French Cooking Lessons by Julia Child. Julia Child's story

06.09.2019 Soups

Today I want to invite you to cook a light, tender vegetable-based cream soup according to the recipe of the famous Julia Child. It is prepared easily and quickly, and most importantly, it does not require a lot of time, effort and money.

In fact, I rarely cook fish, but not because we don't like it. Our choice of it is not at all great. And then I came across one of Julia Child's recipes. With a bit of experimentation and tweaking it in my own way, I ended up with a wonderful fish soufflé that is easy to make and perfect for dinner and lunch.

Ratatouille is not only a cartoon character, but also a dish of French, or rather, Provencal cuisine, one of the varieties of vegetable stew. The main ingredients Julia Child used in this recipe are zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. But you can experiment with other vegetables if you like. You can also add more different seasonings.

Tarts are my weakness. And this one turned out to be delicious! I made it according to Julia Child's recipe. By the way, she offers to serve it hot. And for good reason - hot it tastes even better than cold. The main secret of the extraordinary taste of this tart is a properly prepared dough. I changed the recipe a little, but from this, in my opinion, he only benefited.

Of course, this dish should be prepared from a rooster, but, as for me, no one will be able to figure out in the store where there is a rooster and where is a chicken. Therefore, we take a regular chicken and start cooking. I read this recipe in Julia Child's book. Its highlight is the sauce! One of its main ingredients is wine. Actually, hence the name of the dish.

Many hostesses love Julia Child's recipes, which is why they often look for where to download her book “Mastering the Art of French Cuisine”. So I decided to post here a link to the file with the book. True, it is in English, but I have already translated many recipes and posted them on this blog with photos showing the whole process in detail. Here you will find links to them.

For some reason, many in childhood do not like boiled onions. But over time, this dislike goes away. And some even cook various dishes from boiled onions. And not just those in which it comes across here and there, but dishes in which onions are the main ingredient. That's how it is in this soup. I want to say right away that it will take you a lot of time to prepare it. And the dish turns out to be specific. So often you are unlikely to cook it, but on the other hand, to surprise the guests ...

Mrs. Child has been a key figure in popular cooking for over 40 years. Americans knew and loved her as an emotional host of the show. "French chef" and the author of several popular cooking guides. She was also respected by culinary professionals - for the clear and pedantic approach with which she told American housewives the secrets of French cuisine.

Mrs. Child underwent serious culinary training at the Cordon Bleu school in Paris, and then in 1951 organized her own school in Paris, the School of the Three Gourmets ( L’ Ecole des Trois Gourmandes), where, together with the co-authors of the book (Simone Beck, Louise Bertholle), she taught young American women classical French cooking.

Based on her teaching experience, Julia Child published French Cooking Lessons in 1961 - American for Americans. She proved that French sophistication can be adapted to American reality.

1963 became a landmark year - Julia became the host of her own television show "French Chef" ( The French Chef). A special emotional manner, courage (butchering a live lobster!) And the ability not to be afraid of mistakes conquered the American nation. So much so that the transfer went on until 2000.

Other books by Julia Child:

The French Chef Cookbook (1968) – recipes from early television releases, published in Russian as « Bon appetit ! The Basics of Classic French Cuisine " (2011) .
From Julia Child ’ s Kitchen (1975, 1978, 1979) - by the broadcasts of these years.
Cooking with Master Chefs and In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs (written in the mid-1990s). In the Russian version you will find the book "Julia Child Cooking With Famous Chefs" (2012) .
Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home (1999)
Julia ’ s Kitchen Wisdom (2000) - the quintessence of all years of culinary experience. In Russian it came out as « Voila ! Julia Child's culinary wisdom " (2010, 2011).

About the book "The Art of French Cooking"

As Mrs. Child herself said: "Everyone can cook in the French manner - and added - with the correct instructions."... Its main goal is to provide such a comprehensive guide to the principles and techniques of cooking, so that the reader becomes an independent chef, understands the fundamentals, and does not "stick" to the instructions for recipes.

Few numbers:

1961 year. The first edition in English is considered the most comprehensive guide to classic French cooking.
1983 year. Updated and revised edition, where the publishers took into account the popularity of kitchen appliances.
year 2012. The book is published in Russian: gift wrapping, 2 volumes and 1376 pages (!) - and this with a minimum of illustrations, of which there are only a hundred.

The book is written taking into account the important principles of French cuisine: from simple to complex, strict adherence to recipes, scientific approach to cooking techniques and absolute tradition. The French are not innovators, especially when it comes to food.

