Julia Child (1912-2004)

For those of us who enjoyed watching Julia Child on PBS over the years, I wanted to pay tribute to the woman who brought gourmet cooking to normal everyday folks. I can remember my mother trying new recipes thanks to Julia and being the good cook that my mom was, my family benefited from it.

Julia did not take a cooking lesson until she was in her 30s. And she was in her 50s when her first television series began in 1963 which can serve as an inspiration to all of us who wonder if we are too old to start something new. She lived a long life and died at the ripe old age of 91 and only missed her 92 birthday by 2 days.

If the meat fell on the floor, Child picked it up, brushed it off and continued. Her mishaps weren't edited out of her programs. In fact, many of the early shows were live. "The only real stumbling block is the fear of failure. In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude," she said.

My favorite Julia Child quote is "Life itself is the proper binge."

Bon Appetit Julia