Tag: Julia Child's Birthday

Julia Child’s Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Julia Child's Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Celebrating Julia Child’s Birthday
with Her
Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Just beyond the doors of Julia and Paul Child’s apartment at 81 Rue de l’Université, the narrow Paris streets settle into a golden, late-summer hush. It is August 15th, Julia’s birthday, and Paul has planned a special surprise.

Arm in arm, they stroll along the cobblestones, passing sun-dappled wrought-iron balconies draped with geraniums. The scent of yeasty pain de campagne drifts from a corner boulangerie, mingling with that of roasted coffee from nearby cafés. Paul’s eyes glint with quiet anticipation, eager to reveal his secret.

81 Rue de l’Université, Paris 81 Rue de l’Université, Paris

After a short while they arrive at their destination — Bistrot Ataloré, a small, warmly lit eatery tucked on a side street where the awning is striped in red and cream. Paul had stopped by earlier in the week to alert the maître d’ to the occasion. As they step inside, the aromas of garlic butter and roasting meats envelopes them.

“Bon anniversaire, Madame Child,” the maître d’ says graciously, bowing ever so slightly. “Nous sommes honorés de célébrer avec vous ce soir.”

He guides them to a private little table in the back corner, away from the gentle bustle of the dining room. As he hands them the menus, he leans in conspiratorially. “You must begin with our escargots — a specialty of the house. Divine garlic butter, perfect for dunking with our fresh-baked baguette. And the sole meunière… magnifique. For dessert, I recommend our seasonal figs with sabayon. Très enchanteur.”

Paul smiles at Julia, already knowing she’ll say yes to the escargots — the tender wild snails from Burgundy bathed in parsley-flecked butter. It is the kind of dish that lingers in your memory long after the last bite, much like this evening surely will.

Julia Child's Escargots à la Bourguignonne

The meal begins as the escargots arrive, bubbling in their cast iron dishes, green-gold pools of garlic-herb butter infused with a touch of dry vermouth, fragrant with fresh parsley and shallots. Each snail is perfectly coated, inviting a first bite of mouthwatering, buttery richness… Julia is in heaven.

Julia Child's Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Bon Appétit!

Julia Child's Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Julia Child’s Escargots à la Bourguignonne Recipe

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Julia and Jacques’s Gravlax

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

Julia Child’s Annual Birthday Tribute

Julia Child and Jacques Pépin
Cooking at Home

Joyeux Anniversaire Julia Child! Today would have been Julia’s 110th birthday. It has been an honor, a passion, and a tradition to celebrate her birthday on Taste With The Eyes ever since I started this blog in 2007.

This year, we are watching a super-charming episode of the cooking show Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home “IT’S SALMON DAY!” where they go on to prepare a half-dozen salmon dishes together.

Here we are going to spotlight their gravlax presentations from the show and from their cookbook. Julia calls hers “Quick Gravlax” and Jacques calls his “Instant Gravlax.” Both different and both fabulous.

Screen Shot: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
Screen Shot: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

The television series was the inspiration for the cookbook of the same name. In both, one can sense the pleasure the two have cooking together, tasting, exchanging ideas, joshing with each other, and raising a glass to savor the fruits of their labor.

In this one episode Julia gives Jacques a hard time about using black pepper instead of white pepper in a light colored dish…and he gives it right back.

Jacques asks Julia to add salt and pepper to the salmon tartare they are making together.

“Would you rather have black or white pepper?” teases Julia.

“Black, black without any question,” says Jacques.

“You like speckled food,” declares Julia.

“I do. I also like taste in the food and the black pepper has more taste than the white one,” retorts Jacques.

Again and again they demonstrate that cooking is endlessly fascinating and challenging, and while ultimately personal, it is a joy to be shared!

Julia’s Quick Gravlax

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