Nuances of the book: illustrations are given only for cooking techniques, recipes - without them. Each section contains groups, united by general principles, so it is important to read the introductory word for each group - the techniques are not so detailed in the recipes.

Nice Features: each recipe contains wine recommendations - a true French approach! All recipes are adapted, so you can find products for them in the market or in the supermarket.

Presentation from simple to complex influenced the structure of the book: in the first volume you will find simple recipes, and in the second - complex ones. As you might have guessed, the Desserts and Pastries section is covered in the second volume.

"Desserts and pastries" - all the splendor of French desserts: sweet sauces and fillings, creams, mousses, cold desserts, sweet soufflés, fruit desserts. And there are also tarts, crepes, clafoutis, cakes, desserts based on ladies' fingers, women and savarens - more than 110 recipes in total, including 7 classic cakes! Believe me, you will find new nuances even in apple pie.

Trying at least one recipe from the book is an honor for a home cook, an opportunity to partake of the spirit of the times and France. And it doesn't matter if you read the edition in English or Russian, the main thing is to approach the matter with love, as Julia Child herself did.

- Boeuf bourguignon -

Ingredients:

6 slices of bacon, cut into wedges
3.5 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 kg. beef, cut into 5 cm cubes
1 large carrot, cut into slices
1 large white onion, cut into half rings
2 tbsp flour
3 cups of good red wine
2.5-3.5 cups broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, crush
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled
18-24 pearl onions
3.5 tablespoons butter
1 bunch of herbs: 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme, 1 bay leaf
450 gr. fresh porcini mushrooms, cut into 4 pieces
1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 230 ° C. In a large Dutch oven, fry the bacon in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.

Dry the beef with paper towels and fry in the same brazier. Transfer the fried pieces of beef to the bacon. Using the sauté technique, quickly fry the onions and carrots in the same roasting pan until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Place the bacon and beef back into the broiler. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour and stir again. Place the broiler in the center of the oven and leave for 4 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven, stir and put in the oven for another 4 minutes.

Reduce the temperature in the oven to 160 ° C. Add wine and broth to the roasting pan: the liquid should barely cover the meat and vegetables. Top with tomato paste, garlic and thyme. On the stove, bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the roasting pan with a lid and simmer in the lower part of the oven for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is very tender.

When about an hour is left until the end of cooking, melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to them. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Then add 1/2 cup beef broth, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a bunch of herbs. Reduce heat to low and cook the onions for about 40 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are tender. Transfer the onion to a plate. Throw away the herbs, wipe the pan. Add the remaining butter and olive oil and heat. Place the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan until they are covered with oil.

Place a colander over the saucepan. Pour the stew into a colander. Put a saucepan with wine sauce over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, skimming off the fat from the sauce. Transfer the beef and vegetables back to the roasting pan. Add pearl onions and mushrooms to them. Pour the wine sauce over the top and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Garnish the Burgundy beef with parsley before serving. Serve with potatoes.
- Cheese soufflé -

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 large eggs + 3 large egg whites
3 tbsp dry sherry
170 g gruyere cheese, grind
2 tbsp sour cream
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp tartaric salt (cremortartar)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 160 ° C. Grease the soufflé dish with butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and stir in. Gradually pour in the cream and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 3 minutes. Transfer the base to a large bowl and let cool. Add egg yolks, sherry, gruyere, sour cream, salt, Dijon mustard, dry mustard, cayenne pepper and remaining parmesan.

Pour 7 egg whites into a large stainless steel bowl. Add cremortartar. Using a mixer, beat the whites until crisp. Gently mix one third of the proteins into the base of the soufflé, then add the remaining proteins.

Transfer the soufflé to the mold. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the soufflé is golden brown. Serve immediately.
- Onion soup -

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, high in sugar, halved and finely chopped with feathers
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
6 cups broth
Four slices of bread or baguette
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Salt

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large enamelled cast iron saucepan. Add onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just brown, about 7 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized, 25-30 minutes.

Pour wine and soy sauce into a saucepan. Simmer over moderate heat, deglaze the dishes, until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the broth is saturated with aromas and slightly reduced in volume, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Preheat the top grill in the oven. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Fry 15 cm from the grill until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Pour the soup into deep bowls and top with a slice of baked cheese and bread.
- Crepe Suzette -

Ingredients for 6 servings:

For pancakes:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Sahara
1/3 cup cold water
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp melted, unsalted butter

For orange oil:
6 tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Sahara
1 tbsp finely grated orange peel
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup of Grand Marnier liqueur
2 tbsp cognac

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, flour, milk, salt and sugar until smooth - the dough is thick. Then add water, rapeseed oil and melted butter and stir.

