this and that

This and That August 2009

The Joy of Cooking
Before my daughter saw Annie Hall and Funny Girl, she knew Woody Allen only as the voice in Antz and Barbara Streisand only as the crazed sex therapist on Meet the Fockers. And, now an entire generation will know Julia Child only as Meryl Streep in the new movie Julie &Julia. But if you really want to know this food icon, read My Life in France, Julia's memoir describing her journey in food. It's a beautifully written book about a woman in love with her husband, her new home in France and cooking . . .
in that order. If it doesn't make you want to pick up a whisk (or jet off to Paris), I don't know what will. Julia Child was a smart, adventurous, fun-loving woman with a wicked sense of humor. (I was lucky enough to have dinner with her in 1996). But possibly her greatest quality and what made her so endearing on TV was that she didn't take herself too seriously. To quote:

"I don't believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses over the food you make. . . . Maybe the cat has fallen into the stew, or the lettuce is frozen or the cake collapsed-eh bien, tant pis! (oh well, who cares!)"

This month, we celebrate Julia and having fun in the kitchen. Bon appétit.

Jill Melton, Editor

Relish Your Kitchen
In response to our request for kitchen tips, reader Joan Nusbaum from Colorado Springs, Colo., sent us this:
"I have a very shallow drawer in which I store my linens. So that they fit best, and so I can find the one I'm looking for, I roll my towels. It works great!"
—Thanks, Joan.

Tomato Juice
In 1917, for the first time anywhere, tomato juice was served at the French Lick Resort and Spa, a hot spot in southwestern Indiana. When world-famous French chef Louis Perrin ran out of oranges for orange juice, he squeezed tomatoes instead, preparing a concoction of fresh tomatoes, sugar and a splash of his special sauce. An instant success, tomato juice threatened to overtake orange juice as a staple at morning breakfast. Chicago businessmen and others spread the word about this new tomato juice cocktail.—Anne Hattes

Bake Sale!
When Gretchen Holt's son, Liam, was diagnosed with cancer, she and her husband got baking. They started the nonprofit organization Cookies for Kids' Cancer, which helps raise money for research through, you guessed it, cookies. You can either buy them directly or host a bake sale yourself. September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, and the organization is pushing to have bake sales in all 50 states. Go to cookiesforkidscancer.org for more information.