Second Annual Julia Child Birthday Celebration
To kick things off, here's an excerpt from a documentary about Mrs. Child that I believe is taken from the PBS "American Masters" episode about her life. This bit chronicles the start of her life in France and her experiences at the Cordon Bleu and as a budding author.And away we go! I can't believe a year has passed since last year's celebration of the life and work of Julia Child on the anniversary of her birth. What a fun event that was, and thanks again to everyone who participated.
I used to watch "The French Chef" when it was first running. What a treat it was to see a woman so knowledgeable about cuisine and yet so down to earth and fun. The last time I remember seeing her "in action" must have been shortly before she died. She appeared on an episode of "Emeril Live," and you could see how much respect Emeril had for her and how much she enjoyed him and being on the show. As I recall, she exhorted him to add more butter and salt to the burger they were making. True to her principles to the end!
This year, I didn't do a three-course meal. We're steam-bathing here in the American Midwest, so a salady-type dish held much appeal. In thinking over all of the bounty at farmers' market, salade Niçoise (pronounced "nee-swahz," meaning, "the way they do it in Nice") sprang to mind. I reviewed the self-same episode on one of my "French Chef" DVDs, then the recipe in The Way to Cook, then visited the market, and my meal for this year's event was on its way.
In the "Niçoise" episode, Mrs. Child explains that Nice used to be part of Italy, and thus the resemblance of this salad to an Italian antipasto platter. I love the combination of so many delicious items—potatoes, tomatoes, olives, capers, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, green beans—wow! Now, Mrs. Child called this "a light lunch," but I'm here to tell you, we had it for lunch, and it's not exactly what I'd call "light." Delicious, to be sure. Beautiful to look at, yes. Light? Not really. Perhaps if one had a tiny portion of each of the components—but alas, we didn't have tiny portions. And thus dinner was definitely optional.
I served the salad with French bread (duh!), Prairie Fruits Farm's Camembert-style goat's cheese, roasted red peppers, and a syrah rosé. Keith and I felt very European eating the salad and cheese and drinking wine at lunchtime.
Salade Niçoise
From The Way to Cook, by Julia Child
For 6 to 8 servings
1 large head of Boston lettuce, washed and dried (I used a mix of baby greens from farmers' market. LM)
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, blanched, refreshed in cold water, and dried
2/3 to 1 cup salad dressing, such as Oil and Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)
3 or 4 fine, ripe tomatoes, peeled if you wish, cored, quartered, and seasoned before serving
8 to 10 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained and flaked (I used Tonno brand packed in olive oil, available locally at Schnuck's Market. LM)
1 quart French Potato Salad (recipe follows)
8 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
1 can flat anchovy fillets packed in oil, opened and drained just before serving
1/2 cup black Niçoise-type olives (I used black oil-cured olives. LM)
3 or 4 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup minced parsley
Assembling the salad: Shortly before serving, line a handsome, large and wide salad bowl or a roomy platter with lettuce leaves, drizzle a little olive oil on them, and dust with a sprinkling of salt. Toss the beans in a mixing bowl with a little of the dressing, and correct seasoning. Drizzle a spoonful or two of the dressing over the tomatoes. Season the tuna lightly with a spoonful or two of dressing. Place the potatoes in the center of the bowl or platter; mound beans at strategic intervals, interspersing them with tomatoes and mounds of tuna. Ring the salad with the eggs, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon a little more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley. Serve as soon as possible.
Oil and Lemon Dressing—Garlic Variation
From The Way to Cook
For about 2/3 cup, enough for 6 to 8 servings
2 strips of fresh lemon peel (1 by 2 1/2 inches each)
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, if needed
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type prepared mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fine fresh oil (I used extra-virgin olive oil. LM)
Freshly ground black pepper
Mince the lemon peel very finely with the salt, scrape it into a mortar or bowl, along with the garlic, and mash lemon and garlic into a fine paste with a pestle or spoon. Beat in the mustard and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; when thoroughly blended, start beating in the oil by droplets to make a homogeneous sauce—easier when done with a small electric mixer. (I used a small wire whisk. You could use one of those tiny food processors instead of mixer or whisk. LM) Beat in droplets more lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
French Potato Salad
From The Way to Cook
For about 1 quart, serving 6 in combination with other items
1 1/2 pounds warm cooked and sliced potatoes
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots or scallions (I used Blue Moon Farm's beautiful shallots. LM)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine, chicken stock, or potato-cooking water (I used dry vermouth. LM)
1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar (I used white-wine vinegar. LM)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, optional
Boil or steam the potatoes in their jackets until they're cooked through but still firm. Peel while still warm, and slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Turn the warm potatoes into a bowl and toss gently with the shallots or scallions, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, the wine, stock, or cooking water, the vinegar, and the parsley. Let steep 10 minutes or so, tossing gently several times. (The liquid will be absorbed into the potatoes. LM) Then correct seasoning, toss with the optional oil, and the potatoes are ready for serving.
