On a recent trip to Washington DC, I had the opportunity to explore much of what the Smithsonian has to offer, including the American History Museum.
My husband really had no interest in going to this particular museum, but I convinced him to go pointing out that Julia Child’s kitchen was on display there. He was still surprisingly not interested :-), but decided to accompany me along with the kids. Had I seen the kitchen before? Yes, of course, but it had been a few years and I felt a return visit was necessary.
For fellow foodies or those who love to cook, seeing Julia’s kitchen is not just an opportunity to see a piece of American history, but it’s a pilgrimage of sorts where you almost feel compelled to go for nostalgic reasons.
This time was no different. I meandered through the small display, reading the signage I had read before and taking the same photos I had taken years before as if it was the first time seeing everything. And maybe it was….it was the first time I had seen the exhibit with my children and through their eyes. I explained everything I knew about her…how she lived in France, learned to cook and was one of the first chefs to teach others to cook on television. Mildly impressed, the kids humored me, listened to me and asked questions like “was she really that tall, or are you just short?” Hmmm…not exactly what I wanted them to take away from my impromptu lesson, but it was funny nonetheless.
Ahhh, Julia, you were one of the pioneering female Chefs of our time. And, if nothing else, you taught us that it was ok to make mistakes and laugh at ourselves. Thank you Julia, because I do this often.
Oh, and did I mention that I just happened to visit Julia’s kitchen on August 15….her birthday! Coincidence? Maybe. Providence? Definitely!
Not familiar with Julia and how she impacted cooking in the home? Check out the story below.
