Julia Child
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A biography of Julia Child from the award-winning author of Perfection SaladOne of the most beloved figures in 20th century American culture was Julia Child, the bouyant French Chef who taught millions of Americans to cook with confidence and eat with pleasure. With an irrepressible sense of humor and a passion for good food, Child ushered in the nation's culinary renaissance and became its chief icon. Unlike the great cooking teachers who preceded her, she won her audience through the revolutionary medium of television. Millions watched as she spun threads of caramel, befriended a giant monkfish, wielded live lobsters, flipped omelets and unmolded spectacular desserts. Her occasional disasters, and brilliant recoveries, were legendary. Yet every step of the way she was teaching carefully crafted lessons about ingredients, culinary technique, and why good home cooking still matters.
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Award-winning food writer Laura Shapiro describes Child's unlikely career path, from California party girl to cool-headed chief clerk in a World War II spy station to bumbling amateur cook and finally to the classes at the Cordon Bleu in Paris that changed her life. Her marriage to Paul Child was at the center of all her work. Unlike much of what has been written about Child, Shapiro portrays a woman who was quintessentially American, and whose open-hearted approach to the kitchen was a lesson in how to live.
Liked Julia Child? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked Julia Child. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
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Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child Shares biography, nonfiction, food -
Backstage with Julia: My Years with Julia Child Shares nonfiction, biography, food -
Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child Shares biography, nonfiction, food -
Teaching the Pig to Dance: A Memoir of Growing Up and Second Chances Shares nonfiction, biography, memoir
“People who read Julia Child tend to reach for these next.”
“If you want more of the same (biography about food), start with these.”
“If it was the food that hooked you, try one of these.”
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Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man
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Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection
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Stand Facing the Stove: The Story of the Women Who Gave America The Joy of Cooking
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Elaine's: The Rise of One of New York’s Most Legendary Restaurants from Those Who Were There
“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”
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The Cook's Book: Step-by-step techniques recipes for success every time from the world's top chefs, including Marcus Wareing, Shaun Hill, Ken Hom Charlie Trotter
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Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook
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Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
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Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America