My mantra in life is to read the book before seeing the movie version. In anticipation of the August release of Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Stanley Tucci, I am currently enjoying Julie and Julia (2005) by Julie Powell. Vaguely, I can remember the author being interviewed on Oprah a few years ago. Of course, I have given it little thought since then. While I have not finished reading this fiction novel, I am enjoying the the author’s determination. As a mediocre cook, I am joining in with the author’s culinary successes and heartbreaking food failures. The reader cannot help but admire Powell’s ambitious endeavor to cook her way through Julia Child’s 536 recipes as listed in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) in 365 days in her small cramped New York -Queen’s borough kitchen. Unlike Martha, the Barefoot Contessa, Paula Dean and other current Food Network cooking stars, Powell is not afraid to admit that her kitchen gets dirty. She has cooking failures. She often transcends Julia Child, as the diary format reverts back to Julia’s own experiences and philosophies in her Cramped French apartment with a kitchen on the third floor. In the end, I surmise, Powell will find an element of satisfaction in her life by completing this project, diverting her focus on a mid 30s crisis of self belief.
Julia Childs
While Powell has become a bit of an Internet celebrity, her current blog documents her work within the foodie community, her interest in foods. And the blog entry which started it all seems much less polished. Powell’s increased technology skills and polished writing skills are more evident. One cannot help but celebrate her successes.
