Julia Child’s Chocolate Icing

Note: I’d say it’s a coincidence that this post appears on Julia Child’s 100th birthday, but I don’t believe in coincidences. When I need a specific recipe, I frequently forget to check the growing collection of cookbooks I have and instead turn immediately to the Internet. But when I needed a quick recipe for chocolate icing, the Internet had far too many options. To the bookshelf I went, and of course, Julia Child delivered. This chocolate icing was exactly what … Continue reading

Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon is one homey dish. Eating it makes me want to cuddle and hibernate. It’s a good feeling. Boeuf bourguignon is cooked at a relatively low temperature for a long time until the meat literally falls apart at a fork’s first touch and the carrots soak up the dish’s savory flavors like orange sponges. The tastes and textures in this one-pot meal will leave you begging for another bite. You definitely want to make this stew. To do so, … Continue reading

Cultural Convergence

A funny thing is happening. Every piece of literature and cinema I take in are tangentially about the same topic. I am, quite unintentionally, observing 1920s Paris and the characters that inhabit it from three (and counting) points of view. First, Rachel recommended I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It is a captivating book about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley, and their marriage. It is a beautiful, honest, and raw story that is energizing for its first two … Continue reading