Julia, Child

Two years ago, there were some changes at work. Among those changes came a manuscript titled Julia, Child. After reading it, I knew that we would be crazy if our company didn't publish it. The text was filled with whimsy and the story was clever, funny, flavourful, and left a marvelous aftertaste.

Well, our company did publish this manuscript and I had the joy of assisting our editorial director, Kyo Maclear, and Julie Morstad on this book. Julie was the perfect illustrator for this book, just look at the endpapers above and the spreads below!

This beautiful book is a tale of friendship, the joy of eating, the importance of never completely growing up, and mastering the art of having a good time - something we can all get behind!

Don't forget the cupcakes! Have you spotted the cupcakes with chocolate frosting and purple flowers? And the cake stands? (Yes, I need a pink cake stand to match the illustrations!)

Chocolate Cupcakes
(Makes about 18 cupcakes)

1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
3/8 cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (or 350°F). Place cupcake liners in your tray.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and soda until uniform. Add in the oil, yogurt, water, vinegar, vanilla, and egg. Whisk until combined and smooth.
3. Evenly distribute the batter and fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Buttercream
Recipe can be found here.

Roll out some purple fondant and cut out little flowers to decorate! Remember, Julia Child once said that "a party without cake is just a meeting.” So true.

Oh, and if you're looking to win a copy of the book (plus others), click here!

My Life in France

Food enthusiasts, chefs, cooks, restaurants, and bloggers all over the world are celebrating 100 years of Julia Child today. I love that so many passionate people are paying tribute to her.

Best known for her contribution to the 734-page Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child penned over a dozen books, starred in a number of TV series, and won various awards. However, I want to commemorate by sharing her book, My Life in France, with you.

My Life in France
Written by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme

ISBN-13: 9780307277695
ISBN-10: 0307277690
Publisher: Anchor Books
Paperback: 368 Pages

This is a book full of love. Julia Child tells us right from the start: "This is a book about some of the things I have loved most in life: my husband, Paul Child; la belle France; and the many pleasures of cooking and eating." How amazing is it that? I can't speak for everyone, but if I were to write about anything, it would loosely be about those topics. (Well, what is this blog about anyways? My partner, Howard; travel, which I would love to expand on; and the pleasures of cooking and eating.) It's no wonder we're drawn to her, we can relate.

As Julia recalls her journey to France, we get a sense of her adventurous spirit. Best of all, we get a glimpse as the book includes photos that Paul took. Of course, the pages that really make you lean in are her lessons at Le Cordon Bleu, opening her own cooking school, the work behind creating Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the frustrations of getting published, and her rise to fame on television. And funnily enough, she even writes, "In late 1949, the newspapers informed us that something called 'television' was sweeping the States like hailstorm ... we read an article about the horrifying effects of TV on American home life..."

Most of all, this read provided insight to her friendship to Simone (Simca) Beck and Louisette Bertholle. To say that Julia had dedication towards their project is an understatement. No matter where she was, she was determined to work on recipes, test them until they were right, and research all the right measurements and ingredients for the American household.

Regardless of Julia's frustrations, ups and downs, you become immersed in her world. My Life in France is lighthearted, humourous, and an engaging recollection of a woman who changed the food landscape in America. She was brave and fearless, and not only in cooking!

Bon anniversaire!

Disclaimer: A review copy of My Life in France was sent to me for review from Lindsey Reeder at Random House of Canada Limited. Thank you! No incentives were used to produce a positive review of this book.