Heat a frying pan and brush with a little butter. Add 2 tablespoons of dough and tilt the pan to distribute the dough evenly; pour the excess dough back into the bowl. Cook over medium-high heat until edges curl and begin to brown, about 45 seconds. Turn the pancake over and fry for 10 seconds until brown spots appear on the bottom. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, greasing the pan with oil as needed: you get plus or minus 12 pancakes.

In a food processor, combine 6 tablespoons of butter with 1/4 cup sugar and orange zest. With the engine running, gradually add orange juice.

Preheat the top grill in the oven. Grease a large baking sheet with butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Place 2 teaspoons of orange oil in the center of each pancake. Fold the pancakes in half and again in half. Arrange the pancakes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook on the middle rack of the oven until they begin to caramelize on top, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to ovenproof plates.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the liquor and cognac. Set fire to the pancakes and pour the burning mixture over. Gently pat the pancakes with a spoon until the flame is out. Serve immediately.
- Bouillabaisse -

Ingredients:

2.5 liters of water
240 ml. dry white wine
3/4 cup chopped leeks
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup olive oil

450 gr. tomatoes, roughly cut
6 sprigs of parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme or basil
1/8 tsp dill
2 large pinches of saffron
1/2 tsp orange peel
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp salt
1.5-1.8 kg. fish leftovers (heads, bones, trimmings)
1 halibut steak
1 large fillet of red snapper, cut into pieces
3 large scallops, halved
12 mussels
12 clams
A few pieces of dried French baguette
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

For rui:

1/4 cup chopped red peppers, simmer in boiling, salted water for a few minutes
1 small chili, boil until tender
1 medium potato, boiled in broth
4 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tsp basilica
4-6 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp hot broth

Preparation:

Fry the leeks and onions over low heat in olive oil for 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and tomatoes, increase heat to medium, cook for about 5 minutes more.

Add water, wine, onion and tomato mixture, herbs, spices and fish scraps to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cook without closing the lid for 30-40 minutes over medium heat. Strain the broth. Check for salt and pepper.

Bring the strained broth to a boil. Add halibut steak. Bring to a boil again and cook for about 5 minutes. Add fillets, clams, mussels, scallops, bring to a boil, cook for about 5 minutes. As a result, the fish should be soft, but not overcooked. Remove the fish from the broth and transfer to a dish.

For rui, grind all the ingredients in a mortar into a homogeneous smooth paste. Add the olive oil drop by drop, while still stirring, until you get the consistency of mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the broth into bowls. Scoop up the broth with a large spoon and pour over the fish. Sprinkle broth and fish with parsley. Spread rui on toast and put in soup. Serve immediately.
- Kish Lauren -

Ingredients:

For the test:
2.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
55 gr. cold, unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons ice water

For filling:
450 gr. thick strips of bacon, diced
3 large leeks, only white and tender green parts, chop thinly
230 gr. aged Gruyere cheese, grate
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2.5 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Preparation:

In a food processor, combine 2.5 cups flour and salt. Add butter and mix until the consistency of small peas. Add egg yolk and ice water and stir. Place the dough on a floured work surface and stir until smooth. Roll out two small cakes, wrap them in foil and put in the cold for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190 ° C. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a flat cake with a diameter of about 30 cm. Put the dough in a mold with corrugated walls and a removable bottom. Trim excess. Chill the prepared dough for 10 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the test.

Cover both doughs with foil and place a load on top, such as dried beans. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for about 15 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Place the cake tins on two baking sheets.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Drain off the fat, leaving only 1 tablespoon. Add leek and thyme, season with salt and white pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Stir in bacon and cheese.

Divide the filling between the cakes. In a bowl, beat eggs with yolks and cream. Season lightly with salt and white pepper. Pour the mixture over the pie and bake for about 30 minutes, turning the pan, until the quiche is lightly browned. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes. Remove the mold, cut the quiche and serve.
- Hen -

Ingredients:

One 1.5-2 kg. hen
2 + 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 tsp dried thyme
Parsley stalks
Celery leaves
6 lemon slices 0.3 cm thick.
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chicken stock
Freshly ground pepper, salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 220 ° C. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Add diced carrots, onions and celery and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add thyme.

Inside and outside the chicken, rinse quickly with hot water and dry well. Put a spoonful of fried vegetables, a handful of parsley stalks and celery leaves, lemon slices in the cavity of the chicken, salt and pepper. Brush the whole chicken with 1 tablespoon of butter. Tie the legs together, tuck the tips of the wings under the carcass. Salt the chicken and put it breast-side up in an ovenproof dish.

