Julie and Julia

poached eggs - 5, originally uploaded by not a hipster.

I confess, I have never poached an egg, until last week when I attempted to poach an egg and it was a complete disaster. I wasted four eggs in the process and was left feeling rather frustrated. After all, I thought I could cook anything. They are my favourite way of eating eggs and this is what I order when eating breakfast out at a cafe. So, it was with much enjoyment that I watched Julie in Julia and Julieattempt to poach an egg with similar results to mine.

It is a delightful film that combines my interests of letter writing, blog writing and cooking together. However, it is more than this, it is also about two relationships between couples who love each other deeply. It is refreshing to see a film that portrays relationships positively. There are two stories that merge. The first is about Julia Child, set in Paris in the early 1950s. Julia is encouraged by her husband to pursue an interest that will occupy her days. She tries hat making, before she settles on learning the art of french cooking - because, as she and her husband both know, she loves food and eating! Julia then begins an eight year journey of writing a cook book in English explaining how to cook french cuisine.

The second story is set in 2002, in Queens New York during the aftermath of 9/11. Julie had been traumatised by this event and is taking time out from writing to answer phone calls for an insurance company. However, her real passions are cooking and writing. She is fascinated by Julia Childs, who wrote the first book for American housewives in english explaining the intricacies of french cookery. With the encouragement of her husband, she creates a blog in which she endeavours to cook every single recipe in Julia's cook book in the next year and document her efforts.

If you love the idea of living in Paris or living in New York, this film will appeal, as there are wonderful glimpses of both cities and their food. I am inspired to get a copy of Julia Child's cookbook - I am not sure that I have ever wanted to bone a duck, but this book will explain how it is done. However, there are all sorts of other tips such as drying pieces of meat with a dry cloth or paper towel to help the meat brown. I might even learn how to make that poached egg, so that I don't have to go out for breakfast to eat one!