This was so good I watched some sections over because watching Julia cook again was like going home. We do live in a convenience food era and to see how real food is made, like mom did it, was an eye opener to someone who doesn't have time to spend in the kitchen. She has tempted me to make the Queen of Sheba cake if only to taste it after watching it being made. How wonderful that we have this charasmatic woman on video to remind us how well we should be eating. I'm going to get the second set because I miss watching her already.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This was a holiday gift for my husband that was a hit with the whole family (my kids are both in their 20s). Although Julia "limits" herself to French cooking/French dishes, recall that this WAS rocket science compared with a lot of American cooking in the early 1960s (instant jello, instant oatmeal, marshmallow everything, vegetables salted beyond recognition).
Julia shines through as an opinionated, strong personality who has rigorously tested her recipes and techniques, and presents the viewer with many years' worth of wisdom. Her show follows a logical progression of recipe/method to achieve wonderful, hearty French dishes. Because few of the dishes take the allotted 30 minutes to cook to completion, she has the featured dish in several stages of development (just like Martha Stewart or any other gourmet TV cook) so viewers can see how the dish progresses.
Julia's sense of humor is rampant. After preparing 4 recipes of sauteed/fried potatos, she makes a comment about how much better they are than anything from the "dirty dog wagon" on the street. We howled with laughter.
Anyone who wants to cook some of the signature dishes (Beef Bourginon, Roast/trussed chicken, coq au vin) can learn a lot from watching Julia's show... keeping in mind she teaches traditional French techniques. There's no butter substitute, fake sugar, rice flour or wasabi in anything here. Butter, oil and cream are used liberally. That's how she learned it 60 years ago in France.
Be sure to watch Julia wrestling with lobsters, explaining all the different grades of chicken and not measuring many ingredients. She loves cooking and radiates that glow. It's marvelous to watch a passionate person do what they love to do!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Julia Child single-handedly changed the way America thought about food. These humble, early French Chef episodes point to the climate in America in the 1960s, when frozen TV dinners were all the rage, and cooking was fast becoming a lost art. Julia herself said that she was an unlikely TV celebrity, but felt that her audience could really produce wonderful, satisfying culinary results at home if they follow her adaptations of classic French cuisine. All of her legendary amusing pitfalls can be found in these early PSB broadcasts, and some of her demonstrations result in less than five-star dishes, but these aspects are irrelevant. One watches the French Chef to see Julia in her element, to revisit the classic dishes, and to be duly inspired. If one is entertained in the process, all the better! To the modern foodie, these episodes remain relevant, and reestablish Julia Child as the ultimate food pedagogue.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
this dvd was bought as a gift, and the recipient was thrilled to receive it and has watched it several times already. it was just what she wanted, and she looks forward to more dvds of julia child
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KathrineFord
Posted January 20, 2011
Julia Child tried all the recipes she put in her books, "Mastering the Art of French cooking" volumes 1 & 2 so I have no doubt that she's likely made all of these more than once. I feel engaged watching her show partly because since she took the time to learn from the best chefs so it is always interesting and exciting to watch her share another recipe. She never makes excuses either which is so refreshing. If you want to learn French cooking as well as some very useful kitchen knowledge that is helpful in everyday cooking regardless the type, get this set. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed. As Julia would say, "Bon Appetit!"
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 1, 2009
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