Bake the chicken in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, according to the following scheme:
After 15 minutes brush the chicken with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Place chopped onions and carrots around. Reduce oven temperature to 180 ° C.

After 45 minutes from the start of cooking, brush the chicken with lemon juice. If necessary, add 1/2 cup water to prevent the vegetables from burning.

After 60 minutes, pour the juice from the pan over the chicken. Check the doneness: the thermometer should read about 75 ° C. If the chicken is not ready yet, continue baking, pouring the juice and checking the doneness every 7 minutes.

Drain the juice from the chicken. Transfer the bird to the board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Drain the juice into a skillet. Add broth and cook for about 5 minutes. Strain the sauce. Pour sauce over each portion of chicken before serving.
- Cassoulet -

Ingredients for 12 servings:

2 fresh shanks
450 gr. boneless pork (shoulder), diced
170 g fresh pork skin with 5 mm. layer of fat
1 kg. cannellini, sort and rinse
1 kg. salted pork, remove skin
1/3 cup duck fat
3 small carrots, chop thinly
2 medium onions, chopped
One 140-gr. a piece of pancetta
One 140-g slice of ham
1 head of garlic, unpeeled plus 4 small cloves of garlic, peeled
1 large plum tomato, chopped
2 liters + 2 cups chicken stock
Garni bouquet: 4 sprigs of parsley, 3 small stalks of celery, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf, tied with twine
6 legs of duck confit
1 tbsp vegetable oil
450 gr. fresh pork sausages, prick with a fork
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Place the shanks, chopped pork and skin in a large dish, lightly season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In a bowl, pour the beans with water, soak them overnight.

The next day, in a medium saucepan, pour the salted pork and skin with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Drain water, meat and skin and cool. Put salted pork in the refrigerator. Cut the pork skin into 5 long pieces, roll each piece and tie with twine.

Dry the shanks and the chopped shoulder with a paper towel. Heat the duck fat in a very large enamelled cast iron saucepan. Add half the chopped pork shoulder and sauté over medium-high heat until browned; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chopped pork shoulder. Add the shanks to the saucepan and fry until light brown. Add carrots and onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add pancetta and sauté until light brown. Add the head of garlic and tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add 2 liters of broth, garni bouquet, pork skin and roasted pork and its juices and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer the stew over low heat for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Drain the beans. In a large saucepan, add water to the beans and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer for 3 minutes, then drain. Add the beans to the stew and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Allow the stew to cool, then refrigerate overnight.

Remove most of the hardened fat from the surface of the stew; leave 1/4 cup of fat. Let the stew come to room temperature. Take out the pancetta, shanks and ham. Cut the meat into small pieces; throw away bones and skin. Remove the pork skin and head of garlic from the stew and set aside. Throw away the garni bouquet.

Preheat oven to 200 ° C. Bring the stew on the stove to a slow boil. Chop the salted pork into small pieces. Combine cooked garlic in a food processor. Add salted pork and raw garlic and blend until smooth. Add the mixture to the stew and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all kinds of meat to the stew.

Meanwhile, place the duck confit in a baking dish and heat for about 15 minutes. Remove bones, cut skin into strips. Preheat oven to 160 ° C. Untie and straighten the pork skin. Cover the clay casserole with the skin and grease down. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer half of the stew to the casserole. Put the confit on top in an even layer, then lay out the remaining stew. Pour 2 cups of broth and cooking liquid into casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved fat. Bake cassoulet for 1.5 hours.

Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Add sausages and cook over medium-high heat until brown. Let cool, then cut into small pieces.

Reduce oven temperature to 135 ° C. Gently stir the crust that forms on the cassoulet and bury the sausages in it. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of fat. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 1 hour, until cassoulet is browned. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Julia Child's cuisine is still popular with many housewives around the world. This woman, with her culinary arts, influenced not only American society, but also other countries.

early years

Popular TV chef and author - Julia Child, nee - was born on August 15, 1912 in Pasadena, California. She was the eldest of three children. Julia has been known by several nicknames such as Juke, Juju and Jukies. Her father, John McWilliams Jr., was a Princeton graduate and worked as a real estate investor in California. His wife, Julia Carolyn Weston, became the heiress of the paper business. Her father served as lieutenant governor

Julia's family accumulated a significant reserve of wealth, and, as a result, the child lived in abundance and, one might say, had a privileged childhood. Julia Child, whose book on cooking is still popular today, was educated at Katherine Branson, an elite girls' school in San Francisco. She was 6 feet 2 inches at the time, making her the tallest student in her class. She was a joker who, according to her acquaintances, could make really wild jokes. Julia was also adventurous and athletic, played golf, tennis with a special talent, and loved hunting.

