"I was thirty-seven years old and still discovering who I was."
So wrote Julia Child (née McWiliams) of her arrival in France with husband Paul, who was a U.S. government employee. Julia, the tall, boisterous Américaine, experienced an epiphany during one of her first French meals in 1948. A dish of simple sole meunière changed her life forever, instilling an interest in cookery that ultimately led to the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and launched her popular television series. With little sugarcoating or disingenuousness, My Life in France (co-written with grand-nephew Alex Prud'homme) documents Child's journey to becoming a master chef.
A Fortuitous Error at Le Cordon Bleu
Soon after the Childs settled down in France, Julia enrolled in classes at the famed Cordon Bleu culinary school; however, she'd accidentally signed up for a year of classes instead of a six-week stint as she'd meant to do. With the ambition that was to mark practically all of her pursuits, Julia decided to stay the course. Still, she found herself the odd woman out. She was the only woman in the class, the rest of which comprised American GIs who weren't really interested in cooking as an art.
Growing up, the McWilliams family had always had servants do the cooking, and Julia "had never been encouraged to cook and didn't see the point in it". As a result, Julia started the school year at Le Cordon Bleu with miserable cooking skills: when she volunteered to make scrambled eggs, teacher Chef Max Bugnard decreed her process completely wrong. Remarkably, by the end of the school year, Julia had delved so far into French cooking that she nearly flunked because she was unfamiliar with the 'easy' dishes on the exam.
The Childs, Family, and Friends
Paul Child was an artist, a gourmand, and a more than suitable husband for Julia. Outside of his demanding work, he supported and helped Julia in her endeavours: he produced illustrations and photos for her projects, and often served as 'guinea pig' for her dishes. Paul was temperamentally and politically akin to Julia. They had no children, which helped afford them a lifestyle full of good food and wine, friends, and creativity. Every year, they would send out personalised Valentines (some of which are reproduced in the book) in lieu of Christmas cards. Like the Childs themselves, the cards are playful and witty.
Julia's recollections of her parents are more austere. My Life in France depicts a rather distant relationship between Julia and her parents, especially with father John McWilliams. A conservative businessman, McWilliams frowned upon his daughter's life choices, and especially her Democratic leanings. He was a Republican, didn't like Paul's bohemian attitudes, and vehemently disapproved of the Childs associating with Europeans, whom he equated with Communists. Julia remarks near the end of her memoir that her father never really spoke to her about her cooking and her successes.
Luckily, Julia had Paul and many other people to bolster her efforts. In particular, she had Bugnard, who continued to help her after graduation; Simone Beck, friend and future cookbook collaborator; various Frenchwomen whom the Childs employed to clean house; and even the merchants at the fresh produce market. Julia was nothing if not resourceful.
The Classic French Cookbook
Mastering the Art of French Cooking (written with co-author Beck and consultant Louisette Bertholle), was a landmark work in culinary publishing in 1961. Beck and Betholle had started it as a way to enter the American book market, but the manuscript lacked style and clarity until they asked Julia for assistance. Julia's involvement made it accessible and holistic, ultimately bringing it to 700-plus pages. Although it was initially rejected by several publishers, it finally brought authentic French cookery and culture to American kitchens. It also helped establish Julia Child as a household name in America.
Julia had a scientific mind, so she subjected recipes to rigorous testing and re-testing--something that the Childs came to call "submitting to the operational proof"--before including them in the book. Her methodical style often clashed with that of Beck, who was much more intuitive and usually did not bother testing recipes or even checking her own contributions for correctness. Eventually, their differences created a minor rift in their friendship, although they remained close until Beck's death. In the end, Julia still considered her a grand chérie.
Julia Child's Enduring Legacy
My Life in France is a warm and earthy ode to Julia's greatest loves: Paul, France, and food. Julia, who had a background in copywriting, shows a flair for storytelling. Her story's utter readability is aided in no small part by the photographs and illustrations (mostly Paul's work) interspersed throughout the book. Photos of some of Julia's original manuscript pages, such as recipes for beurre blanc and sauce Hollandaise, are sure to interest cooking fans as well.
Julia's 'all or nothing' mentality comes through in her drive to master not only the fundamentals of French cooking, but virtually all aspects of the cuisine--including areas that Beck and other cooks neglected, such as artisan breadmaking. She could not have achieved her successes without Paul's love and encouragement; nor could she have done so much without hard work, tenacity, and strength of spirit. My Life in France is a testament to that.
Child, Julia, with Alex Prud'homme. My Life in France. Anchor Books. 2007. ISBN: 978-0307277695.
Note: Feature film Julie & Julia is based partly on My Life in France and Julie & Julia: My Year of Living Dangerously.
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