Welcome to Awakenings!

Monday, August 15, 2016

Bon Appétit!

 for foodie fun!

Today's History Lesson...a culinary turning point
 
There was a time when cooking shows were in their infancy. Think back to the 60s. In fact, televisions were just beginning to become a household item. Spending time in the kitchen rapidly was becoming spending time in from on the TV. Then comes along one who revolutionized the way Americans cook, especially French cooking.  

This Day in History: August 15, 1912




(August 15, 1912 - August 13, 2004)

“Julia Child revolutionized American cuisine through her French cooking school, award-winning cookbooks, and world-renowned television programs by presenting an approachable version of sophisticated French cooking...”
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Bienvenue à la cuisine de Julia

Welcome to Julia's Kitchen!
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"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."

~Julia Child





Was she born to be a star?


Scooping up a potato pancake, patting chickens, coaxing a reluctant soufflé, or rescuing a curdled sauce, Julia Child was never afraid of making mistakes. “Remember, if you are alone in the kitchen, who is going to see you?” she reassured her television audience. Catapulted to fame as the host of the series The French Chef, Julia was an unlikely star. Over 6′ 2″, middle aged and not conventionally pretty, Julia had a voice careened effortlessly over an octave and could make an aspic shimmy. She was prone to say things like “Horray” and “Yum, yum.” Her early culinary attempts had been near disasters, but once she learned to cook, her passion for cooking and her devotion to teaching, brought her into the hearts of millions and ultimately made her an American icon. To the fans who knew and loved her, she was known simply as Joooolia. Read more...

Ah-h-h! The memories...


"The best way to execute French Cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken! Bon Appétit!"
The memories of Julie Child are irreplaceable! I remember being a junior in high school when The French Chef first premiered. Being a constant companion to my mother in the kitchen, I was intrigued by the culinary arts of this no-frills chef. We had a black and white TV that looked like a box sitting on legs that never failed to miss one of Julia's episodes. (If one was missed, it would have been due to illness, on vacation or the TV was broken!) One of the funniest episodes I recall to this day was her presentation on how to cut up a chicken. If that poor chicken wasn't dead when she started, it certainly was by the time she got through with it! You would have thought it's carcass was defending itself against her unorthodox technique. I remember laughing and learning at the same time!
Bon Appétit!




Reflections on Julia Child have left me hungry: hungry to know what you remember about The French Chef!


Find out which era of Julia Child fits your personality with our fun quiz. Are you a classic cooking student or the television pioneer? Continue

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