Here's To You, Julia! Bon Appétit!

Hyacinths For The Soul's Week of Roosters continues for Tablescape Thursday with our hostess Susan @Between Naps On The Porch.

Hope you enjoy dinner. The tarts are petite, so go ahead and have seconds!

A Tribute to

Julia Child

Let's celebrate Julia!

I'm not a chef; in fact I rarely even cook these days. My husband is the chef in our home while I get to dedicate my time to the tablescape! True, the first 25 years of our marriage I did the everyday grocery shopping, cooking, and clean up, while my Prince Charming (PC) saved his kitchen talents for weekend dinner parties and invited guests. He's long held a fascination with cuisines of the world. He has a library of cook books and books on the chemistry of food, has followed many of the Food Network cooking shows, attended the occasional cooking school, and was even a student at The French Culinary Institute in NYC in 2001.

Julia Child and Assistant, 
LaVarenne Cooking School at the Greenbrier

In December 1999 when I discovered that Julia Child would be a guest chef at Ann Willan's La Varenne Signature Series @ The Greenbrier in March of 2000, I signed us up. The week at the Greenbrier in Sulphur Springs, WV was one of pure delight! The Greenbrier, a National Historic Landmark, is a 6,500 acre estate nestled in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. The southern charm of this national treasure was the perfect setting for a week of culinary classes and pampering by the staff at the Greenbrier. This national treasure has offered classic southern charm and outstanding amenities since the late 1800s.

Julia Child @ The Greenbrier Resort in 2000

As avid fans of the early PBS series THE FRENCH CHEF and later THE JULIA CHILD and JACQUES PEPIN COOKING @ HOME public television series, Julia Child has long shared her culinary expertise with us. The opportunity to attend a cooking session with Julia Child and actually meet her, was the icing on the cake! Or as Julia might say, "The butter on the bread!"

The class we attended with Julia was entitled "Elegance with Eggs", and it was all about eggs! Julia's joie de vivre was infectious! She did not disappoint!

"Elegance with Eggs"

Hard Boiled Eggs, Eggs a la Tripe, Eggs a la Chimay, 
Poached Eggs, Poached Eggs in Aspic, 
French Omelet, and Cheese Soufflé.

Julia Chid with a group of participants.

I'm on the far right with my PC

Photo used with permission of Greenbrier Photography

The menu is set, and the chef is at work in the kitchen.

So welcome to "A Casual Dinner for Two"

honoring Julia Child.

Le Menu on Courage Brewery Cockerel Menu Stand

Le Coq Quimper Pottery, 
French Faience Roosters, and Sunflowers

Henriot Quimper Le Coq Dinner Plate,

Blue Pinstripe Charger fromNeiman Marcus,

Flatware from Pottery Barn

The table was set with a chicken theme, 

both roosters and a setting hen!

As the saying goes, "The rooster may crow,

but it is the hen that delivers the goods!"

Chef CA Mustard Pot and HB-Henriot Quimper Hen On Nest

A Fresh Baguette, a Basket of Cooking Tools, 
and a Rooster McCoy Planter with Fresh Flowers

Geo Martel Desvres - Cockerel Double Salt

Fresh Bouquet of Sunflowers

Rex-Goliath Pinot Noir

Petite Tarts with Fresh Berries

Birds Eye View of Table 
Ready for Julia's French Omelette Dinner

Omelet Cooking

Julia recommends that the best omelets are made as single servings using only 2 to 3 eggs. Cook the eggs over the highest heat. Once a film of coagulated egg forms begin to jerk the pan roughly toward you. This throws the egg against the pan and forces it to roll over upon itself.

Slide your perfect omelet 
off onto a serving plate.

Top with a bit of chopped parsley and red bell pepper, then add a simple salad of mixed greens, and voilà, you have dinner.

So here's to you, Julia Child!

Bon Appétit!

As a long time loyal fan of Julia Child, it was no surprise that I was one of the throng of adoring Julia Child fans sitting in a theatre the first weekend JULIE and JULIA opened in theaters across the country. I was right there laughing my way through most of the scenes, and appreciating the joy Julia Child brought into our home.

Thank you for allowing me to share some personal memories of Julia Child. I recommend the movie JULIE and JULIA as pure entertainment! Please share a comment below, especially if you have a Julia Child story of your own. Then click here to join Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for more Tablescape Thursday posts.

To read a delightful post on the movie,

click here to visit Debbie @ Confessions of a Plate Addict.

See you tomorrow for Barb's "Show Us Your Roosters Party".

Click here to see the list of those who are participating. Last count there were 175 joining the party. Now that's a PARTY!