Letters

Hail to the Chef

Joel Stein's tribute to Julia Child, "Living Through Better Cooking," was right on the mark [Aug. 23]. I owe my passion for cooking in large part to this remarkable woman. I watched her regularly throughout her long television career, and I still refer to several of her books. My favorite is her masterpiece, The Way to Cook. At first, the definite article in the title seemed a bit presumptuous, but it was entirely appropriate. Millions draw on Child's expertise to prepare a better meal, a fitting tribute to a real national treasure and a friend we all shall miss.
JOHN HOWARD
Ventura, Calif.

GEorge Bernard Shaw once observed, "There is no love sincerer than the love of food." A member of the Bread Bakers Guild, Julia Child shared with the public the secrets of great cooking, encouraging us to master the fundamentals and use the best ingredients. We take solace in the fact that Child's last meal was a bowl of French onion soup — which of course includes a toasted baguette slice. We recall fondly her closing line at the end of every show: "Bon appetit."
GINA PICCOLINO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BREAD BAKERS GUILD OF AMERICA North Versailles, Pa.