A centennial celebration usually involves food as part of the merriment. But can you imagine the groaning buffet table, filled with mouth-watering delicacies, trenchers of ripe and succulent wines, and ambrosial sweets that could only have been made with divine guidance?

I’m guessing this is what Julia Child’s celestial birthday party looks like. And chances are she’s catering her own blissful bash.

In honor of Julia Child’s one hundred years commemoration, I thought I would share with you a way to both honor Ms. Child’s cosmic imagination and summer’s bountiful gifts from the Garden of Eden (or Jim or Ellen or Mamut).

From The French Chef Cookbook, we see just how easy it is to heighten the pleasure of a simple salad. As a bonus, your body happily soaks up more of the fruit and vegetables’ nutrients merely because of the presence of your dressing’s oil and acid.

English: Julia Child, Miami Book Fair International, 1989 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We eat to live, we live to eat.

Viola!* The Vinaigrette.

*(Redneck slang for voilà)

Vinaigrette

by Julia Child

yield: Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 2 1/2 to 3 quarts salad greens

French Dressing for Green Salads, Combination Salads, and Marinades

The basic French dressing of France is very simple indeed — oil, wine vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and pepper; mustard, herbs, and garlic are optional. Although dressing will keep for a day or two, it is usually best when freshly made.

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 tablespoons excellent wine vinegar, or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Optional: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dry or Dijon mustard
• 6 to 8 tablespoons best-quality olive oil or salad oil
• Fresh ground pepper
• Optional: 1 tablespoon minced shallots or scallions and/or 1/4 teaspoon dried herbs such as tarragon or basil

Preparation

Either make the dressing in your empty salad bowl: Beat vinegar or vinegar and lemon juice, salt, and optional mustard in bowl to dissolve the salt. Then beat in the oil by droplets, and finally the optional shallots or scallions, and such seasonings as you feel necessary.

Or place all ingredients in a covered jar, shake vigorously to blend, and correct seasoning.

****
Many happy returns on the day, Julia Child, wherever you’re cooking!

Now don’t forget to head on over to the main post (here) to see what I’m bletherin’ on about this week. And check out what we’re talkin’ bout down at the pub (here) too!