ms. julia child started demystifing the art of french cooking with her charming, warm hearted approach to sharing herself and her recipes back in the 1960's. and although that is before my time, she is the reason i enjoy cooking today.

how could i resist making a pilgrimage to the smithsonian institute to see julia's kitchen and the wonderful implements that she wielded with such skill. she was a virtuoso of my favorite essential tool, the kitchen blow torch.

yes, julia was trained at the the cordon blue school in paris, but, she was never stuffy or pretentious.

i gaze in awe at her faithful knife which is on display to inspire and possibly terrify aspiring chef's.

i take comfort in the fact that julia left a rich legacy of television program and books filled with her humor, knowledge and unique personality.

i like to think that julia is now sitting on a perfectly whisked meringue cloud, as the guardian angel of my kitchen. i am inspired and buoyed with courage to archive new culinary heights!

julia child
august 1913 to august 2004

she has left the kitchen, but not our hearts.