Celebrating Julia Child in Ft. Pierce, Fla.

What better setting for a Julia Child celebration than a vineyard. The fundraiser dinner, hosted by Florida Slow Food Gold & Treasure Coast chapter foodies, showcased--From Julia Child’s Kitchen book--photographer Albie Walton.

Photographer Albie Walton holding up his Julia
Child photo at Slow Food's Celebrating Julia Dinner,
Ft. Pierce, Fla.

It was ironically chilly at the Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery in Ft. Pierce on March 9th. Dinner service was outside in a covered gazebo with picnic style tables made of lacquered surf boards. Each was set with colorful plates of salad.

 

T.A. Wyner handing out knives at Slow Food's
Celebrating Julia Child dinner, Ft. Pierce, Fla.

The dinner started late. TA Wyner, of the Slow Food Gold and Treasure Coast chapter, kept everyone entertained and informed on the impending arrival of the chefs.

When they arrived, Walton was invited to speak about his photography career and how it intersected with Julia Child’s life. “Whatever you saw on television is what Julia was,” said Walton.

He said Julia really understood black and white photography because of her husband.

There is a photo in the book, From Julia Child’s Kitchen, where Julia is working with chocolate cigars. She cut her finger just before the shot was taken but told Walton not to worry. “The chocolate cigars are covered with blood but you can’t tell because it’s a black and white photo,” said Walton.

Farmer Diane Cordeau speaking at Slow Food's
Celebrating Julia Child dinner, Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Farmers Diane Cordeau and Carl Frost, of Kai Kai Farm, Indiantown, also talked. They shared how their farm got its name. They were sailors before they were farmers. When they sailed the Soloman Islands and got accepted into tribes the chiefs would say, “Let’s go Kai Kai,” that meant—let’s go gathering food.

 

Green salad course at Slow Food's Celebrating
Julia Child dinner, Ft. Pierce, Fla.

First course was a crisp green salad (from Gibbons Organics Farm), decorated with a spicy nasturtium flower (from the Compost Gardener), and an aromatic Seville orange infused olive oil vinaigrette (from an organic farm near Mt. Etna, Italy, imported by Olive Oil of the World).

Beef Bourguignon made by Chef Rasheed Shihada at
Slow Food's Celebrating Julia Child dinner,
Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Chef Rasheed Shihada, of Olive Oil of the World, prepared a delicious Julia Child favorite—beef Bourguignon, for the main course. It was made with Florida beef (from Farriss Farm), carrots (from Kai Kai Farm), and oyster mushrooms (from Oyster Island Mushrooms LLc). “Not all the ingredients are traditional. Some of the carrots we got from Kai Kai were purple,” said Shihada.  

Chocolate soufflé glace made by Chef Chris Pawlowski
at Slow Food's Celebrating Julia Child dinner,
Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Dessert course came with a cooking demonstration by Chef Chris Pawlowski, of Palm Beach Organics. He demonstrated how easy it was to prepare a traditional Julia Child chocolate soufflé glace or frozen soufflé.

It was made with local Florida eggs, strawberries, and black Sapote fruit.

The $75/person dinner ticket came with a souvenir wine glass and a chance to buy raffle tickets.

Four copies of Walton’s official centennial poster, chosen for Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian, were raffled. He autographed each winner’s poster.

Liliam and Jose Ubilla, of Real Stone and Granite, added a granite personalized plaque to the raffle items.

Money raised from the dinner went to the Slow Food Gold & Treasure Coast's Community Garden Project. If you want to help them raise more money contact Sheryl Paul at Sheryp461@gmail.com or TA Wyner at TAWyner@aceweb.com