Initial work

In 1930, she entered Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, with the intention of becoming a writer. "At that time, there were quite famous women novelists," she said, "and I was going to become one of them." Despite the fact that she enjoyed writing short plays, which Julia regularly submitted for publication in the New Yorker, none of her works were published. After graduating from high school, she moved to New York, where she worked in the advertising department of the prestigious home goods company W & J Sloane. After transferring the trademark to a Los Angeles firm, Julia was fired.

The Second World War

In 1941, at the start of World War II, Julia moved to where she volunteered as a research assistant for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a new government-formed intelligence unit. In her role, Julia played a key role, passing classified information between US government officials and intelligence officers in communications. Julia and her colleagues were later sent to work at various strategic locations around the world. The girl visited China, Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 1945, while she was in Sri Lanka, Julia met and began dating OSS officer Paul Child. In September 1946, after the end of World War II, Julia and Paul returned to America and got married.

cooking school

In 1948, when Paul was transferred to the US Information Service at the American Embassy in Paris, the Child family moved to France. At that time, Julia developed an addiction to She entered the culinary school Cordon Bleu, known throughout the world. This was followed by six months of training, which included private exercises with chef Max Benard. After that, Julia, together with fellow students Simone Beck and Luisette Berthol, formed her culinary school L "Ecole de Trois Gourmandes.

"Mastering the Art of French Cuisine"

With the aim of adapting sophisticated French cuisine for ordinary Americans, a trio of female cooks worked to create a two-volume recipe book. The women received an advance payment of $ 750 for this work. However, the client publisher rejected the manuscript due to its very long 734 pages. Another publisher eventually took over the huge cookbook, releasing it in September 1961 under the title Mastering the Art of French Cuisine. Work is considered a groundbreaking creation, and the book remained a bestseller for five years after its publication. Since then, this book has become the standard guide for the culinary community.

Julia helped promote her book by promoting it on Boston's public television channels near her home. Her trademark portrayal was straightforward and humorous, with which she cooked fried eggs in the air. The public reaction was enthusiastic, Julia began to receive letters from readers in huge numbers, not to mention endless phone calls. She was then invited to a television channel to host her own cooking program. Julia originally earned $ 50 per show, later raised to $ 200 plus expenses.

Television success

In 1962, WGBH aired French Chef TV, highlighting how Mastering the Art of French Cuisine managed to change American attitudes towards food and how Julia became a local celebrity. Shortly thereafter, "The French Chef" was shown on 96 stations across America.

Julia received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award in 1964, followed by the 1966 Emmy Award. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Julia performed regularly on ABC on the morning show Good Morning America.

At the same time, she worked hard in other programs, such as "Julia Child and Company" (1978), "D. Child and Big Company" (1980), "Dinner with Julia" (1983). There was also a show where Julia reviewed her bestselling cookbooks covering all aspects of the culinary arts. Her most recent cookbooks have been Julia Child's Master Class (1995), Julia's Baking (1996), Julia's Delicious Dinners (1998) and Julia's Casual Dinners (1999), all of which were accompanied by highly rated.

Opponents

However, not everyone was Julia's fans. She was often criticized in letters from viewers for not washing her hands, as well as for the fact that, in their opinion, her demeanor in the kitchen is unacceptable. “You are an absolutely disgusting cook, you do not even know how to remove meat from bones,” some wrote. “Yes, I am not the type of person who is hypersensitive to sanitation,” Child replied. Others were concerned about the high levels of fat that Julia Child has in response to suggesting that such people eat in moderation. “I would rather eat one tablespoon of Russe chocolate cake than three cups of jelly,” she said.

Death and legacy

Despite the critics, Julia continued to post cooking tips. In 1993, she was honored for her work, making her the first woman to be inducted into the Culinary Institute's Hall of Fame. In November 2000, after a 40-year career that made her name associated with fine food and the most famous chefs in the world, Julia received France's highest honor, the Legion of Honor. And in August 2002, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History presented an exhibition featuring Julia's three popular cooking shows.

