Here's a few tips that I learned from the illustrious French chef that really resonated with me as a seamstress.
Don't Be Afraid of Failure in the Kitchen (or Sewing Room)
Gollies, sometimes it's hard not to get down on yourself when you totally botch something up. I've watched really experienced sewers make mistakes and get out their seam ripper. Of course, I'm going to, too!
Julia says, "One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry; and one of the lessons is to grin and bear it if it cannot be fixed."
When I forgot to stay stitch on the Colette Taffy and ended up with a huge neckline, I had to improvise. I learned a lot by figuring out how to fix the problem, and I'm sure it's not the only time I will make that blunder.
No Excuses! No Apologies!
Julia told a story of cooking eggs benedict for a friend just after she had started at Le Cordon Bleu. The hollandaise sauce turned out terribly- gritty and just not good. Yet she insisted that no cook should ever make apologies for a meal gone wrong.
She had three reasons for not apologizing:
1. Your friends are forced to make you feel better. They already have to eat the bad food! Don't make them do more.
2. It may make them recognize flaws they didn't already notice. She says, "Usually one's cooking is better than one thinks it is."
3. The focus should be on learning from your mistakes, rather than the failure.
3. The focus should be on learning from your mistakes, rather than the failure.
I am all to apt to finish a garment and quickly point out the flaws. Getting in the doldrums over my lack of skills is pointless; recognizing these flaws so I can improve from them in the future is worthwhile.
Remember What Matters
I was amazed to discover the amount of time and energy Julia poured into creating Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She worked tirelessly for NINE YEARS on this one book alone. Sometimes she wanted to forgo plans with friends or family to keep working on something she was so passionate about.
She didn't,though. She says,“Remember, 'No one's more important than people'! In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured.”
I am too often tempted to hermit away in my sewing room and come out triumphantly several garments later. That would be the real mistake!
I hope you enjoyed these little lessons from a truly fearless and delightful woman. Bon appettit and happy sewing!
She didn't,though. She says,“Remember, 'No one's more important than people'! In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured.”
I am too often tempted to hermit away in my sewing room and come out triumphantly several garments later. That would be the real mistake!
I hope you enjoyed these little lessons from a truly fearless and delightful woman. Bon appettit and happy sewing!
I loved that book. One thing I remember was how many times she would make a recipe before she felt she had it just right. Sometimes it would take 50 or more tries. There's a lesson there, for my cooking and my sewing! I tend to be Miss Expect-it-to-be-right-immediately and despair if it isn't.
ReplyDeleteHi Leigh Ann! I was pretty surprised about that, too. She seemed to get such joy out of making 50 versions of a soup, and I can just muster the patience for one muslin to test a garment. Amazing.
DeleteI know. I'm the same way. Maybe it was living in France that made her not rush things? Or maybe it was just her personality to persevere?
ReplyDeleteI like your blog, by the way.
Probably a combo of the two! And thank you so much!
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