On Julia Child's 100 Birthday

Today marks what would have been Julia Child's 100 birthday. She's a bit like America's culinary mother, the woman who encouraged and cajoled us into the kitchen to be become cooks, with her humor and her can do attitude. I wish I had a great personal Julia Child story, but alas, I don't. Â I can only share that like so many others, I have collected her cookbooks, cooked many of her recipes and thoroughly enjoyed watching her on TV.

Right now I am in the midst of reading Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, the most comprehensive biography of Julia Child, written by Bob Spitz, someone who not only knew her, but admits to having had a crush on her. It's over 500 pages long and includes lots of anecdotes but it's really her character that shines through in the book and makes it such a good read. You can read an excerpt online.Â

Also on my nightstand is a children's book that features Julia Child. Minette's Feast has illustrations that are somewhat reminiscent of Maurice Sendak. The book is short, perfect for bedtime reading. It incorporates tidbits and quotes from Julia Child, but it's really just the backdrop for a fictional story about her cat. It's light and fluffy (kind of like the cat!), and it will definitely please very young children more than adults, unlike Bon Appetit: The Delicious Life of Julia Child, a children's book for slightly older kids, that I believe all Julia Child fans will relish.Â

Julia Child has been the focus of many of my blog posts over the years, both before her death and afterwards. Feel free to peruse them:

Julia Child's Ratatouille recipeÂ Â and a review of Bon Appetit: The Delicious Life of Julia Child

Julia Child Panel DiscussionÂ with great personal stories from those who knew her

Julie & Julia, the movieÂ an inside look at the making of the movie and the food scenes

Happy Birthday Julia!Â Â includes her crepe recipe

Thank you, Julia ChildÂ my personal tribute to Julia Child, a day after she passed away

Julia Child's Clafouti recipe

and don't miss Jacques Pepin's charming recollection of Julia Child, it was published in the New York Times, yesterday.

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Comments: 2 ( 1 removed by Amy Sherman )

Madame Donna C. Aug 16, 2012, 2:14am UTC

I am copying my comments from FB: I met Julia more than once at the local market when I lived in Boston. She taught me how to choose beef bones for soup and another time she picked my produce for a stir fry. She was so generous and amazing. I lived within walking distance of her house so I ran into her frequently at the neighborhood market (a small privately owned shop with all sorts of surprising foods). That is one of the best memories I have of my time in Boston.

But she was so down to earth and easy that it was like being with someone you already knew except that you know she's awesome and you are just shopping and learning. But wow, to know she chose my groceries so that I would succeed was HUGE. She had faith where I didn't. She was a special woman.

Amy Sherman Aug 16, 2012, 6:47am UTC

How wonderful! You were very lucky indeed.

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On Julia Child's 100 Birthday

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