I actually read this book a while ago and really loved it. I went to cooking school, but I don't cook professionally and Julia Child has always been one of my heroes. I think the chapter about things 'en gellee' is an awesome chapter just because Julie not only manages to make the stuff, but also gets other people to try it. I think this is the first chapter that seriously tests dedication to the project- for her and her blog readers!! I mean, its easy to love French food when it's all croissants and cafe au lait- but jellied calfs' feet or eggs in aspic are a lot harder to stomach- no pun intended

2) I like reading both parts equally, because cooking is a part of your/Julie's life. It isn't always easy to come home and make something and I really admired her more just for getting through it.I love reading the parts about her apartment!!

3)I would totally have read the blog! I was actually kind of bummed to find out about it only after it was over.

4)I have to back and reread the Gwen part, but I remember that I thought Julie was right to tell her that leaving to run off with that guy was crazy.

5)I think that sometimes we freak out the most, even though we're prepared for something. I like it that it all works out, because that was a big thing of Julia Child's. She said if you make a souffle and it falls, smile big, carry it out, and call it a pudding. When you do a lot of technical cooking procedures, they do get ingrained in your mind, like riding a bike and after a while you can do them better than you thought you could. I don't want Julie to have any more disasters than she can handle!

6) I think Eric is a saint. However, after really thinking this over, I think if I embarked on a huge project like this, my BF would wash the dishes and taste everything I made. Um, he would probably ALSO have the Hungry Man dinners and frozen pizza as backups though.

7) I totally feel the connection. When you look at pictures of Julia Child's first kitchen in Paris where she learned to really cook in a home, it is TINY. She had like 3 pans! I think we are just so spoiled this day with big kitchens and lots of space and specialty gadgets that we sort of forget that its ok to improvise and that disasters happen, etc. All the cooking shows on the food network only emphasize success - that if you try to make whatever Rachel or Emeril or whoever is making and it totally flops, you are a loser because they are constantly telling you that ANYONE can do this. I think Julia knew that cooking is really hard work and that sometimes you will still totally make a mistake and you just have to make the best of it. She also knew all about less than perfect kitchens, just like Julie.

Wow Reesie, you can comment!
I am not a chef and didn't go to cooking school, I just love to cook and bake so I was totally ready to get the book and get started until we got to the gelee section. My hubby is way into texture so I know I would be on my own there. I defintely lost momentum on wanting to prep those dishes. I do love reading about it all though and I totally would have been onto this blog, especially with any and all disasters. I love Food Network and cooking shows and stuff but every once in a while it would be great for them to admit that it doesn't always look like the front of Food & Wine magazine! I agree that her husband is pretty amazing which makes me love my husband even more because he would totally jump in wth me if I wanted to take on something like this. I feel the Julia/Julie connection- I am hoping that in the end Julie totally feels it too!

Only 33 pages! Cutting it short for Thanksgiving I see.
Thank you for commenting reesiekitty, we need more people in this discussion. Last week we only had two people who really commented on the reading, so please feel free to come back!

1. I feeling a little grossed out by the gelee, and I though the cutting out the marrow last week was bad! silly me. Oh, and the lobster, I don't think I could have done that, I would have cheated and bought mine dead already!
2. I really happy that she added stuff that was going on in her life I ended up liking that more this week than the cooking parts. Because, a whole chapter only on el gelee, I don't know if I could have handled that. I loved the part about the dungeon (p.161) to funny!
3. I would have read the blog, which reminds me I was thinking of seeing if all listed in her archives. Dose any one know?
4. Gwen story was both sad a hilarious, poor Gwen feeling like the only guy worth having that she could get would be married. Thats got to be crappy feeling. I'm not sure if I agree with Julie though, I would never give my girlfriend that kind of advice. Although I think in Gwen's case, she I think she needed to have some fun, and the guy has already screwed up the monogamy part of his marriage. Then again I don't know this couple, maybe their swingers, who knows!
5. Honestly I was a little bored with the dinner party, but I happy when she dose well. It gives me that odd illusion as a reader as if I have succeeded as well.
6. Yes, if I were living with Julie through the el gelee I would have picked up my on supply of pizza, Hungry Man and Amy's frozen dinners by now! Eric's a great husband for not doing that, I think it shows faith in Julie, by holding off till it really is a disaster to call for pizza.
7. I feel a little bit of a connection between Julie and Julia, but about the same as with any true fan. Oh and I was surprised to find I enjoyed the last italicized section.

Oh, and reesiekitty I loved the comment about the pudding. I remember one time I caught some on Julia Child's segments on TV and she dropped a chicken, and just said oh well and just moved on. I loved that she left that in! No one would do that now that everything’s all pre-prepared.

1. So grossed out at this point. For a while there I was, admittedly, thinking that this seemed easy. So you eat butter, cream, and lamb for a year. How hard can it be? But I couldn't eat the aspics. Cold meat jello? Ewwwwwwwwww.

2. I sort of like the intersection of life and food, but I'm not gonna lie, I like the food part better.

3. Yep.

4. I have a problem with the Gwen story, just like I have a problem with all stories that end in some woman sleeping with another man's husband. Granted, it is totally both of their faults, especially his, but if you know he's married you have a responsibility to just say no, IMO. Think how you would feel. I've been cheated way more than my fair share of times, and I can tell you, you'd feel AWFUL.

5. I like both bits. I'm glad she's succeeding, but the struggle bits were hilarious to me, mostly because I've totally had a breakdown over a recipe that was going badly before so I could relate.

6. I would definitely eat the French food, but have something on the side for the aspic nights. Then again, I would NOT do dishes. I don't do dishes, actually, it being the only chore that I actually hate and refuse to acquiesce to, especially if this weren't my project. But then, that's why I got an apartment with a dishwasher.

7. Myeh, I can't even tell. I don't read the JC interludes, nor do I care enough to look up things about her, so I have no idea of her life.

Also, the lobster bits totally did me in. I'm not a vegetarian, but there's no need to chop up a live lobster, and I couldn't deal with heating them to death either. In fact, the one and only time I've butchered a chicken myself I totally sat there apologizing while petting the chicken. It was a bit ridiculous.