Sunday, May 5, 2013

I am a great fan of Julia Child, her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and food, in general.  I love to look at food, think about ingredients and their combinations, experiment with food and, above all, eat food. As I thoroughly enjoy cooking my way through her book of French cooking, I thought it would be fun to look inside the life of Julia Child, to see what made her tick.
The biography, Dearie, by Bob Spitz, enlightens readers about Julia's youth, her west coast upbringing, her service during the war and, ultimately, her love affair with her husband, Paul Child.  It opens the door to Julia, the person, as well as Julia the chef.
I loved learning that Julia was highly driven, competitive and absolutely adored men, especially those she called "real He-men"!  She always appeared to be so "off the cuff" in her life and work, an impression that she cultivated but one that was absolutely untrue.  She was obsessed with the details- all would be planned, researched and rehearsed, step by step, before a recipe or tv show was ready to be used or viewed.  She was also a natural performer.  She could roll with any gaffe and had a wicked sense of humor.  All in all, Dearie was a delight and I recommend reading Dearie for anyone who is just as curious about Julia the person as Julia the chef.

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