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Whether your first experience with Julia Child was in the pages of her beautiful, well thought out cookbooks, the original black & white PBS cooking shows, or just Meryl Streep’s lovely rendition of her, it is best to admit Julia made quite an impact on the world. In a country, where we seem confused about what is best to eat for our health, body or the planet she stayed true to pure, good food. Her recipes certainly can be more involved at times, but her mission to bring French cuisine to America was immeasurably successful. This Wednesday we celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday through a week of meals only she could inspire.
A handful of this week’s menu are a salute her adopted French home including my slight variations here and there. This includes the Grilled Chicken de Provence and Purple Potato Toothpicks, Bouillabaisse, Chicken Liver Pate, French Lentils, Smoked Salmon Nicoise and French Crepes with Lemon.
Other dishes are inspired by a bit of research about Julia Child including a Swiss Cheese Zucchini Saute and my variation of her chilled potato soup, using cobs of corn as the starchy base instead to create a Corn Vichyssoise. A dollop of spicy Roasted Chili Cream compliments the cold soup nicely on a hot day.
The rest of the week’s dishes are merely based on the dream that she might have joined me for an al fresco summer dinner on my hot Tucson patio where I would serve her and Paul a variety of my favorite veggie packed dishes, including Gazpacho, Purslane, Beet & Tomato Salad, Grilled Endive with Corn Puree, and a gorgeous Fig & Prosciutto Salad. Since I am floating in a fantasy, I may as well transform my desert home into a gorgeous bed & breakfast where I would serve her fluffy Scrambled Eggs (with extra butter & a touch of cream ala Julia) and a Tomato Plate in the morning. As a second breakfast course, Cherry Clafoutis would arrive, possibly with peaches instead this time of year and a champagne glass or two of mimosas since of course we are celebrating the day such a lovely lady was born.
I want to close with my favorite quote of Julia’s which hangs in my kitchen and is worth remembering in all that we do: “find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it”.
Thank you Julia- We love and gratitude, I raise a glass to you and your beautiful contribution to our experience with food!
Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well. And…
Bon Appetite! (please read with her memorable accent)
