Obligatory post about "Julie & Julia"

After seeing "Julie & Julia" (for the second time--I feel an obligation to see it with anyone who hasn't yet. I'm open for appointments) I came home and found the book--not a difficult task as my mom uses it frequently and calls it her "best reference."

The movie has evoked an unexpected sense of pride that it has graced our kitchen cupboard for 30 odd years.

It's yellowed. The pages are falling out. The cover is falling off. It smells musty. Best of all, there are drops of sauce or wine or broth on the pages. It has been the source of numberless delicious family meals, indeed.

But something really awesome is happening here. And the proof is in my inbox.

--I'm in the wedding of a really good friend next month. In an email I learned that two of the three meals will be French for the bachelorette party, no doubt inspired by Julia mania that's sweeping the nation.

Quiche and french toast, bread, cheese, meats, and wine sure beat the hell out of corn flakes and PB&J.

--I went with some girlfriends to see the movie last night. Today in an email I was invited to a dinner party, the host inspired, again, by the amazing food we saw in the movie.

Whether we have boeuf bourguignon or frozen lasangna is beside the point (I would prefer the former.) And this is why:

I think there is a unifying power behind food.

I think there's value in savoring and respecting food, taking fresh and simple ingredients and making them into something amazing.

I think it's crucial to explore the customs of other countries. In France, food is at the center of their culture.

As a history buff, I love watching as a book written almost 50 years ago continues to make such an impact--motivating, inspiring, and teaching people like me who had heard of Julia Child, but who never understood or appreciated her tremendous influence on the food we eat.

My mom, a phenomenal cook in her own right, seems reinvigorated by the film, reading through (out loud) "The Art of French Cooking Volume 2" as I write this. There's a second volume. Who knew?

I'll gladly lend my mouth, stomach, and appetite to her in her quest to put a dent in it.