Get Inspired in the Kitchen

By now you’ve surely heard of Julie & Julia, the fabulous new movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams that chronicles the meandering road to fame traveled by two women—the well-known and much-loved Julia Child, and the unknown Julie Powell. We all know Julia, but who the hell is Julie? Well, she’s a real person, a government worker/foodie who decided to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and blog about it. This caught the attention of the right people and landed her a book deal, which changed her life. It’s an endearing and inspiring story that encourages you to believe in your own potential.

That being said, after thoroughly enjoying the movie on Monday night, I had an experience on Tuesday that resonated the film’s powerful sentiments.

Ann stirs up some mischief...

My friend Ashley’s mother, Ann Vrocher, is semi-retired and all about reinventing herself. Her latest endeavor is exploring the potential of cooking demonstrations and tutorials as “Red Hot Tomato.” She had us over to test out her “show” that she’ll be presenting at a bridal shower this weekend.

I won’t steal too much of her thunder, but Red Hot Tomato prepared us some mighty fine dishes. But she did more than just cook…she shared the rituals behind her food. I’m telling you…the preparation of her famous Caesar Salad was so intriguing to watch…and I watch a LOT of Food Network. It was so much more than a demonstration—it was an experience. She had so much to share…and we had a blast. She’s promised to share her Caesar Salad recipe on Kitchen Mischief…so be sure to keep an eye out for it.

So, here are two “To-Do’s.” One, go and see Julie & Julia. And Two: Don’t be afraid to believe in yourself and step out on a limb now and then. Especially in the kitchen. Who knows what kind of fun you’ll cook up?