Julie/Julia

     I am reading Julie and Julia-My Year of Cooking Dangerously by  Julie Powell who set up a self-challenge to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days, blogging about all of her experiences and what she was learning from the  famous Julia Child's words of wisdom from the 1960's point of view and tastes.
     I have watched some of Julia Child's cooking shows--she was a large, somewhat awkward woman, but what I always admired about Julia Child was there she was on national television messing up something she just cooked for the entire world to see and it was okay. It was still edible--no sense in wasting the food. So it tipped off the plate a bit, or stuck a bit..no worries. these mishaps happen in kitchens all over the world daily, probably thousands of times daily, so who is going to judge you? Anyone who does can leave my kitchen and starve for all I care.
     Some things Julie Powell says in her book, however, would probably make Julia Child cringe. Powell drops the "F" bomb quite freely, and although I have been known to drop the same bomb on occasion, I try to keep it where it will not offend others. Apparently Powell doesn't give a "rat's ass" to quote her. I think, in my first book, I would keep it a bit more "G" audience friendly--I need readers and I do not need some moms telling their kids they cannot read Aunt Barbara. No, I can keep it clean for the general public. My private writings however, all rules are off!
    Powell's writing about the egg section has me realizing I can make eggs, but I have never made eggs poached in red wine, or any of the wonderful sounding sauces to go with the eggs, except I have recently tried my hand at Hollandaise sauce and was very pleasantly surprised that the tip Julia gives you is what makes the difference between a successful Hollandaise or a flop. I have only served Hollandaise with steamed asparagus, but both times it came out perfect. I will be making Eggs Benedict someday soon and my Hollandaise is up for the challenge!
     I do not plan on cooking my way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking or anything but there are recipes that have me intrigued so I will be challenging myself to give them a good old Julie Powell whirl!


Child, Julia. Mastering the art of French cooking BALANCE OF CREDIT TO COME
Powell, Julie. Julie and Julia: mastering the art of French cooking. BALANCE OF CREDITS TO COME