest in exploratory cooking for me.
I was also really struck by her description of the McCarthy years in US history -- Communists and Homosexuality were perceived as the great "threats" to American society then but there are eerie echoes in the political rumblings coming from south of the border now.
Food-wise, I've made two recent discoveries -- first is this vegetable bouillon mix. I've made it but haven't actually used it yet! However, unless you have an industrial strength-and-sized food processor you'll have to halve the recipe (I didn't, wow, big mistake).
And the second is this Caponata with Pine Nuts which uses an amazing "cold-fry" technique I've never seen before (but totally works). I do recommend though that you leave out the dried cranberries altogether -- it has a nice sweet edge without and the world would just be better with fewer dried fruits in general.
In the words of Julia Child -- "bon appetit!"
PS -- I'm currently on assignment #12 of The January Cure which I mentioned in my last post. Anybody with me?
Oddly enough, I don't have much interest in French food (other than French bread -- which in the first edition of her cookbook she recommended to be baked on an asbestos tile!) but it has again sparked an interest in exploratory cooking for me.
I was also really struck by her description of the McCarthy years in US history -- Communists and Homosexuality were perceived as the great "threats" to American society then but there are eerie echoes in the political rumblings coming from south of the border now.
Bouillion and caponata -- spoon by my guy!
Food-wise, I've made two recent discoveries -- first is this vegetable bouillon mix. I've made it but haven't actually used it yet! However, unless you have an industrial strength-and-sized food processor you'll have to halve the recipe (I didn't, wow, big mistake).
And the second is this Caponata with Pine Nuts which uses an amazing "cold-fry" technique I've never seen before (but totally works). I do recommend though that you leave out the dried cranberries altogether -- it has a nice sweet edge without and the world would just be better with fewer dried fruits in general.
In the words of Julia Child -- "bon appetit!"
PS -- I'm currently on assignment #12 of The January Cure which I mentioned in my last post. Anybody with me?
What a lovely blog. I remember Julia on TV making very fancy foods. It seemed to be so high falutin' and posh. I loved her voice too.
ReplyDeleteBetween work, daily yoga and meditation, music and dealing with a 5000 piece puzzle, not to mention "Offspring", I'm not doing the January Cure. Well, I did it in my mind but I don't think that counts :)
I really have no recollection of Julia on TV.... which makes me a bit sad. Her great nephew has written a newer bio of her too, so that will go on my to-read list.
DeleteYour list of activities sounds cleansing enough -- no need for a January Cure for you! I'm impressed!