Hot "Child" in the City

Today, on this brutally warm and humid day in NYC, I finally saw the movie “Julie and Julia!”

Since last year when I first heard about this movie, I couldn’t wait for it to come out, unfortunately most of my friends didn’t feel the same and were uninterested in seeing it. So on this particular afternoon I ventured to my local AMC as a lone-soldier and purchased a ticket to see the show…what better way to beat the heat than hiding out in a dark air-conditioned theater with a big bottle of cool water and a box of junior mints.

As I settled into my seat listening to the lame ads which now play at all movies, I started to think of how Julia Child has influenced my life. For as long as I can remember I have been intrigued by Ms. Child - as a youngster I would watch her show on PBS and analyze her very strange, yet endearing voice. She never ceased to impress me with her carefree attitude and her impressive culinary skills. I would tell my mom, that one day I would have a cooking show on TV just like Julia (which has yet to happen…but I guess anything is possible). I used to climb up on the counter top, pull random ingredients down from the cupboards and make some-sort of creation, then use my little brother as the taste-tester. In college, I actually attempted one of Julia’s recipes for my then new boyfriend: A Roasted Chicken and Broccoli Gratines. I was so nervous as it was a bit of an undertaking for me, but it turned out fine and was a great success….more than I can say about my relationship with him. When I first moved to New York City from California in 2005 I was lucky enough to attend the James Beard Foundation Awards, the theme was “a tribute to Julia Child”, the event featured a room filled with world-renowned chefs who cooked their favorite Julia recipes …it was amazing! So you see, I have had quite a filling past with Ms. Child, and I was excited to see how they would portray her life on the big screen.

Overall, I thought it was a great flick, there were a few small details that seemed a little “cheesy” (that’s Hollywood for you) but I found the movie a delight to watch…and also made me a bit hungry! Meryl Streep put on a wonderful performance that channelled Julia Child to the core. Yes, the movie was entertaining, but more than that, it actually inspired me. Here were two real women (Julia Child and Julie Powell) who were at a crossroad in their lives, not knowing what they wanted to do, but knew they had a passion for food! From eating it, talking about it, cooking it, and teaching people about it. This was very familiar territory for me, as I am too at a crossroad, not knowing what my next move is, but the one thing I do know for sure is that I am a total and utter foodie and I can’t imagine my life without working with it in some capacity. The story of these two women, made me feel hopefully that maybe I could also do something impactful in the epicurean arena, so I am now determined to find my niche in this delicious world! Keep an eye out for me friends…you never know where I might turn up. But for now, Bon Appétit and happy eating!

XOXO,
Em a la Mode