A couple of weekends ago Geoff and I saw the movie Julie and Julia. It was a really good movie and we both enjoyed it. It is a bit of a chick flick, but Geoff is all about food and he loves the Food Network, so this was right up his alley.
My friend Colleen also saw the movie recently and was hoping that it would inspire her to cook more. It didn't. She said it all looked like too much work. This struck me as very ironic because I hate to cook and it didn't even occur to me that I might be inspired by the movie. But while I was watching the movie I thought it might be fun to get Julia's cookbook (Mastering the Art of French Cooking) and try to cook one recipe per week (on the weekend) with Geoff. You know, something we could do together. All of our interests are either solitary pursuits or interests we don't share with each other. This seemed like a good idea - to Geoff, too! He's intrigued by cooking and loves to eat. I don't like to cook, but it might be fun to do together. So I bought the cookbook and NOW I think it all sounds too complicated. Geoff was looking through the book and he was asking me all this REALLY basic questions about how to make the recipes. I thought to myself "OH NO! What have I done?" I thought HE would be in charge of this little experiment and I would simply buy the ingredients during my weekly grocery shopping and maybe chop an onion or two. YIKES! I decided to just not say anything and see what happened. Well, this morning something happened. Geoff asked me if I've given up my idea to cook from Julia's cookbook. *gulp* I told him I hadn't given up, but that I was waiting for him to take the lead. He didn't say much. Not sure what's going to happen now. We'll see. Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted.
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16 comments:
"All of our interests are either solitary pursuits or interests we don't share with each other."
Boy, does that sound familiar. Best of luck with the cooking.
Oh boy, good luck w. that one. I read Julie and Julia, and look forward to seeing the movie because I think it will be more fun. The book was so-so, mostly because a lot of the recipes made me feel a bit queasy. I'm sure you'll fare better than I would!
I went through a faze where I lived and breathed the Food Network. I loved it. The problem was my family would not eat 99.9% of what I cooked.
Picky buggers. :)
Pam,
Just do it! I have always liked baking way more than cooking but in recent years I have learned to love them both (not that I am any good at either). Being good isn't the point though. Figuring it all out together sounds like a blast. Maybe start with that awesome looking bruscetta that she made in the movie. I made it (frying the bread up in the pan is something I never tried), and it was so yummy and fun to do!
Sandy
Good Luck with the recipes! It really is so much fun to cook together. My dh and I spent many a night whipping up yummy meals and laughing at each other. Of course he then went to culinary school and now he just laughs at me. But I make him chop all the veges. :)
Have fun! And Bon Appetit!
Hi Pam, I really like your blog - very nice look and feel and fun to read. If you want to try some unfussy French dishes, have a look at my site. The recipes are ones that home cooks here in France really do use, and they might be a bit easier to get started with. Good luck with the cooking project - maybe you could organize the first try and then see how things pan out. Make sure you have enough space for each of you to work too. We don't have a table in our kitchen, and recently, while staying in a vacation rental, my husband cooked while I sat at the table chopping. That worked really well.
Tom and I have cooked together and it IS a fun activity to share. It always seemed like there was double clean-up though, for some reason. But we did the dishes together, too, so that was also fun. Keep us posted!
I hate cooking, too. I only do it because we'd starve otherwise. Luckily, Hubs like to cook but he doesn't have tons of time during the week. He cooks on weekends, though and often there's leftovers.
I love to cook..........I could cook all day long, but I need someone to clean up my mess!! I was feeling similarly after the movie and I really wanted to attempt Boeuf Bourguignon, but after locating Julia's recipe, I'm less enthusiastic! I like to have help when I cook, a chopper, a prep, something, but I don't get it much.
Please keep us posted, and stay away from the aspics...LOL.
Pam,
I think that this sounds like a wonderful project for and Geoff! It's like a science experiment...waiting to see the results. I give you so much credit for at least being open minded and seeing where this goes. It sounds like the ball is in Geoff's court...I can't wait to see how things turn out and I am looking forward to hearing what recipes you try. Good luck...pick some easy recipes to start with. If you succeed maybe David and I will try a recipe or two...you never know.
Colleen
LOL... great idea, BUT.. maybe you should've gone with a simpler cookbook, like half-made meals or something similar
btw, I found you from SITS :)
I can't wait to hear how this turns out :)
That cookbook has some tricky recipes in it!
Another movie I'm dying to see!! I just finished reading the book and liked it. But, I was not inspired by it. Even after reading the book, I can't fathom why Julie did what she did - with that particular cookbook. I love to cook and try new recipes, but that book, written in 1961, is so outdated! Julie described trying to find obscure ingredients, follow outdated instructions for old cooking methods. Not to mention that every recipe uses huge amounts of butter!! I just don't see the point. My favorite recipes all come from Cooking Light - really tasty food - usually pretty easy to prepare - and good for you, too. That's more like it to me!
However, having said all that, cooking together with your husband does sound like a fun project. Maybe you just need to find the right cookbook to inspire you!
Sue
Looking forward to the results of this experiment! Sounds like potential for lots of fun.
My NY friend has just seen the movie and she recommends it. She says she's going to cook in her pearls now.
I loved the movie - I especially related to the blogging parts, the excitement at getting your first comments, not wanting to let down your readers by skipping a day. ;-)
But I actually read an interesting article on slate.com about how you shouldn't try to make any of the recipes from this book, that they're just too complicated and there are easier cookbooks for French cooking. Although that beef bourgignon looked very tasty!
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