On Julia and Julia

#1 Bestseller? Sure. I can see how this book would be a best-seller merely by the concept alone. A writer and avid foodie takes on Julia Child's cookbook in a yearlong project. 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen. This whole project covered through her blog. I really wanted to like it. I love cooking. I love writing about cooking. I love reading about cooking. I just didn't care all that much about Julie.
Putting down this book that everyone seemed to be reading was a difficult decision, but I was getting so little enjoyment out of it. Another thing that kept me going was that Meryl Streep acted and Nora Ephron directed this book turned movie. Those two endorsements alone made me doubt my gut instincts. Yet I could not get past page 68. I finally pulled out the bookmark, put the book in my purse and returned it to the friend who lent it to me.
Today, I watched the movie with my little kitchen helper, Layali. Here is the review through her eyes. This movie is kind of like Ratatouille. There is a lot of kissing. She didn't not like that, but she liked my having put my hand over her eyes until it was time to watch again. She watched in the same anticipation as I the scene with the boiling of the lobsters. She thought the aspic that fell from the mold eventually to the floor was "poop" because it kind of looked like it and because Julie yelled "Shit!" when it happened. Layali finally fell asleep in the middle of the boeuf bourguignonepisode.
So the movie was a far cry better than what I read of the book. I enjoyed it alot actually. To Julie's credit, she did take on a big project and for that I can admire her. I have gone maybe a week tops writing a daily blog before disappearing into my life for awhile. I never was a fan of Julia Child before, only having experienced her cooking show and that voice of hers at an age where anything different I would ridicule.
Please, skip the book, go straight to the movie. Go out and buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking instead. I might even buy The Joy of Cooking as well, although Julia would not be pleased with that decision.