sunday bear: paul child

~ jama
Martin and Cornelius now have their own cooking show, “Bearly Cooking.”

It’s Julia Child Week!

No better way to meet Julia than through Paul Child’s eyes. This excerpt from a letter he wrote to his family when he and Julia were first dating is the best analysis of her character, according to biographer Noël Riley Fitch:

She never ‘puts on an act,’ or creates a scene. She’s direct and simple about natural functions such as defecation, urination and belching, and has no measly Mrs. Grundyisms concerning sex. She frankly likes to eat and use her senses and has an unusually keen nose. She appreciates the special local overtones of both places and people and never gravitates toward the stuffy and safe. She is unusually strong physically and marvelously healthy. She has a firm and tried character in seeing a job through and is naturally very clean and sweet at all times. She has a cheerful, gay humor with considerable gusto as well as subtlety, and appears not to be frightened easily and is therefore emotionally steady rather than hysterical when things get tough. She has a frank and warm liking for men, and no apparent bitchiness about other dames. She loves life and all its phenomena, a quality which shows to great advantage in traveling . . . She has a deep-seated charm and human warmth which I have been fascinated to see at work on people of all sorts, from the sophisticates of San Francisco to the mining and cattle folk of the Northwest. She would be poised and at ease anywhere. I should say; she tells the truth, and for the most part uses balanced rather than extravagant language. In this connection I believe that her thinking has become much more careful, logical and objective in the last two years, and I find her interesting and fun to talk to at any time. And I love her dearly.

~ from Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child by Noël Riley Fitch (Doubleday, 1997).

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♥ This week’s Sunday Bear Hug is brought to you by Martin and Cornelius, who think everyone should always have at least one rubber chicken on hand. A kitchen essential, like trick mustard.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((JULIA))))))))))))))))))))))))

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♥ JULIA CHILD’S 100th BIRTHDAY AT ALPHABET SOUP! ♥

Monday, August 13: Julia’s Favorite Chocolate and Almond Cake

Tuesday, August 14: Minette’s Feast with Susanna Reich and Amy Bates

Wednesday, August 15: Bon Appétit with Jessie Hartland

Thursday, August 16: Julia the Ham and Her Recipe for Cherry Clafouti

Friday, August 17: Paul Child’s Birthday Sonnets

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Copyright © 2012 Cornelius Bawk Bawk Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

18 thoughts on “sunday bear: paul child”

  1. Ah, wouldn’t it be lovely if people were still writing such beautiful letters! Thank you for sharing that, Jama. I’m looking forward to your week-ful of Julia. The PBS site looks great too. I can see that so much work was put into this special week! I’ll enjoy every bit.

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    1. Paul was quite the letter writer — very cool that he and his twin brother Charlie were so close and kept each other informed about everything.

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    1. I’m excited about seeing the movie again, too, as well as the old black and white episodes of the French Chef available at the PBS website.

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  4. De ja vu Julia Child–all over again; though not redundant in her case! She was such a national treasure–a joy to watch, learn from, laugh with, and with whom to share friends’ opinions and expertise!

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  5. Had a good chuckle over “Mrs. Grundyisms.” I would hope that anyone who truly loved me could be that specific about all the reasons why. How lovely of Paul.

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    1. I think we all yearn to be so clearly and thoroughly observed and understood and accepted and loved. They were truly an inspiring pair, partners in everything.

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  6. My most favorite celebrity *encounter* was Julia at Whole Foods, Fresh Pond Parkway in Cambridge. They were so smart – they let her into the store before it opened so she could shop at her leisure. I can’t recall why I was there, waiting for the store to open, but I have never forgotten seeing her there!

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  8. Wow. To be described in such an astute way – what a way of capturing one’s very essence. He could write a psychological report, methinks. *wink wink*

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    1. Paul and Julia were quite a formidable team. His letters are amazing; letter writing is a dying art so I appreciate his words even more.

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