The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Rx for the uptight, perfectionist baker

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Rx for the uptight, perfectionist baker

I just viewed a video of Julia Child making Tarte Tatin. This was a 1971 broadcast of The French Chef TV program.

Now, Tarte Tatin is a favorite of mine, but my reason for pointing you all to this video is Julia's performance. I won't say more. Just see for yourself.

Enjoy!

David

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Just what I needed to start my day. At the end when she is balancing two plates on the counter, I was holding my breath for the one closest to the edge. Julia was a master at improvising on live TV.

Thank you for reminding me of her beautiful memory.

Eric

asicign's picture
asicign

No doubt we've all had the experience of ruining a dish like Julia did when she unmolded her tart; but seeing her screw up, but continue on without excuses gives us courage to go forward undaunted.  I was teaching myself how to cook (and bake bread) in Boston when Julia's first TV show was broadcast. What a gift it was! 

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I had just married in 1971 and my husband I loved to watch Julia and then experiment with her recipes. We were living in New Orleans in the French Quarter during those years so  it was easy to imagine that one was in France shopping at the same markets. We have contiued to "clear the decks" as she first taught us . What a delight to see someone who is not afflicted with OCD cooking with joy and verve. Thank you David for reminding us all what cooking is all about. c

Marni's picture
Marni

Now I know why my mother loved her show.  Julia Child was so much fun. I was a very small girl during this time, but that intro music, kitchen  and her voice are part of my childhood.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Marni

dstroy's picture
dstroy

I had forgotten how much I adore her :) Thank you for that!

 

(and both pies looked delicious!)

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

was a good thing

it is also good that thay had a cameriaman armed with 16mm film to recored things like this.

first there must have been a small army to clean up after herflour, sugar, dough everyware,  and the pastry dough bouncing almost off the board was pricless.

but there she was this very elagent lady holding a very obiously completly scrwed up pastry and she never lost her composer or even bat an eye. thats class

i remember the galoping gormay also had the same quility when on one show made something called stuffed oinon and at the end of the show when he would sit down and taste the dish looked up at the cameria and said :this is the worst thing i have ever tasted for gods sake DON"T MAKE THIS" and then came the credits.

 

GrapevineTXoldaccount's picture
GrapevineTXolda...

My speakers are not connected, presently, but I sat and watched with much anticipation.  Ten minutes in, and while she is dusting flour with her hand, onto the floor, I began roaring with laughter.  Never mind when she knocked over that container of utensils, but, when she flipped her pastry, I really lost it! I swear, this woman was, and will always be, sheer genius, never daunted by the mishap, but always in the moment. 

Thanks so much for sharing....it made my day.  Oh, and when I get the speakers hooked back up, I'm going for a re-run. 

What a gift she was.  Peace to you, Julia.

turosdolci's picture
turosdolci

I tried to watch her shows as often as I could.  I use to volunteer at the PBS channel fund raiser and she use to show up once in a while.  She was a very special woman and just fun to watch. I think she broke down the mystery of French cooking and made everyone feel that they could also prepare French food. I started cooking from her books and loved reading them. 

I love Tarte Tatin also and learned how to make it from Julia. Nice to think about her again.

Thanks for the post,

Patricia

AnnaInNC's picture
AnnaInNC

this lady is right up my alley.  Wipes off the counter and dumps it  right back into the bowls, sticks her finger into the creme, wraps the foil around the plates after (I guess) having previously retrieved from the floor, just too funny.