Book Club : April Selection “My Life in France” by Julia Child

There is a simple reason why I chose “My Life in France” as April’s book club selection. April happens to be my birthday month and I turn 35 next week. I find Julia Child’s story to be inspirational and love that she found a passion for cooking later in life. She was a woman that was filled with determination, hard work and she was a francophile. As I read her book this past month I kept thinking how different her journey would be if she had the tools of social media and the internet. She would have had an amazing blog and youtube channel. She didn’t have any of these tools. She sent her corrections and recipes to her co-authors, friends, and publishers. She had way more patience than I think I will ever have. She didn’t give up on her dream of teaching people how to cook way through her recipes.

I found my passion for photography years ago but it wasn’t until I lost my job in 2008 that I had the push to chase my dreams as a travel photographer. I hope I can motivate you to follow your passions whatever they may be through the blog. I hope you enjoy Julia Child’s book as much as I did as it takes you to Paris, The South of France, and back to the US and inside her kitchen as she works on the recipes for her book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”  

The book is written by her husband’s great-nephew Alex Prud’homme and is based on letter’s Paul would send to his twin brother Charles over the year’s. The idea started in 1969 after Paul suggested creating a book from the letters. For one reason or another, the book got pushed to the side and never got written. Julia never gave up on the idea to write the book and saw it as a tribute to her husband Paul, “the man who swept her off to Paris in the first place” My Life in France. It took until Julia turned 91 that she asked Alex for help on writing her story. They worked together and she shared memories through conversations over a good meal or a car ride. Two days before her 92nd birthday Julia Child passed away from kidney failure. Alex Prud’homme carried on the memory by finishing the book. 

I have really enjoyed cooking but I have never picked up “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” I just ordered it on Amazon and I can’t wait to dig in and cook from her book of recipes. After reading how much work and time was put into building the book I am more interested in trying the recipes than ever before.

For this next book Giveaway, I would love to know your favorite recipe to cook. Bonus Points if it’s French.  I would love a way to connect all of you from around the world to meet for coffee/ wine to discuss the book or just meet other Francophiles. If you have any ideas I am open to it! Please leave your email address and the city you currently live in with your recipe! 

Merci xo