Roseville Foodie Remembers Julia Child

Editor's Note: Eleanor Ostman, a Roseville resident and former restaurant writer and food critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, wrote this opinion piece for Roseville Patch.

A tableful of Twin Cities foodies raised our flutes of Kir Royale and ate pistachio pate at Vincent's french restaurant in Minneapolis Wednesday to salute Julia Child on her 100th birthday.

Most delicious were memories we shared of the woman who inspired America to cook.

Julia, despite her huge fame, was a humble, kind person who cared deeply about food and those who shared her passion. When she first came to prominence through her "French Chef" cooking show, wherever she went, her husband, Paul, was at her side. He was proud of her, and also loved to share in the reflected glow of her fame. He pulled a chair to the lip of the stage at Dayton's Sky Room while she was doing a cooking demonstration, "conducting" her every move. She could have carried on without his help, but she let him share the moment.

Some years after Paul died, I saw Julia at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The octogenarian was on the arm of her new boyfriend at the food event, and she was glowing. Such a sweet moment, and proof that Julia had more than food appeal.

I was having lunch with Julia in Minneapolis years ago when she leaned across the table and said in that inimitable voice, "Do you have any wild rice recipes?" That was a high moment in my food career, and I assured her, as a Minnesota, that I did.

But to gather even more, I told readers of my Sunday column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press about Julia's request, and they sent stacks of soups, casseroles and sidedishes -- thrilled, as was I, to be offering recipes to America's most famous cook.

I interviewed Julia onher 80th birthday, and she steered the conversation to her years in Norway, thinking my Minnesota readers would find that more interesting than French food blather.

One of the last times I saw her was at Land O Lakes headquarters in Arden Hills. The butter company had sponsored her "Baking with Julia" TV series, and she visited them to celebrate their centennial.

I was reminded again what a kind woman she was when she answered inane questions from a barely-20-year-old ag magazine reporter. Instead of being irritated that the youngster had not done her homework, Julia patiently and sweetly replied to truly dumb queries.  I didn't see it, but one of my lunch partners recalled that Land O Lakes trotted out a cow and suggested Julia milk it. She had never done that before, but again, she gave it her best try.

Last year, I attended a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, featuring recipes that Julia had perfected when she was a student there. It was delightful to know that she remains an icon in France as well as America, and may her fame last another 100 years!