Ahead-of-time note from JC: The potatoes will keep a day or two covered and refrigerated. Let sit out for 1/2 hour at room temperature before serving.
. . . . . . . . . .
And here's what everyone else brought to the party:
Sue, at Coffee and Cornbread, celebrated a second time by whipping up a gorgeous, golden Hard-Boiled-Egg Mayonnaise. I'll have some of that on my sandwich, please!
Veronica, of Veronica's Test Kitchen, talks about her introduction to Mrs. Child and simmers up a glorious panfull of Mussels Steamed with Wine, Flavorings, and Breadcrumbs.
Michelle, of Je Mange la Ville, remembers watching Mrs. Child's TV show with her mother and gives us two dishes—Waterzooi of Chicken and Haricots Vert au Maitre Hotel—documenting all with step-by-step photos.
Sandi, of Whistlestop Café Cooking, says, "Bon appétit, y'all!" and serves up memories, a tip on a cookbook, and a "basic": Turkey Salad.
Sabrina, of YumSugar, made a divine cherry clafouti for the event. She reports that she "ended up halving the cherries and soaking them in a mixture of brandy and sugar for an hour." That's what I'm talking about!
Simona, of the wonderful blog Briciole, reminisces about seeing Mrs. Child briefly on television, during a visit with her mother-in-law, and makes plans for a roast chicken—definitely a JC staple.
Alanna, of A Veggie Venture, dishes up a bowl of luscious Cream of Zucchini Soup, and what could be more perfect for an anniversary celebration in August? Check out the JC autograph in her friend's cookbook, as well. Sweet.
Sara, of I Like to Cook, puts us all to shame by cooking with Julia for an entire day! For breakfast, it's Piperade with Bacon; the noontime repast is Caesar Salad, and for dinner she whips up Ham Slices in Cream and Madeira Sauce. Bon appétit, indeed!
The Experimental Gourmand breaks out her new crêpe pan and treats us to Crêpes Suzette. It was tricky; the last crêpes were the best, but they were worth waiting for.
Sarina, the TriniGourmet, attended Smith College, which was also Mrs. Child's alma mater. She writes a wonderfully interesting article about Child's connection with the college and shares tantalizing tidbits of information, including a link to an interview with Child that appeared in the Smith alumnae magazine.
Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen, reminds us of Julia Child's great sense of humor, as reflected in the name of the dish she prepared: Spaghetti Marco Polo. I don't think Kalyn and her guests ate it with chopsticks, but you'll have to ask her to be sure!
Lori Lynn, in a flash of brilliance, recreates the first meal Julia and her husband had when they first arrived in France to live. Also be sure to look at Lori's Julia Child Floribunda roses—they're gorgeous.
Sher, of What Did You Eat?, has concocted a beautiful composed salad. And she's right—it's largely due to Mrs. Child's influence that we can find formerly "exotic" items such as watercress in pretty much every grocery store in America now.
Kate of Thyme for Cooking, coming to you from the French countryside, reminisces about Julia (and other early TV chefs; Galloping Gourmet, anyone?—a blast from the past!)—in her lovely tribute.
The Blue Zebra, even on a weeknight, turns out an entirely Julia-inspired dinner. And what a dinner it was! These dishes may become a staple of your repertoire, too.
Lucette, of Cooking Vintage, made a Niçoise salad to keep mine company. And she talks about Mrs. Child's "appearance" in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan. I remembered that scene when Lucette described it, and it was great fun to think of it again.
Magpie, of Magpie Musing, adds pizazz to the party with her recipes, JC quotes, and a wonderful sonnet composed by Julia's husband Paul ("Oh Julia, Julia, cook and nifty wench," it begins). . . .
Leeanthro, of the blog Soy Is the New Black, shares a memory: "When I was growing up, my dad and I used to cook together a lot. One of our favorite things to do was to imitate Julia Child as we cooked, narrating what we were doing: 'First, you take the chicken . . .'"
Anita, of Married . . . with Dinner, eschews the very fancy, complicated recipes in MTAOFC for a (fairly!) simple Jambon en Pipérade: Ham Slices Baked with Tomatoes, Onions, and Peppers. Here's looking at you, kids.
