Julia Child Showed America How to Cook Monkfish, Hake, and Lobster
Julia Child was a vibrant force for New England seafood! She became a household name in 1963 with her beloved television series The French Chef and continued inspiring/entertaining both home cooks and professional chefs for over 30 years.
Julian Child holding a monkfish. One of her favorite fish for Julia Child’s famous bouillabaisse. Photo from Getty Images
I see and hear it constantly: people are hesitant to cook their local seafood options like fluke, hake, monkfish, and butterfish. Do you know who could inspire New England to cook a lesser-known fish? Julia Child!
.Did you know Julia Child loved cooking and teaching about New England seafood? While the sustainable seafood movement was not a thing back in the 70s and 80s, we believe this Bostonian would be a force for New England fisheries today! Here’s why we think New England needs another Julia Child.
Check out videos of Julia + local seafood below
Julia Child Was An Entertaining Educator
Consider this: when was the last time you saw a celebrity chef show how lobsters are caught in traps? Or actually handle a live kicking and flipping lobster on TV? Or explain the sizes when buying lobster? Julia Child did! Check out minute 1:30 below.
After steaming the lobster, she even cuts it in half, washes out the lobster’s sand sack (e.g. stomach) to show viewers what lobstermen call “the lady”. Ha! I never heard about “the lady” before! She wasn’t trying to be funny or charming, she was just being passionate about sharing her knowledge with viewers - what an educator!
Julia Child teaches television viewers about Maine lobster, boiling lobsters, steaming lobsters, and how to eat lobsters
She Celebrated Diversity & Quality
Diversifying which types of fish you eat, and creating zero-waste by buying whole fish, is a huge part of eating seafood sustainably..
Don’t you think more people follow this approach to sustainable seafood if there was someone on TV passionately describing a variety of fish options to viewers? Or telling viewers that you can substitute a local flounder for an expensive imported dover sole? Julia understood this! Check out minute 5:19 below
At the beginning, she even demonstrates how to identify freshness of both whole and filleted fish. She took the fear out of buying whole fish. Check out minute 1:34 in the video below.
If you ever get your hands on one of her cookbooks you’re guaranteed a laugh when you read how you should respond if you get bad fish from a grocery store.
julia child showed every step and why
Even when it came to ordering a fish frame and chopping it up to prepare fish stock (minute 21:17) , she made sure the viewers saw everything!
She also uses monkfish for her famous bouillabaisse in this video. It stays together instead of breaking apart! Check out minute 27:30
Want More Julia Child?
Of course you do!
Only a few videos of The French Chef videos are available for free online. You can access all of them by being a Passport Member to WGBH (one time $60 donation).
Her books are still savored by all. Here are a few oldies but goodies.
What’s Next?
Do you think she (or someone else) would be a passionate and effective advocate for New England seafood? What are your hesitations cooking local fish at home? Tell us in the comments below- we want to know!
Grab some friends and cook some local fish!
Bon Appetit!
If you’re excited to learn more about your local seafood options, here are few Our Wicked Fish resources to check out: