Not Julie or Julia

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I’ve just spent the last 12 hours making a Beef Bourguignon. My family have just spent the last 30 minutes trying to eat it.

Not My Bourguignon

Iain, my husband, in true child-like fashion assembled the french stew, potatoes and veg into one big mixed-up-so-you-don’t-taste-it mountain. The only thing he didn’t do was smother it in tomato sauce. Lauren, (my soon-to-be-sixteen-year-old) with a different technique, dipped bread suspiciously into the beef concoction and managed to look busy, as if she was eating it, without actually eating any. Harris (7), the wee soul, didn’t even pretend. He spent his time ensuring that the gloopy gunk didn’t contaminate any of the other edible food on his plate. And me, well, like any good Goldilocks, I ate it all up. I thought it was good.

Not Me Slaving Over a Hot Stove

I can’t help but draw parallels with my writing life. I only spent 12 hours making a stew and I’m in a huff that they didn’t eat it. Surely the problem is with my fussy eating family and not with my cooking? What if I spend hours, days, months and years finishing my WIP only to find that no-one eats it up… that it’s too hot, too cold or too lumpy for anyone to read?

Not My Family

I’m discovering that I’m no Julia Child, the famous American chef, cookbook and memoir writer and TV personality, who brought French cookery to the masses, including her legendary Boeuf Bourguignon. My Bourguignon is now in the bin.

Meryl Streep Being Julia Child

Also, sadly, I am no Julie Powell. (She cooked Julia Child’s recipes and blogged about it every day for a year!) Blogger, writer, cooker of all Julia Child’s recipes and in addition to having her blog published in a book, the first blogger to have their blog made into a major film. (Apologies for the number of times the word blog appears in that sentence) She can also make Beef Bourguignon. I can barely spell it. *checks Google again*

The Real Julie Powel and Her Book

If you haven’t seen the film, Julie and Julia, depicting both their stories, you must watch it – especially if you are a cooker, a blogger, a writer or all three. It is in my Top Ten All Time Favourite Movies Ever… and like most of the movies in that list, it made me cry.

I’m Not Julie or Julia

Anyway, there is one plus point to tonight’s dinner debacle. I am shut away in my room, in a huff and I’m writing.

4 thoughts on “Not Julie or Julia”

  1. Hi Anne, Great to see you blogging again! I loved Julie & Julia too – a great feel good movie but as you say, not every film, book or even meal will suit everyone’s taste. Spending a huge amount of time and effort on writing and with no guarantee that the end result will please anyone is stressful. But if you’re telling your story with the ingredients of passion, honesty and a dash of humour, then that will surely cook up a delicious feast for the reader that will leave them hungry for more! x

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  2. Only just spotted this, I’m delighted as ever by your humbly-humourous-reflectoprose! Tickled fuschia by the idea of being a “cooker” as well:-) Could you just get this clear though as there still seems to be some fuzziness in your very sweet mind…….IT IS DYNAMITE and it will be consumed widely and word of mouth will turn it into a must read holiday girlie (and guy like me) companion. This is not a theme I’m going to tire of you know, so get it finished if you know what’s good for you. x

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    • Hi Matthew, so glad you enjoyed it! Love the new genre you have come up with -‘reflectoprose’ – genius! Cleared out some of the fuzzy felt today and now have only 1k words to go until I hit the first major 30k milestone! So glad you won’t tire of your theme; your continued belief keeps me going. x

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