Ivonne, of Cream Puffs in Venice, tried her extremely talented hand at Pizza Rustica, from the book Baking with Julia, by Dorie Greenspan. "Let's get into the kitchen. Let's cook. Let's bake. Let's enjoy." I agree, Ivonne!
Marie, of A Year at Oak Cottage, whipped up a divine-looking Hollandaise sauce in her new sunny-yellow blender and then created a fabulous Eggs Benedict in honor of Mrs. Child.
Toni, of Have a Bite, whipped up a gorgeous blueberry-nectarine pie and shared wonderful memories of preferring to watch Julia's show instead of cartoons. Look at that flaky crust and the beautiful purple juice!
I used to watch "The French Chef" when it was first running. What a treat it was to see a woman so knowledgeable about cuisine and yet so down to earth and fun. The last time I remember seeing her "in action" must have been shortly before she died. She appeared on an episode of "Emeril Live," and you could see how much respect Emeril had for her and how much she enjoyed him and being on the show. As I recall, she exhorted him to add more butter and salt to the burger they were making. True to her principles to the end!
This year, I didn't do a three-course meal. We're steam-bathing here in the American Midwest, so a salady-type dish held much appeal. In thinking over all of the bounty at farmers' market, salade Niçoise (pronounced "nee-swahz," meaning, "the way they do it in Nice") sprang to mind. I reviewed the self-same episode on one of my "French Chef" DVDs, then the recipe in The Way to Cook, then visited the market, and my meal for this year's event was on its way.
In the "Niçoise" episode, Mrs. Child explains that Nice used to be part of Italy, and thus the resemblance of this salad to an Italian antipasto platter. I love the combination of so many delicious items—potatoes, tomatoes, olives, capers, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, green beans—wow! Now, Mrs. Child called this "a light lunch," but I'm here to tell you, we had it for lunch, and it's not exactly what I'd call "light." Delicious, to be sure. Beautiful to look at, yes. Light? Not really. Perhaps if one had a tiny portion of each of the components—but alas, we didn't have tiny portions. And thus dinner was definitely optional.
I served the salad with French bread (duh!), Prairie Fruits Farm's Camembert-style goat's cheese, roasted red peppers, and a syrah rosé. Keith and I felt very European eating the salad and cheese and drinking wine at lunchtime.Salade Niçoise
From The Way to Cook, by Julia Child
For 6 to 8 servings
1 large head of Boston lettuce, washed and dried (I used a mix of baby greens from farmers' market. LM)
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, blanched, refreshed in cold water, and dried
2/3 to 1 cup salad dressing, such as Oil and Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)
3 or 4 fine, ripe tomatoes, peeled if you wish, cored, quartered, and seasoned before serving
8 to 10 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained and flaked (I used Tonno brand packed in olive oil, available locally at Schnuck's Market. LM)
1 quart French Potato Salad (recipe follows)
8 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
1 can flat anchovy fillets packed in oil, opened and drained just before serving
1/2 cup black Niçoise-type olives (I used black oil-cured olives. LM)
3 or 4 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup minced parsley
Assembling the salad: Shortly before serving, line a handsome, large and wide salad bowl or a roomy platter with lettuce leaves, drizzle a little olive oil on them, and dust with a sprinkling of salt. Toss the beans in a mixing bowl with a little of the dressing, and correct seasoning. Drizzle a spoonful or two of the dressing over the tomatoes. Season the tuna lightly with a spoonful or two of dressing. Place the potatoes in the center of the bowl or platter; mound beans at strategic intervals, interspersing them with tomatoes and mounds of tuna. Ring the salad with the eggs, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon a little more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley. Serve as soon as possible.
Oil and Lemon Dressing—Garlic Variation
From The Way to Cook
For about 2/3 cup, enough for 6 to 8 servings
2 strips of fresh lemon peel (1 by 2 1/2 inches each)
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, if needed
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type prepared mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fine fresh oil (I used extra-virgin olive oil. LM)
Freshly ground black pepper
Mince the lemon peel very finely with the salt, scrape it into a mortar or bowl, along with the garlic, and mash lemon and garlic into a fine paste with a pestle or spoon. Beat in the mustard and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; when thoroughly blended, start beating in the oil by droplets to make a homogeneous sauce—easier when done with a small electric mixer. (I used a small wire whisk. You could use one of those tiny food processors instead of mixer or whisk. LM) Beat in droplets more lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
French Potato Salad
From The Way to Cook
For about 1 quart, serving 6 in combination with other items
1 1/2 pounds warm cooked and sliced potatoes
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots or scallions (I used Blue Moon Farm's beautiful shallots. LM)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine, chicken stock, or potato-cooking water (I used dry vermouth. LM)
1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar (I used white-wine vinegar. LM)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, optional
Boil or steam the potatoes in their jackets until they're cooked through but still firm. Peel while still warm, and slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Turn the warm potatoes into a bowl and toss gently with the shallots or scallions, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, the wine, stock, or cooking water, the vinegar, and the parsley. Let steep 10 minutes or so, tossing gently several times. (The liquid will be absorbed into the potatoes. LM) Then correct seasoning, toss with the optional oil, and the potatoes are ready for serving.
