The Joy of Cooking

Julie & Julia is one of those rare movies which is better than the book. (In my opinion.) So many thoughts after seeing the movie last night: 1) I want to know more about Julia Child and her husband and their life together. 2) It is very interesting what can come of writing a blog. 3) I need to learn to cook!
My Mom's love of cooking completely by-passed me. She was such a good cook and baker -making everything from scratch, baking her own bread, trying all kinds of new recipes. It all seemed so easy for her. Maybe that is why I didn't learn to cook from her - it was easier for her to do it herself. Our job was to wash the dishes. It always seemed like there was an endless supply of dirty dishes. She would start making something for the next meal before Betty & I could finish the previous meal's washing up. I did learn to make an angel food cake from scratch and Betty made cookies. That is all I remember making.
When we were first married I remember Kenny complaining, "Can't you make anything but soup and sandwiches?!" Eventually I became more adept at putting together meals. I even learned to follow recipes, though most of my cooking & baking came from cans and boxes. (My repertoire now includes frozen packages as well.)
My oldest son, Douglas, inherited my Mom's talents in the kitchen. I'll never forget the summer he was 12 when I got home from work one day and he had made a sponge cake. I had never made a sponge cake in my life and still haven't. When I asked him how he knew how to make it, he said, "I followed the recipe."
Doug is such a good cook and enjoys it so much I once asked him why he didn't become a chef instead of a carpenter. "Because if I did it all the time, it wouldn't be fun anymore," he replied. He raises his own chickens for eggs and meat; grows many of his own vegies; cooks everything from scratch; knows how to use herbs; is a master at grilling and smoking and has a knack for inventing new dishes often combining whatever ingredients are handy.
Earlier this year when camping season began, my niece, Kristi, told me she had been elected queen of the dutch oven for the 'mountain man stew' and peach cobbler she had made over a campfire in a dutch oven. She also takes crock pots of food for everyone to the races at the Adams County Speedway every Saturday night, so she must have inherited her Grandma's love of cooking, too.
Every once in awhile I do get an itch to try something new. Last month I made "Peach Creme Brulee" which was pretty good. I made a tortellini salad for a Labor Day picnic which was awful even though I followed the recipe. Maybe that is why I don't venture out of my cooking comfort zone. When I stick to my same old stuff (tried & true) at least I know what to expect. It's just that watching Julie & Julia made me feel like I could do more or at least should try.
Let's see, I'm going to a family reunion Saturday. Should I take "Ramona's Famous Pea Salad" or a cake made from a box mix or Stouffer's Frozen Lasagna? Or should I open a cook book and try something entirely new from scratch? Hmmmmm........