Julia Child, whose photo is familiar to every professional chef, died in August 2004 from kidney disease at her home in Montecito, two days before her 92nd birthday. Julia has not stopped her activities even in recent days. “Pensioners are bored, so you have to work until the very end,” she said. After her death, a book with an autobiography "My Life in France" was published with the help of Child's nephew - Alex. The book, which chronicled Julia's discovery of her true calling, became a bestseller.

Julia's memory continues to live on today through her various cookbooks and her show cooking. In 2009, director Nora Efron's film Julia and Julia became a hit in theaters, and it recounts the life of Julia Child. The film also became interesting in that it stars Meryl Streep and for her performance, Streep earned a Golden Globe for Best Actress and became an Oscar nominee.

August 15, 2012 would be Julia's 100th birthday. To celebrate the woman's centenary, restaurants across the United States have taken part in Julia Restaurant Week by offering Julia Child's recipes on their menus.

I am impressed by Julie & Julia: Making Happiness by Recipe, a movie that will awaken a culinary passion in anyone.

Interview with lead actress Meryl Streep: http://kikoman.blog.ru/83111603.html

And here is the woman to whom this film is dedicated - Julia Child, a French chef, writer and TV presenter with an amazing lust for life and forever changing the way Americans think about cooking.

“Julia made cooking fun. She threw food from the altar. She sparked an interest in all things French in Americans, especially French cuisine, ”says Linda Carucci, a culinary arts specialist at Napa Food Center.

Although she knew virtually nothing about cooking at all, let alone French cuisine, until her early thirties, her 1963 television show, French Chef, made her a celebrity.

She tore off the veil of mystery from the kitchen and taught to be attentive to different techniques and her own taste, and all this with such carelessness and a sense of humor that the audience involuntarily relaxed and began to trust their own instincts and intuition. Julia was awkward, but when she dropped the chicken on the floor, and then dust it off and served it on the table with aplomb, the housewives understood that the main thing is not to achieve perfection, but to enjoy their own cooking.

Child often said that her success, which came in the 60s, she owed to the time - it was then that travel and foreign cuisine came into vogue. As the role of women in society expanded, President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline hired French chef Rene Verdon to the White House. There were ample opportunities for the fun-loving expert in mysterious French cuisine.

Much of the rise of California cuisine in the 70s was due to Julia Child. Alice Waters, celebrity chef and owner of the Chez Panisse in Berkeley, said of her: “There is no doubt that her television shows and cooking lessons prepared Americans for dining out. And I'm sure that her views on cooking (she was also a Francophile) had a strong influence on me. "

Her success sparked interest in everything related to cooking, including companies like Williams-Sonoma, which is today America's premier supplier of high-quality kitchenware. Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma, believes Julia's book, Mastering the Art of French Cuisine, has boosted sales of tureens, whisks and steamers.

“She changed the way we cook. I'm not talking about the soufflé recipe - it changed our approach to cooking. For example, we started to cook green beans for 15 minutes, rather than an hour and a half, - says Williams, - now we do not care what the food looks and tastes. "

Above all, Child was a supporter of a beautiful life and culinary joys. So-called Nouvelle Cuisine, low-fat and low-cholesterol foods, and politically correct calls for the elimination of chemical fertilizers and raising poultry in natural conditions made her unbridled amusement.

"What's so important if some birds walk in their own excrement?" - she reasoned at a press conference in San Francisco.

Julia McWilliams Child was born into a wealthy and educated family in Pasadena in 1912. However, her sophisticated culinary tastes did not originate in a carefree childhood. Both the home cook and the chefs at Catherine Branson's Ross School, where she studied from 1927 to 1930, prepared the colorless, overcooked, and bland food typical of American cuisine at the time.

Accustomed to the services of maids and cooks, in her youth, Child did not show the slightest interest in cooking. Tall, energetic, prone to pranks, she was an avid tennis player and spent a lot of time on the street. However, Child diligently led the life expected of a member of her class and graduated from Sophia Smith College.

Returning to Pasadena, she plunged into high life, and later moved to New York, where she worked in a large store as a public relations representative, but she never found a husband or a worthy admirer.

Family and friends partly blamed Julia's loneliness for her tall stature. Her romantic and culinary instincts were awakened by Paul Child, who was half a head shorter and ten years older. Paul Child was an artist retrained as a cartographer for the Office of Strategic Services during the war.

Julia, who worked in the same office in 1943 in Sri Lanka, was fascinated by the secular manners of Paul, who lived for some time in France and was well versed in gastronomy and wine. The first years of their life together resembled a grand culinary expedition across Sri Lanka and China.

When they returned to the United States in 1946, “Paul married me despite my inability to cook,” Julia told reporters.