Ahead-of-time note from JC: The potatoes will keep a day or two covered and refrigerated. Let sit out for 1/2 hour at room temperature before serving.
. . . . . . . . . .
And here's what everyone else brought to the party:
Sue, at Coffee and Cornbread, celebrated a second time by whipping up a gorgeous, golden Hard-Boiled-Egg Mayonnaise. I'll have some of that on my sandwich, please!
Veronica, of Veronica's Test Kitchen, talks about her introduction to Mrs. Child and simmers up a glorious panfull of Mussels Steamed with Wine, Flavorings, and Breadcrumbs.
Michelle, of Je Mange la Ville, remembers watching Mrs. Child's TV show with her mother and gives us two dishes—Waterzooi of Chicken and Haricots Vert au Maitre Hotel—documenting all with step-by-step photos.
Sandi, of Whistlestop Café Cooking, says, "Bon appétit, y'all!" and serves up memories, a tip on a cookbook, and a "basic": Turkey Salad.
Sabrina, of YumSugar, made a divine cherry clafouti for the event. She reports that she "ended up halving the cherries and soaking them in a mixture of brandy and sugar for an hour." That's what I'm talking about!
Simona, of the wonderful blog Briciole, reminisces about seeing Mrs. Child briefly on television, during a visit with her mother-in-law, and makes plans for a roast chicken—definitely a JC staple.
Alanna, of A Veggie Venture, dishes up a bowl of luscious Cream of Zucchini Soup, and what could be more perfect for an anniversary celebration in August? Check out the JC autograph in her friend's cookbook, as well. Sweet.
Sara, of I Like to Cook, puts us all to shame by cooking with Julia for an entire day! For breakfast, it's Piperade with Bacon; the noontime repast is Caesar Salad, and for dinner she whips up Ham Slices in Cream and Madeira Sauce. Bon appétit, indeed!
The Experimental Gourmand breaks out her new crêpe pan and treats us to Crêpes Suzette. It was tricky; the last crêpes were the best, but they were worth waiting for.
Sarina, the TriniGourmet, attended Smith College, which was also Mrs. Child's alma mater. She writes a wonderfully interesting article about Child's connection with the college and shares tantalizing tidbits of information, including a link to an interview with Child that appeared in the Smith alumnae magazine.
Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen, reminds us of Julia Child's great sense of humor, as reflected in the name of the dish she prepared: Spaghetti Marco Polo. I don't think Kalyn and her guests ate it with chopsticks, but you'll have to ask her to be sure!
Lori Lynn, in a flash of brilliance, recreates the first meal Julia and her husband had when they first arrived in France to live. Also be sure to look at Lori's Julia Child Floribunda roses—they're gorgeous.
Sher, of What Did You Eat?, has concocted a beautiful composed salad. And she's right—it's largely due to Mrs. Child's influence that we can find formerly "exotic" items such as watercress in pretty much every grocery store in America now.
Kate of Thyme for Cooking, coming to you from the French countryside, reminisces about Julia (and other early TV chefs; Galloping Gourmet, anyone?—a blast from the past!)—in her lovely tribute.
The Blue Zebra, even on a weeknight, turns out an entirely Julia-inspired dinner. And what a dinner it was! These dishes may become a staple of your repertoire, too.
Lucette, of Cooking Vintage, made a Niçoise salad to keep mine company. And she talks about Mrs. Child's "appearance" in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan. I remembered that scene when Lucette described it, and it was great fun to think of it again.
Magpie, of Magpie Musing, adds pizazz to the party with her recipes, JC quotes, and a wonderful sonnet composed by Julia's husband Paul ("Oh Julia, Julia, cook and nifty wench," it begins). . . .
Leeanthro, of the blog Soy Is the New Black, shares a memory: "When I was growing up, my dad and I used to cook together a lot. One of our favorite things to do was to imitate Julia Child as we cooked, narrating what we were doing: 'First, you take the chicken . . .'"
Anita, of Married . . . with Dinner, eschews the very fancy, complicated recipes in MTAOFC for a (fairly!) simple Jambon en Pipérade: Ham Slices Baked with Tomatoes, Onions, and Peppers. Here's looking at you, kids.
