Collection of Julia Child Recipes

Julia Child, the queen of the French kitchen was born on this day in 1912. In her honor, here are some of my very favorite French recipes, originally created by Julia Child.

Today is Julia Child’s Birthday. She was born here in my hometown of Pasadena, in 1912.

If you were to ever visit me, I would take you on my “Julia tour”. Julia was my first culinary influence, aside from my mom. I remember mom ironing in front of our huge 21 inch television in the mid-sixties, while watching Julia massage a chicken, sauté mushrooms or whip up a soufflé, all while sipping wine. Her down to earth, practical approach to cooking, brought French food into our post-war homes. Years later, while in college, I fearlessly cooked my way through a thin volume of classic French dishes, no doubt with confidence bolstered from watching those early French Chef television shows.

Shortly after college, I completed the 16 month master chef program at the California Culinary Academy (now the Cordon Bleu California Culinary Academy) in San Francisco.

So here is a collection of Julia Child recipes.

Most are classic French dishes from culinary school that were just as much a part of my education as they were hers.

Souffle au Grand Marnier holds a special place in my heart, because it was the dessert I had to prepare during my finals in chef’s school.

For starters there is Smoked Trout Mousse.

This Chicken Chasseur or Hunter’s Chicken comes together in under 45 minutes.

Chicken Chasseur, "Hunter Style" chicken with mushrooms, tomatoes and herbs. — Chicken Chasseur, “Hunter Style” chicken with mushrooms, tomatoes and herbs.

Vichyssoise is chilled leek and potato soup.

Vichyssoise, chilled leek and potato soup.

Salad Nicoise is a classic composed or arranged salad.

Salade Nicoise, a classic composed salad.

For breakfast there is the Perfect Omelet

or Eggs Florentine.

What’s better on a cold winter night than Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée?

Or perhaps a warm Clafoutis

or a chilled Mousse au Chocolat for dessert?

Many years later Julia came back to Pasadena for a book signing. I stood patiently in line with not only her new book, but every cook book I had of hers, including my mom’s first edition Mastering the Art of French Cooking. While she signed, we spoke and I snapped a blurry shot of her while my eyes welled up with tears of joy.