The couple lived in Washington, DC. Having married a gourmet, the thirty-year-old bride had to learn the art of cooking from the book The Joy of Cooking. When Paul was appointed to a diplomatic post in France, Julia developed an interest in the secrets of French cuisine - an interest that would later lead to a revolution in American cooking.

Studying at the Cordon Bleu culinary school, private lessons with her chef Max Bunyard and, finally, friendship with two French women, Simone Beck and Luisette Bertholle, led three friends to found an informal culinary school, The School of Three Gourmets ( L "Ecole des Trois Gourmandes." A few years later, the trio released a book that forever changed America's view of cooking - Mastering the Art of French Cuisine (1961).

Child was 37 years old when she started learning to cook. But she more than made up for lost time. After the release of the show "French Chef" on Boston television, her name was on everyone's lips. Along with the stars of show business, her name has become a household name. When they wanted to make a compliment to the hostess, they often said: "roast (stew / mousse / chocolate) just like Julia's."

Julia Child's hoarse voice and cheerful chatter captivated audiences and brought culinary programs a popularity that continues to this day. Her most recent show was Cooking with the Chefs and hosted by Julia alongside her frequent co-host and co-writer, French chef Jacques Pepin. Their book "Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home" (1999) was on the bestseller list for several months, and later a series of programs was filmed on it.

Of her old friend, Pepin says: “She revealed [to the Americans] the secrets of French cuisine in very simple words and in a very American way - with great enthusiasm and delight. She was a very strong personality, and I am sure that through the small TV screen people felt how natural, true to herself and spontaneous she was. "

On July 23, 2003, President Bush awarded Julia Child the Medal of Freedom. She lectured, hosted TV shows and wrote books even in the last years of her life when she started having health problems. She continued to enthusiastically support the American Institute of Food and Wine, of which she co-founded and sponsored, and the International Culinary Association, which awards cookbook authors the Julia Child Award every year. She was also one of the earliest and most ardent admirers of Copia, the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts in Napa, founded by Robert Mondavi. The organization's luxurious restaurant was named Julia's Kitchen after her. The restaurant contains some authentic pieces from Julia Child's cuisine in Cambridge, Massachusetts. However, most of the kitchen furnishings were moved to the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of American History, where it was restored in every detail, down to the window curtains and the contents of the drawers.

Shortly before her 90th birthday, Julia moved to Santa Barbara, where she and her husband often spent the winter. There she settled in a progressive nursing home, in the unit for the elderly with an active life, but if necessary, she could transfer to the unit with care and assistance.

“Julia thought it all over many years ago,” explains Stephanie Hersh, who helped her at the nursing home.

Once, when Julia was already over ninety, she was asked about her health (she always despised diets and adored butter). She replied that she has her own personal nutrition plan. She planned to eat everything, but in small portions, no additives or food on the go, but "a reasonable amount of good wine."

Julia has always been for delicacies and goodies. In an interview in San Francisco, just days after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, she was asked what kind of lunch she would order if she knew it was the last day of her life. “Crabs, oysters, some duck dish, asparagus ... it doesn't matter if the season is for her or not ... some chocolate dessert and a bottle of wine with every dish,” she replied without hesitation.

With husband Paul

Julia Child's kitchen on display at the National Museum of American History

Some interesting facts about Julia Child:

Julia has been nominated 8 times for the American Television Emmy Award and has been awarded it 3 times.
She defeated breast cancer.
Julia died two days before her 92nd birthday. The last dish she cooked was French onion soup.

A variety of rose named after Julia Child. The choice of this particular color is associated with Julia's love for butter.

And here are a couple of simpler recipes:

BAKED POTATO WITH CREAM AND CHEESE

Ingredients:

2 kg red potatoes, peeled

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup grated emmental or gruyere cheese

1 1/4 cups room temperature whipped cream

1/2 cup milk

Black pepper

Preparation:

Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave it on for at least an hour. Drain and dry the potatoes well. Preheat the oven. Lubricate a 25 x 20 cm mold with oil. Spread the potatoes in layers, after each layer add cheese, pepper and a little butter, repeat layer by layer until the potatoes run out, sprinkle with cheese and butter on top. Warm up the cream, very gently! Bring to a state until butter comes out. Immediately pour the cream over the layers of the potatoes, cover half of the potatoes, add milk if necessary.

Bake for 1.5 hours, until the top is browned. The cream must be absorbed into the potatoes so they are tender, not too soft.

Remove from oven and leave for another 10 minutes.

