This month we will read and discuss Julie & Julia by Julie Powell. You may wish to watch the movie after reading the book, to compare. According to the New York Times:

It was one of the best ideas yet hatched in the still-young history of blogging: in the space of one year, try to execute each and every recipe in Julia Child’s landmark 1961 cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1,” and write about it. Julie Powell, a bright young woman frittering away her late 20’s as a low-level drone at a government agency in New York, hit upon this concept in the summer of 2002, when she was racked with anxiety about turning 30 and desperate for some distraction “to pull myself out of a tailspin of secretarial ennui,” as she later put it. To Powell’s surprise, her blog, which she called the Julie/Julia Project, struck a chord with legions of readers who followed her triumphs and travails as she attempted Child’s straightforward but labor-intensive recipes for Homard à l’Américaine (lobster simmered with wine, tomatoes, garlic and herbs) and Bifteck Sauté Bercy (pan-broiled steak with shallot and white-wine sauce).

Haven’t read the book yet? No worries. Come join us. 5:00-6:00, Thurs. Jan. 12 at Cultivate Co-op Cafe, 901  Elm St. Please note the earlier time; no potluck this time. The cafe will be open and serving, for those who are interested.

The evening will coincide with Lake to River Co-op’s Online Market pick-up night. The monthly gatherings are free, open to the public and wheelchair accessible.

Here are the rest of our monthly selections:

Jan. 12: Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
Cancelled! Feb. 9: The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan  Cancelled!
March 9: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
April 13: Closing the Food Gap by Mark Winne
May 11: Immortal Milk: Adventures in Cheese by Eric LeMay
June 8: Salt: A World History by Mark Kulansky