I was one of four authors interviewed in the current Bitch Magazine: Feminist Response to Pop Culture in a feature called “Appetite for Deconstruction-Four writers on consuming passions.” While the article is not available online, I support you supporting Bitch Magazine. Look for it in your local independent bookstore.
Just a reminder. WWWE on Facebook – share with your friends!
We all know about the notion of food porn. It has attracted a variety of definitions (not in the OED yet), but Anthony Bourdain says it’s simply “watching others do something that you’re not likely to actually do yourself.” Food porn was the focus of one of his “No Reservations” episodes earlier this year, and I watched it late last night. BIG mistake. I couldn’t get to sleep what with the tempting desire to take the subway down to Momofuku and order everything on the menu.
Michael Pollan muses about why we don’t cook any more and why we watch so much cooking on television. In my opinion, the two are really unrelated. The answer (at least for me) as to why watching food on TV is so appealing is clearly spelled out – wordlessly – in the “No Reservations” episode. If you’re a Netflix member, you can get immediate gratification with the whole 43-minute drool-isode on Instant Play (Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: Vol. 6). Here’s a teaser:
The combination of Meryl Streep and Julia Child, is, without a doubt, one of the most exquisite treats of the year for me. As much as I enjoyed Streep’s turn as JC, however, I still prefer a generous helping of the real thing. Recently I caught this 1989 interview with Julia on “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross. Her joie de vivre never fails to reveal itself.
For an additional Julia fix, the Paley Center for Media in Manhattan is putting the spotlight on her this month.
Still capturing our attention, decades later
Thanks to friend and Slate movie critic, Dana Stevens, I saw a screening of “Julie & Julia” earlier this week. Here’s Dana’s review along with the audio clip of us talking about the movie on this week’s Spoiler Special. Now get thee to the theater!
Chef Jim Coleman invited me on his radio show, “A Chef’s Table” (WHYY Philadelphia) this past weekend where he was celebrating all things Julia. I was honored to be part of a line-up that included Sara Moulton, Nora Ephron, Julie Powell and – especially near and dear to my heart – a curator from the Schlesinger Library which holds the papers of Julia Child and where I did an enjoyable research stint.
On a highly relevant note, I just returned from a screening of “Julie & Julia,” and without spoiling anything, I will just say that it left me with two very urgent needs: to eat Bœuf bourguignon and to go to Paris.
I was invited back to kibbitz with Beverly and Barbara, The Saucy Sisters, as they celebrate Julia Child’s 97th birthday. You can listen to the whole show here.
