Unabashed Love, Passion and Joy

By Julie Mastbrook, Mommie Cooks

When I think of Julia Child, the word that comes to mind most is Joy. Never before and never since has a chef had such unabashed love, passion and pure joy for the food they created and the lessons they shared.

Julia had an uncanny ability to take the most complicated techniques and turn them into something any home cook would feel dauntless attempting. Her smile and her laugh were infectious and somehow, just reading her words or watching her actions, could inspire ultimate confidence in the kitchen. She experienced the same mistakes that many of us suffered through at one time or another and she handled them with a simple grace and sprinkles of humor thrown in for good measure. With quotes such as,

Always remember: If you're alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who's going to know?

and

The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a 'What the hell?' attitude.

She encouraged us to not only accept and learn from our failures, but to hold them close to us and ultimately embrace them, making us better cooks in the long run. On this 100th birthday of a true culinary legend, I tip my hat and say thank you to a woman who left a mark in the culinary world not only through her fearless and positive view of the people and places around her but through her ability to help us understand and enjoy the real art and beauty of truly delectable food.

Julie is a self inspired home cook, and the creator and imagination behind the family meal inspired food blog Mommie Cooks. She currently resides in Charlotte, NC with her husband and three boys.

You can find Julie at her website Mommie Cooks, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.