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

(Beef stew)

Of all the methods where the beef is fried until brown and then slowly stewed in a fragrant liquid, boeuf bourguignon is the most famous. Dob, estofado and terrine usually do not require browning and are much easier to prepare. For technical correctness, it should be said that any recipe in which meat is thoroughly fried before stewing should be called fricasse; here we do not always distinguish between them, because "extinguishing" is now more common use.

Slicing for stewing.

The better the meat, the better the stew. And while you can use more expensive or cheaper meat, you should stick to the following. A pound of boneless and fat-free meat will be enough for two people; for three, if the menu is intended to be extensive.
Best Choice: Rump / Posterior Lumbar
And further: the neck of the beef carcass / thick edge
sirloin / sirloin
hip / rump
inner thigh

Cooking time.

A good beef stew takes 3-4 hours of slow braising, depending on the quality and tenderness of the meat. If the meat has been marinated before cooking, it will take less time. Stew can be cooked in the oven or over an open fire; the oven is preferable because the oven heat is more even.

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON
BOEUF A LA BOURGUIGNONNE
Burgundy beef. [beef stew stewed in red wine with bacon, onions and mushrooms]

As with any well-known food, there are many ways to cook delicious Burgundy beef. Well cooked, amazingly flavorful, this is undeniably one of the finest dishes ever concocted by men, and of course it could be a staple at a dinner party. Fortunately, you can cook it completely in advance, even a day in advance, it will only get more flavorful when you reheat it.

Vegetables and wine.

Traditionally boiled potatoes are served with this dish. It can also be boiled pasta with butter or rice. If you're hungry for vegetables, butter beans are your best bet. Serve the best quality young red wine with meat, such as Beaujolais, Cu-du-Rhône, Bordeaux-Saint Emilion or any other Burgundy wine.

For 6 persons.

170 g bacon	Remove the skin and cut the bacon into “ribbons” (6 mm thick and 3.8 cm long). Boil the skin and bacon slowly for 10 minutes in 1.5 liters of water. Take out and dry.
	Preheat oven to 230C
22 - 25 cm refractory casserole about 7 cm deep 1 tablespoon olive oil Skimmer	Fry the bacon in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until slightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Heat the oil and fat again so much that the fat begins to almost smoke, and only then begin to fry the beef.
1.3 kg lean beef, cut into 5 cm cubes	Dry the beef with paper towels; raw meat will not brown. Fry in several stages, a few pieces at the same time in olive oil and bacon fat, until the beef pieces are nicely browned on all sides. Lay the beef over the bacon.
1 carrot, cut into slices 1 onion, sliced	Brown the vegetables in the same fat. Pour the fat out of the casserole.
1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons flour	Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle with flour and shake until the beef is floured on all sides. Place the casserole, uncovered, in the middle of the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Turn the meat over and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This will brown the flour and give the meat a tender crust. Take out the casserole and reduce the heating of the oven to 160C
3 cups of good young red wine with a rich bouquet from the wine list to accompany or Shanti 2-3 cups brown beef broth or foundation 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 teaspoon thyme Crumbled bay leaf Blanched Bacon Skin	Pour in wine and enough broth so that the meat is barely covered. Add tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon skins. Bring to a boil on the stove. Then cover the casserole with a lid and place in the bottom third of the preheated oven. Adjust the oven heat so that the liquid barely boils and let sit for 3-4 hours. The meat is done when the fork pierces it easily.
18-24 small onions stewed in broth until brownish 450g fresh champignons, sliced into quarters, fried in butter	While the meat is cooking, cook the onions and mushrooms and set them aside until you need them.
	When the meat is tender enough, pour the casserole contents into a saucepan through a sieve. Rinse the casserole and place the beef and bacon back. Spread cooked onions and mushrooms on top.
	Remove the fat from the sauce in a saucepan. Simmer the sauce slowly for another minute or two, skimming off any fat that appears on the surface. This should end up with 2.5 cups of sauce thick enough to wrap around the back of the spoon. If the sauce is too runny, let it boil a little. If too thick, add a few tablespoons of broth. Check the salt carefully. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. (*) up to this point, you can prepare the dish in advance
Sprigs of parsley.	If you submit immediately: Cover the casserole and slowly simmer the contents for 2-3 minutes, stirring the sauce with vegetables and meat several times. Serve in casseroles or place on a plate with potatoes, pasta or rice around, garnished with parsley sprigs.
	If you submit a little later: When the dish has cooled to room temperature, cover the casserole and put it in the refrigerator. Bring to a boil 15-20 minutes before serving, cover and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring the meat and vegetables with the sauce.