August 15th marks the birthday of one of the world’s most beloved culinary icons, and my personal inspiration, the unforgettable Julia Child. Julia would have been 98 years old if we were lucky enough to still have her on this earth, but even in death her spirit is more alive than ever. So many people are either re-discovering her magic or learning about her for the first time in today’s foodie-obsessed culture and I couldn’t be more excited that her fearless kitchen adventures are continuing to inspire people to cook.
I had the pleasure of visiting Washington D.C. this weekend for a family wedding and knew that sometime during my trip there I had to get to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to see the Julia Child exhibit and lay eyes on her real kitchen for the first time. As fate would have it the day I was able to go just happened to be her birthday, a wonderful coincidence that made the trip even more special.
As soon as I entered the brightly lit lobby of the museum I was giddy like a little kid going to visit Disney World for the first time. I headed straight for the exhibit and entered into “Julia’s World” with a nervous excitement that was quickly turned into awe and curiosity. While modest in size, the exhibit is packed with all sorts of nostalgia and memorabilia from Julia’s life, her giant mortar and pestle, diploma from Cordon Bleu in Paris, and an incredible assortment of copper cookery just to name a few.
Of course the main draw of the exhibit is Julia’s kitchen. In 2001, Julia graciously donated her famous blue and green kitchen from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts to the Smithsonian to share with the world the temple she had built to the art of cooking for over 40 years. Surrounded by plexiglass walls, you can peer into her kitchen and get close enough that you feel like you could sit down at her wooden dinner table, close your eyes, and breathe in the aroma of whatever wonderful concoction she was working on.
Being a tall woman myself, I was in awe of the raised cabinets throughout the kitchen that were custom built to accommodate her six foot two frame. She and her husband Paul designed the kitchen together, and you can sense from just peeking in that it was a place of such love, passion, and happiness that you can’t help but smile when looking at it.
There was quite a bit of video footage that you could watch while in the exhibit, an opportunity I took full advantage of. On a small screen played interviews with Julia about her life, her work, and her favorite kitchen gadgets. A self-proclaimed “knife freak”, Julia took us on a tour of her knife collection that included an incredible assortment of blades of all shapes and sizes, which she reminds us you don’t really need but are nice to have. On a larger TV, the dvd “Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom” played, showcasing classic moments from her shows and live demonstrations, plus interviews with some of her biggest admirers including Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, and Emeril Lagasse. I sat right down on the floor and watched almost all 90 minutes.
Being in the presence of all things Julia I couldn’t help but think about how much I admire her and her fearless approach to cooking. I could never compare myself to her, but I share some similarities that make me feel like I have this special connection to her, and when I’m cooking and am nervous or unsure about something, I close my eyes and feel her cheering me on, telling me I can do it. That was the great thing about Julia, no matter what went wrong in the kitchen she pulled through because she had the conviction and faith that with love and hard work, you could make anything happen.
I may never get to meet Julia in this life, but after visiting the exhibit dedicated to her I feel like I know her more now than ever before. I took some photo’s of her kitchen and memorabilia that I have shared below for you to enjoy. It’s not the same as being there, but hopefully you are inspired in some way to get into the kitchen, roll up your sleeves, and cook.
Happy birthday Julia.
Bon Appetit!
To read more about preparing one of Julia’s most famous dishes, Beouf Bourignon, click here.
Inside Julia's Kitchen
The kitchen table where her and Paul shared wonderful times with family and friends
Julia's "Batterie de Cuisine"
Julia's own kitchen copies of her famous cookbooks
The Child's bought this used restaurant 6-burner Garland stove from a friend for $429 in 1956, the same stove Julia stood over to test her recipes until 2001
A larger than life mortar and pestle
Julia's famous patch worn by her, Simca, and Louisette, Tres Gourmands
Julia's diploma from Cordon Bleu in Paris
While often shown drinking wine on her show, Julia was really drinking a mixture of water and Gravy Master while filming
Taking a cue from Julie Powell, someone left a package of butter to pay homage to Julia
One of my favorite Julia quotes
Tara O'Keeffe