The time is a few years ago and the place is my mother-in-law's apartment in the Chicago area. My mother-in-law is watching TV when we arrive: she is enjoying the program, so we start watching it too. On the screen there is Julia Child preparing a chicken for roasting. That was my first and only encounter with her. Julia's manners and her interaction with her partner, Jacques Pepin, made me overcome my natural aversion to watching television. That was also my first and only encounter with a food program. I don't watch TV of any kind, so this has nothing to do with food programs in particular.
The episode occurred at a time when I was not yet interested in cooking, so it was only later on that I realized the importance of the person and of the program I had watched. As a result of that encounter, for me Julia Child is inescapably linked to roast chicken. The image that is most vividly etched in my memory is that of a hand slid underneath the skin: I had never seen anybody preparing chicken that way. What I cannot get from my memory is whose hand that was. Has anybody seen the episode I am describing?
I don't remember anything else, most probably because we decided to start a conversation and turned off the TV. As a result, I don't know what a pollo arrosto alla Julia Child looks like. Later on I heard the story of Julia dropping a chicken on the floor and nonchalantly picking it up, then I read that the story is a myth and that nothing of the sort ever happened. I guess it is part of the price you pay for being famous, having an action attributed to you that people believe is in tune with your public persona. I am sure the chicken protagonist of the episode I am referring to did not end up on the floor at any time while I was watching.
I have recently written about pollo arrosto and the place the delicious dish had in my childhood (visit the earlier post to listen to a recording featuring the Italian words). The current post is my entry for the Julia Child Birthday Event, a loving tribute with a lovely logo organized by Lisa from Champaign Taste. I have found many references on the web to Julia Child's recipe for pollo arrosto, though none of the ones I read instructs to slide your hands under the chicken's skin to spread the seasoning. I chose a recipe from the Food Network, which sounds delicious and which I may one day soon try, since I have signed up for email alerts from Wild Chick Farm a local provider of organic, pasture-raised chickens, from whom I have been buying incredible eggs for some time.
Here is the roundup of the event.
Oh, Simona, this is wonderful. Your memory of seeing a bit of the TV show is great.
About the "dropping the chicken on the floor" legend: I don't recall seeing that in any of her shows, and I used to watch them quite often. Maybe it is a myth. I do, however, recall something going wrong, though I can't bring to mind specifically what it was, and Mrs. Child saying something to the effect that it's OK, because you're alone in the kitchen, so who's going to know?
As far as sliding the hand under the skin to spread herbs or whatever -- I don't remember JC ever doing that, though it certainly might have happened. I've seen other chefs do it and have seen that instruction in other recipes, though, of course.
I really enjoyed your earlier post on the roast chicken, as well. Thank you for taking part in this event!
Posted by: Lisa | August 12, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Hi Lisa, you are welcome.
This is where I read a strong denial of the chicken on the floor legend: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/child_j_interview.html
I like the sentence 'you are alone in the kitchen, so who's going to know?' which I interpret as a way of saying: it is OK to make mistakes, so be kind to yourself. I try to make damage control into a creative enterprise, a challenge.
Posted by: Simona Carini | August 12, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Very Nice memory. No T.V.? Wow! The mention of pollo arrosto makes me hungry.
Paz ;-)
Posted by: Paz | August 13, 2007 at 04:56 PM
Lovely and evocative. I've never been able to get stuff under the skin of the chicken - I'm too impatient and the skin tears. But I have seen that instruction in places - of course, I can't remember where.
Posted by: maggie | August 16, 2007 at 07:07 AM
Hi Paz. We have a TV, but we use it to watch videos/DVDs. We don't have cable or whatever else you need to get the selection of TV programs.
Welcome, Maggie. Thanks for warning me about the fact that the skin tears. I am sure it is a tricky maneuver.
Posted by: Simona Carini | August 16, 2007 at 08:29 AM
Hi Simona - I am so glad to find your unique blog through the Julia Child Event. I will visit often!
Posted by: Lori Lynn at Taste With The Eyes | August 16, 2007 at 07:05 PM
Likewise, Lori Lynn: welcome!
Posted by: Simona Carini | August 17, 2007 at 07:52 AM