Like ten bajillion other people on the planet, I love Julia Child.
And not just because I’m a blogger and the whole Julie &Julia thing was popular a while back. No, I just think she’s the cat’s pajama’s. Always have. Always will. Yeah, I’m a decent cook, nothing special, but I know enough about the subject to recognize someone who loves it as an art. And even though I seriously doubt I could ever pull off Julia’s Duck à l’orange, I know the pleasure that comes from serving someone a dish that is made with love, enthusiasm and butter. Julia taught me that.
One of my earliest memories are of my mother standing over the kitchen counter attempting to read Mastering the Art of French Cooking, cigarette hanging out the side of her mouth, sweat on her brow, furiously beating a eggs in a bathtub size aluminum bowl. It went on and on for what seemed like hours on end, only to come to a sudden halt followed by a quick pop in the oven and an order for us to go play outside for fear that we would, get this, scare the soufflé. Who knew soufflés could get scared? Julia taught her that.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Julia’s Kitchen inside the Smithsonian’s American History Museum |
If you follow me on Pinterest,you might have seen me going crazy for pegboard kitchens this week. I’m nuts about them. My current kitchen doesn’t have enough wall space to do one, so I am getting all excited about the prospect moving into a new space lined with pegboard and hooks. And yes, thank you, pegboard does indeed meet my threshold for what is considered excitement. Because I’m cool like that Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I don’t know if Julia Child gets the credit for coming up with the idea, but she certainly is most famous for bringing pegboard into the kitchen. Prior to Julia, pegboard was a material typically relegated to the garages or tool sheds, not suitable for gourmet kitchens. But now, thanks to her, it’s a common occurrence in kitchens across the world, particularly popular with urban apartment dwellers like me or anyone short on storage.
Side note: If you have been there, or seen the movie Julie & Julia, you already know that Julia’s kitchen was donated and put on permanent display in the Museum of National History in Washington DC. If you ever get a chance to see it (it’s free admission y’all!) check it out. The thing is TINY. I always thought she was an impressive lady, but then I saw the room in person and thought about her producing all that food AND a television show in that tiny space…whoa, talk about efficient.
Click here to see Julia’s 1960’s kitchen in action, and a first hand account from the photographer who was lucky enough to sit at her table.
And while pegboard might not be categorized as trendy, I am so pleased to see it making a come back. There are some seriously groovy pegboard kitchens out there…I’m hoping mine will be one of them! Julia would be proud Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pegboard Photo Sources (TBLR): The Inspired Room, Design*Sponge, Apartment Therapy, Domino Magazine
The post Julia Child is in my kitchen (sorta) appeared first on Aunt Peaches.