Ivonne, of Cream Puffs in Venice, tried her extremely talented hand at Pizza Rustica, from the book Baking with Julia, by Dorie Greenspan. "Let's get into the kitchen. Let's cook. Let's bake. Let's enjoy." I agree, Ivonne!
Marie, of A Year at Oak Cottage, whipped up a divine-looking Hollandaise sauce in her new sunny-yellow blender and then created a fabulous Eggs Benedict in honor of Mrs. Child.
Toni, of Have a Bite, whipped up a gorgeous blueberry-nectarine pie and shared wonderful memories of preferring to watch Julia's show instead of cartoons. Look at that flaky crust and the beautiful purple juice!Thank you so much, everyone, for taking part in this second Julia Child anniversary celebration and sharing your wealth of dishes and memories! It was such a good feeling to be a part of it. Let's do it again next year, shall we? Until then: Bon appétit!
Labels: special events
posted by Lisa at 7:09 AM
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22 Comments:
Lisa, what a great round up! I am looking forward to reading everyones posts. Thank you for hosting this great event.
I've always enjoyed Julia as a person, but I don't think I've ever made one of her recipes. I'll have to correct that so I can attend your party next year. Excellent round up!
Lisa way to go girl! A great roundup and festive birthday salute! Your salad looked fabulous and I bet Julia was smiling as you all sat down to have a relaxing summer lunch together with the vino! Thanks for making it all possible!
BZ
Wow! I can't wait to read the other blog's posts on Julia. Your salad looks marvelous. I think of Julia whenever I see that particular salad. She loved making it. Great event! looking forward to next year!
This continues to be a delicious celebration. Thanks for putting it together Lisa.
Wonderful event Lisa! Bedtime for me but I'll be back in the morning for a good read!
How fun to see the JC dishes everyone else made. She was such a great lady. Thanks for the wonderful idea.
Thanks for including me, Lisa! That Salade Nicoise is a family favorite of ours as well, too, and I can certainly vouch that my mother made a meal out of it. It's perfect for the sultry summer we've been having on the East Coast as well. I'm already looking forward to next year's roundup.
thanks for sliding me in at the end! I thought that today was the deadline, not the roundup. I must have misread... Oops!
What a neat idea and a wonderful party!
Lisa -BRAVO!
An excellent idea. This has been so much fun. Thank you for introducing me to others with a like passion! You're my blog hero.
The YouTube was a fabulous opening, as here she was speaking to us! And your Nicoise Salad, looks delicious, and well, I particularly loved that you served it with a dry rose for lunch! Perfect!
Lastly, I will be reading everyone's input and intend to post a comment to all, so I especially want to thank you for bring us together and assisting me to find new "food" friends.
This is so fantastic! I feel sick that I missed it this year. I might play anyway, overdue and all by myself, I had a recipe all picked out.
Seriously, I love that you gather people together for this. I could hardly wait for this post.
What an interesting mix in the round-up--thanks for doing this again.
I loved how your Nicoise looked--it was so beautifully arranged. The picture reminded me that I left out the anchovies, although I forgot to mention it in my post.
Thanks Lisa! I enjoyed the video a lot and also all the postings. This was great fun.
Great round-up! And I just noticed, you made the same zucchini soup last year!!! I'm sorry mine's gone -
A wonderful complilation of tributes!Thank you so much.
As a volunteer photographer at the James Beard House for 7 years I was lucky to meet Ms. Child on many occasions and take her picture. Plus I sketched her too for benefit dinner invitation. She was the most gracious woman I have ever met.
She never disappointed.
Loved seeing all these entries and have discovered a few delicious new food blogs! I had wanted to do an entry myself, but, alas my eggs benedict were done a few days too late. I have posted anyways, if anyone cares to have a look. Perhaps next year I will be more on the ball and get my entry in time. In the meantime I am enjoying all of yours! Well done!
Lisa, you have done a great roundup.We need to all take a bow~ very few repeats! Now we have a whole page of Julia dishes.
Thanks for the chance to celebrate her cooking.
Bon Apetite, Y'all
Lisa it all looks so wonderful and you did a great job on the roundup.
What fun and great recipes!
Thanks!
Thanks so much, everyone, for the comments. I hope that those of you who couldn't participate this year will make plans to next year, and that those who did take part will do it again! I loved hearing all of the stories and seeing all of the dishes.
This looks great, Lisa.
I think I was crazy to think I'd get around to cooking up a Julia dish to add to your event while I was on vacation, though. Maybe next year.
Bon Appetit and Happy Birthday, Julia!
Karen, I'm sorry you didn't get to join in this time, but I look forward to next year (when you'll plan your vacation better). :)
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