Julia Child: the Original Great Communicator?

Julia and sardines—from My Life in France

At least one loyal reader questioned my unabashed reverence towrds Julia Child (who would have turned 100 today) in last week’s Vancouver Courier column, suggesting that I had overlooked truly great culinary writers such as MFK Fisher and Elizabeth David. My response was that the column was as much about Julia Child the communicator in the new age of Television, as about her cooking or writing prowess. But there’s still no question in my mind (as the column states) that she single-handedly changed American cuisine for the better.

I was going to post a suitable summer recipe in honour of the day but as my copies of her books are elsewhere, here’s a clip that I think pays even more tribute to her, as she masterfully ad libs her way through what might have easily been a disastrous appearance on Letterman. You can watch how she’s absolutely unfazed as things go from bad to worse—and even shames the host into tasting the ‘steak tartare gratinée’ at the very end, after he spits out the first bite into his handkerchief.

Thanks for all you did and for who you remain, Julia…

Here’s the column:

The Hired Belly fondly remembers the first cookbook he ever bought: Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Lent once too often, it’s long vanished, now replaced by its two voluminous paperback successors. Even today they’re my go-to references for classic dishes. But I still miss the smart red hardcover and greasestained pages.

The woman still hailed as the chef who transformed the way Americans, and others around the world, thought about food would have turned 100 next week (Aug. 15). Even in this era of celebrity cooks, no other chef past or present has had a greater influence than the one-time OSS (U.S. espionage agency) worker turned culinary icon. In fact, Child’s legendary “Bon Appétit” was likely the first (and perhaps only) French expression to come out of many an American mouth.

Aside from her undeniable prowess as a chef, Child excelled as a communicator-not only because she de-mystified French cuisine for the masses (like me) but also refused to pander to the inherent snobbery that defined it at the time.

Using the powerful, and at the time novel, medium of television, she brought fundamental change to the way that Americans cooked and kickstarted a revolution that transformed a generation weaned on processed foods and packaged recipes. In doing so she also helped lay the foundation for the California-styled bistro that still defines West Coast restaurant dining today.

Some even suggest that were it not for Child, PBS would never have gotten off the ground.

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About the Author: Tim Pawsey

Tim has been covering the food and wine revolution for about 20 kilos. Count 15 kg alone thanks to the blossoming cuisine and wine culture of British Columbia, Canada. Tim’s hallmark is seeking out and recommending value wines from BC and around the world that offer quality at every level. He also scopes out noteworthy restaurants that live up to their promises—and often over deliver. Readers depend on the Hired Belly for his “Belly’s Best” and “Belly’s Budget Best” picks to help them find the right wine for the occasion. For several decades Tim wrote columns in the Vancouver Courier and North Shore News. He contributes to several other publications, including BCLS Taste magazine, Quench, Vitis and many others. Tim is a frequent judge for wine competitions and was a founding judge of The BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Wine. He is frequently invited to judge at The BC Wine Awards, and others. Tim has traveled to taste in many of the world’s leading wine regions, most recently in Burgundy, Argentina and Chile.