What do you know about Julia Child? You might remember her from her stint on PBS with her humorous flair for cooking or you might remember her from her many books. We know
Julia as a wonderful chef whom by all rights and purposes set the precedent for all of those who consider themselves foodies and chefs alike. However, this book “My Life In France”
is an autobiography about more than that, it is a descriptive look into her journey and how she became the gastronomic virtuosi that she was.
This is an uplifting feast as delicious as her recipes and her tale is so vivid I found myself savoring every morsel.
Julia Child grew up the daughter of a conservative business man in Pasadena, CA and had two other siblings whom we will discover later in the story. Julia studied at Smith College
and earned her degree in History where she enjoyed her studies but longed for something more.
After floundering a bit in life, she decided to accept a position in the OSS in Ceylon and China during WWII, which is where she met Paul Child, ten years her senior, who was well
traveled, spoke fluent French and adored food. The two were married in the fall of 1946 and began their adventure together.
Julia’s beautiful depiction of post WWII Paris in the 40s is so personal, it felt like I was right there with her experiencing the sights and smells of Roo de Loo through her voice. Julia
states that “she really only had three loves Paul Child, food and La Belle France.” The book illustrates her relationship with her husband Paul as one of mutual respect, friendship,
and love. This book represents a time we can only imagine, when one had to take a boat to go abroad, people still had quaint restaurants in their homes, radio still dominated the air
waves and letter writing was an art form. There are lovely black and white photos of their lives to enjoy while you read. Evidently, Paul loved to take pictures and Julia seemed to be
his muse. It is very apparent throughout the book that Paul was the impetus for her journey into French cooking. She so wanted to be a good cook for Paul and prepare savory meals to
tempt the pallet.
My synopsis of this book is that it is really about relationships; the ones she had with the very people of La belle France, Paul, her co-authors and her humorous sister Dort. Julia did
not find her life’s calling until she was in her late 30’s and had the opportunity to study French and finally master the language. She then threw herself into the culture and found her
true calling at Le Cordon Bleu where she studied French cooking. This book is for anyone who understands that the pursuit of your dreams is not for the faint of heart. Without giving
anything else away you should read it and ask yourself this question, would you have been open and willing to travel to a foreign country and utterly embrace the culture?
Bon Apatite and Bonne lecture!
Germanton
Located in King North Carolina
We have Layaway!
www.germantonmercantile