My Favorite Books - Julie and Julia

I actually found this month's favorite book(s) because I went to see the movie first, which is the one and only time that has ever happened.  The movie Julie and Julia came out in 2009, starring Amy Adams as Julie Powell and Meryl Streep as Julia Child.

The movie was so enjoyable that I immediately purchased the three books that made up the film, and as expected, I liked them even more.

"Julie and Julia", the book, is the true story of Julie Powell.  In 2002, Julie was working a dead end secretarial job and looking for new direction in her life.  To that end, she decided to spend 365 days preparing all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering The Art of French Cooking".  To add to the fun, she created a blog about it - back when blogging was just getting started.  The resulting story is exhausting, hilarious, poignant and so much fun.  I was endlessly impressed with Julie's willingness to take on even the most complicated of Julia's recipes.  This book is not a cookbook, but rather a story about rediscovering the "joie-de-vivre".

In the movie Julie and Julia, Meryl Streep is spot on as Julia Child - so good that I forgot she wasn't in fact Julia Child.  The movie is also partially based on the book "My Life In France", a memoir that was completed after Julia Child's death by her grand nephew.  In 1948 Julia moved to France with her husband Paul.  Finding herself bored, and with a tentative interest in cooking, she enrolled in a class at the Cordon Bleu.

This book is an absolute gem, and is equal parts a love story, a travel log of her many adventures in France, and a fascinating saga of the ten year process involved in publishing her encyclopedia sized cookbook.

Which leads me to that final book, "Mastering The Art of French Cooking".  As a confirmed disaster in the kitchen, this is the last book anyone would expect to find at my house.  But I just couldn't resist after seeing the movie and reading the memoirs - I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

It really is a classic, and should be in everyone's library.  Not only are there 524 recipes, but there is information on how to purchase ingredients, detailed descriptions on technique, and step by step instructions to create a beautiful meal.  I've even been inspired to try a few things, and made a very successful Potage Parmentier (Potato Soup) that turned out delicious.

Happy reading and Bon Appetit!