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Julia Child would have turned 100 years old today, and while it may seem appropriate to celebrate her birthday with a decadent dessert, it would be even more fitting to whip up something fresh and delicious from the garden!
Credit: Paul Child
The name Julia Child is often synonymous with butter, cream and animal fat -- not to mention delicacies like crepes suzette and ile flottante (a "floating island" concoction of meringue and custard), but when her seminal cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, came out in 1961, TV dinners and convenience foods had become a big part of American culture. With her book and ensuing cooking show, Child encouraged people to get back into the kitchen, placing an emphasis on using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
"Cooking is not a chore it is a joy. Dining is not a fuel stop, it is recreation," she once said.
"Julia Child's principles are key," says Angela Ginn, registered dietician and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, diversifying your plate and healthy preparation," she says, were the tenets of Julia's cooking and eating philosophy -- and the world is finally catching on today!
Child believed in enjoying all the great tastes in life, but also in not overdoing it. "Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything," she once said. "These are the secrets of happiness and good health. You need to enjoy the good things in life, but you need not overindulge."
Another important lesson from Child: "The key to healthful dieting is to eat small helpings and a great variety of everything. And above all have a good time!"
Speaking of having fun in the kitchen, during an interview with David Letterman, Child shared what she did with her culinary failures...
David: Have you ever cooked something Julia that just turned out awful?
Julia: Yes, lots of times.
David: What do you do then? What happens?
Julia: I give it to my husband!
Luckily, the below recipe for a delicious dressing for a green salad is foolproof -- you'll want to share it with your sweetie!
Sauce Vinaigrette for Green Salad
From Julia Child's classic book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
A note from the book (imagine hearing this in Child's unforgettable voice): The usual ratio of vinegar to oil is 1 to 3, but you should establish your own relationship.
Makes 1/2 cup (good for about 6 servings of salad)
1/2 to 2 tbsp good wine vinegar, or a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard, optional
6 tbsp salad oil or olive oil
Big pinch of pepper
1-2 tbsp minced green herbs, such as parsley, chives, tarragon, basil, optional
Either beat the vinegar or lemon juice in a bowl with the salt and optional mustard until the salt is dissolved, then beat in the oil by droplets, and season with pepper, or place all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to blend thoroughly. Then, stir in the herbs and taste and correct the seasoning just before dressing your salad.
As Julia Child would say, "Bon appetit!"
Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck. Copyright (C) 1961 by Julia Child, Louisette Berthol. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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