Podcast 70: Julie & Julia and Memories of Julia Child

by The Meal Makeover Moms on September 1st, 2009

Julie & Julie was deliciously funny and awesomely entertaining.  Between us, we’ve seen the movie three times, and between us, we give it four thumbs up!  This week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast is devoted to our thoughts on this year’s number-one foodie movie and to our memories of the grand dame of cooking herself, Julia Child.

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Back in the day (1994 to be exact), Liz attended the annual meeting of the American Institute of Wine & Food here in Boston.  At the time, she was working as a freelance producer and reporter for CNN and was hired to cover the meeting.  Lucky for Liz, she was also  invited to a luncheon at Julia Child’s house with a group of distinguished chocolate company execs.  The food, prepared by celebrated chef Daniel Bruce of the Boston Harbor Hotel, was spectacular.  Coincidentally, Janice was also there … hanging out in the kitchen!  As the consulting dietitian for the hotel, she had offered to “help” the chef as he prepared the meal.  In reality, she mostly observed from the adjoining pantry and nibbled on morel mushrooms from a pot on Julia’s old stove!  What a small world. On that day, we each had a chance to chat with Julia and to enjoy her comfy kitchen and welcoming dining room.  You may notice in the photo above that Julia signed the photo with her trademark Bon Apetit!

janice-at-julias-kitchen-in-smithsonian

… And speaking of Julia’s kitchen, the next time you’re in Washington D.C., be sure to visit it.  Julia’s actual Cambridge kitchen was moved and is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.  Janice was there this summer and enjoyed seeing the kitchen looking just as she remembered.  Notice the pots on the pegboard behind her and compare them to the actual photo from Julia’s kitchen above.

Our good friend, Carolyn O’Neil was also there this summer. Carolyn was the host of CNN’s food & nutrition show, On the Menu, for nearly 20 years. She interviewed Julia many times and was astounded when she noticed a VHS tape with a label reading, CNN with Carolyn O’Neil in the Smithsonian exhibit. To read Carolyn’s post on this amazing sighting, visit her blog, Dish on Dieting.

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Be sure to tune into our podcast to hear about our other fun encounters with Julia.  And if you’ve seen the movie, please let us know what you thought of it.

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2 Comments | Filed Under CulinaryAdventures, Podcast 

2 Responses to “Podcast 70: Julie & Julia and Memories of Julia Child”

  1. Amy on January 4th, 2010

    I finally saw this movie, and I too, loved it! But mostly, I’m so jealous of the interactions you both have had with Julia Child over the years. Great memories.

  2. The Meal Makeover Moms on January 5th, 2010

    Hi Amy: Wasn’t it a great movie?! And yes, we are very grateful to have had the privilege of meeting Julia Child in person on several occasions. She was a remarkable woman and an inspiration.

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