August 15 being the birthday of Julia Child, I thought you might want to celebrate in some appropriate fashion. You might cook your family a lovely beef bourguignon or coq au vin. Or treat a friend to a totally decadent dessert. Or if you’re the outdoors type, ride you bicycle around town with a two-foot baguette under one arm. Or just say “Bon appetit” all day instead of your usual greeting. Be innovative; the possibilities are endless. I shall celebrate by cooking her Zucchini au Gratin with all its lovely decadence.
For your amusement, here are a few bits of charming advice from the woman who taught us that cooking need not be fancy, but it should be fun and always done with the freshest ingredients.
Julia Child’s Best Lines
- “I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food.”
- “I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then I just ate.”
- “A party without cake is really just a meeting.”
- “It’s hard to imagine a civilization without onions.”
- “Always start with a larger pot than you think you need.”
- “As you get older, you shouldn’t waste time drinking bad wine.”
- “With enough butter, anything is good.”
- “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
- “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients.”
- “The main thing is to have a gutsy approach and use your head.”
- “I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it—and, more importantly, I like to give it.”
- “Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”
- “People who love to eat are always the best people.”
- “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
Leave a Reply