Gastronomy, Seriously?
Image from scriptmag.com When I watched Julia Child's The French Chef on television in 1963 I had no inkling where it might lead. The show came along after the success of her cookbook Mastering The Art of French Cooking, a lengthy work aimed at demystifying classic French cooking for the American housewife. Image from WSJ.com Thankfully the television show was nothing like the book whose recipes and detailed instructions were a real challenge. Rather than the cooking, Julia herself was what made the television show a hit. She appeared to be having the time of her life sipping wine, chortling away with her cartoon voice, relishing every opportunity to chop, hammer or skewer with a bit of a flourish. Rather than a chore, making the meal was such joy for her it made you want to try it. Along the way you'd also pick up techniques for basics like prepping vegetables or deboning a chicken but it was her love affair with what she was doing that made her an ico