The world according to Julia....

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients"
-Julia Child

After having watched Julie & Julia now for the second time I felt compelled to blog about the film, Julia and her recipes...all of which I adore!

Before my first viewing of the movie I found myself wondering; how would they weave Julia and Julie's stories together? How would Meryl perform as Julia? Would the film capture Julia's spirit? How would the food look?

My answers? The movie parallels the lives of these two leading ladies and their quest for happiness which leads them to the same place...cooking, wonderfully!

And Meryl?? As an actress myself I've grown up admiring her and once again she has absolutely blown me away with her performance. Although she has Julia's voice down what always impresses me the most are the little things...the sly glance, the sigh, or funny little gestures. Indeed Julia is alive in this film and captures her spirit!

Now...the food...warning!!! Do not, I repeat, do not go to this movie without immediate dinner plans afterward! Scene after scene is filled with heavenly dishes...chocolate mousse pie, butter, bruschetta, butter, duck, and did I mention...butter!? Not to mention you will be terribly parched from all the wine and martinis in every other scene! One of the main dishes the film focuses on is Julia's Boef Bourguignon. My humble suggestion is to plan a night of Julia...make the Boef the day before (it's always better after a day!) and plan to eat immediately, and with a glass of Burgundy after the film as I did. This is proof that simple, fresh ingredients can themselves make a masterpiece! I have yet to get the cookbook, shamefully. However, I did find the recipes from her book on her publisher's website:

(Be sure to follow the recipe for the mushrooms and onions as well!)

And in tribute to Julia...enjoy the film and "Bon Appetit!"