Smash hit movies on Culebra! Not. Yet.

The movie Julie & Julia is making huge waves, which, as a long time fan of Julia Child's, doesn't surprise me much, and yet, does. I do know that the most popular blogs are food blogs, and we are a world, not a country or culture or hemisphere, but a world obsessed with food. Whether you have an overabundance or a scarcity or none at all, food defines our lives - our health, our well being, our sense of comfort and satisfaction - on so many levels (especially in stressful times, and these are those) that the mind boggles, just spinning off on possible tangents. So I'll try not to. Really.

I have friends in the states who are gleefully taunting me with their *I just got back from seeing Julie & Julia* emails and postings, knowing for me it won't be until Netflix has it that I'll get to enjoy the show. My daughter Sarah called me last night, describing the dinner she had made, one of Julia's recipes, her adaptations due to ingredients and the delicious results. Half of what she used I can't get here, even with the veggie guy around. No matter, she has powerful descriptors and I was full by the end of listening to them. She will see the movie this weekend. I think she is one of probably thousands who were and are cooking Julia's recipes these days as a cooking legend is rediscovered by a new generation.

Of course, my poor children don't have that as an issue. In the summers of their littleness, most every week day was designated as a Day. Library Day, Science Center Day, Cooking Day. Cooking Day meant that the child whose turn it was could cook anything (within reason and budget) they liked. Which meant, they chose something they'd never tried and they were guided by me, verbally channeling Julia Child. My son could make better omelets than I can still, when he was 10...and I bet he still hears the echos of Mama & Julia when he makes them...

I think, when Netflix finally has the movie, we'll have to make a Movie Night out of it. We'll decide who has the biggest screen and the biggest kitchen, as we all enjoy cooking almost as much as we enjoy eating...maybe just as much or even more. Good drinks, cooking and eating good food and a guaranteed good movie with friends. I think Julia would approve!

How Julia Makes an Omelette
(there are LOTS of videos of Julia on youtube.com to enjoy, choosing just one was a task)

How can anyone not enjoy this woman? Her lack of pretension, her obvious passion for cooking, just those alone without her talent, make it worthwhile to check out the movie and her cookbooks (can you imagine a TV chef today cooking on an electric stove with a teflon pan? and encouraging the less expensive pan over the more? Sacrebleu!)