PBS had the Victory Garden and the Frugal Gourmet after cartoons but my sister and I tended to drift away to play during those shows. Not so with Julia! We always had some giggles when she cooked and something about her voice made you take notice.
Our favorite Julia episode had to be when she lined up the raw chicken bodies like a parade of beauty queens. Oh how we rolled with laughter!
While I was in college, I saw a biography/interview show with Julia on the Food Network. I was fascinated with the diverse life she led and how she persued making complex french cooking into something anybody felt they might try. This interest in Julia came in handy when I started interviewing for jobs. I was frequently asked, if I could meet or dine with (however that standard interview question was posed) three people, dead or alive, who would I choose. I'd always say Jesus takes up one of those places and then give the other two spots to Abraham Lincoln and Julia Child. I know this probably seems an unlikely combination but it definitely keep the interview interesting.
I just always thought she would be entertaining company. Of course I'd have a bazillion questions for Jesus and Abraham Lincoln seems such a wise man. But Julia seemed like she'd have a lot to add to the conversation. She traveled and when she was younger, she worked in the secret itelligence division of the Office of Strategic Services during WWII. She went where no one had gone before and had a cooking show on what would eventually be PBS. Julia also seemed to genuinely love and enjoy her husband.
So in honor of the date of Julia's 100th birthday, I'll set four places at the table and hope that Julia's bringing the cake!
Google even had a header for today.
(Images via chow.com, google and vanityfair.com)
