Thursday, August 9, 2012



I remember seeing Julia Child's PBS show on television in the 1960's. I was a typical American kid growing up on a diet of white bread and cheap casseroles. Julia took me out of the land of wonderbread and uncovered the individual ingredients in my casseroles-which were probably swimming in canned mushroom soup...and she did it in French!

Growing up in a tiny American village (population fewer than 1,000) Julia took me on my first adventure outside the United States. I (unconsciously) became a Franchophile. I am now in my mid-50's and Julia's effect has been everlasting. I regularly travel to France and I sell "vintage French" in my shop. Before I married my husband I made him promise we would live in France for a year at some point in our marriage and I will start my third "advance beginner" class at Alliance Francaise this Saturday. OK, so the food comes easier than the language (especially when one is not living in France, just visiting from time to time) but Julia taught me about that too, as in "just don't give up."

The picture of Julia and her hubs is from a 2009 Vanity Fair magazine story that I highly recommend:

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/08/julia-child200908

4 comments:

  1. I find the French language to be quite difficult. I don't know how they twist their mouths, and tongues that way. When we visited Paris we had a little French/English dictionary. It didn't help. They still did not understand when we wanted 'beurre' with our bread.

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  2. Ooops I hope I am not posting twice!

    I loved this little glimpse into your Julia Child inspiration/francophile beginnings...isn't it amazing how certain elements from childhood befriend you and becoming lasting?

    Hope you and yours are well Jackie!
    XO

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  3. I'm loving these happy little notes you are posting. Especially this one. So when will that year in France begin??? I'll come to visit!
    Have a great weekend.
    Diane

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  4. Wow Jackie. What a great article and insight about Julia! Lots of wonderful things in the shop too! Have you even been to... http://chezducrot.com/ I have heard this it is fab!!
    xoRoberta

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