The Worst Paragraph in All of 2011’s Food Writing

Published on Monday, October 10, 2011, by James Norton / Edit Post

What follows may be the worst single paragraph in New York Times food writing in 2011. It's from an article titled "Adapting Julia Child for E-Readers." Grab onto something solid, and read on:

"On Wednesday Alfred A. Knopf will release the e-book edition of one of the most famous cookbooks: 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking,' by Julia Child, immortalized in the best seller 'Julie & Julia' and its film counterpart, starring Meryl Streep."

The key problem here, of course: the word immortalized.

Was Mastering the Art of French Cooking actually immortalized by Julie & Julia? Was it otherwise going to fall into a sad, shadowy oblivion, remembered only by a few gastronomic historians? Was it preserved only by the timeless artistry of Julie & Julia, an artistic work likely to be studied and celebrated long after human beings have shed their flesh-based forms and evolved into ethereal beings composed of light and music?

Here are a few other stabs at the same paragraph:

"... besmirched by the best seller Julie & Julia and its film counterpart, starring Meryl Streep."

"... temporarily tarnished by but ultimately transcending the best seller Julie & Julia and its film counterpart, starring Meryl Streep."

"... a fine book tragically dragged through the mud by the carnival sideshow of Generation Y bubble-brained self-celebration that was the questionable best seller Julie & Julia and its film counterpart, a movie saved from being a critical zero only through the labors of the unquestionably talented Meryl Streep."

Image source: YouTube.com

ALLFood Media
POST A COMMENT |28 Comments

COMMENT

  • Oh please, Helena has done worse writing week after week right here in chowhound. Certainly the book wasn't immortalized by the movie, but it was hardly dragged through the mud. And it brought the classic to the attention of a whole new generation of cooks. What's wrong with that. I grew up watching Julia Child, have great respect for what she did for food, and for bringing good food to the...+READ

    Oh please, Helena has done worse writing week after week right here in chowhound. Certainly the book wasn't immortalized by the movie, but it was hardly dragged through the mud. And it brought the classic to the attention of a whole new generation of cooks. What's wrong with that. I grew up watching Julia Child, have great respect for what she did for food, and for bringing good food to the masses. She and her crew virtually invented the template for all food shows since. The movie got decent reviews, andif Julia Child didn't want people to read and use the book, she shouldn't have written and published it. So what, Frasier was a bad TV show because Jung and Freud didn't get royalties? Oral Roberts shouldn't have refered to the bible because it was written by someone else? Give me a break.-COLLAPSE

  • My God, Mr. Norton, get over it. Here's a little history behind WHY the book was popular; because it came from a blog back in 2002-2003. It may have been one of the first book-to-blog deals. It was certainly the first one I'd ever heard of.

    I don't know if you know anything about Julie Powell, but in addition to being an office drone at LMDC, she was a published author before she started the...+READ

    My God, Mr. Norton, get over it. Here's a little history behind WHY the book was popular; because it came from a blog back in 2002-2003. It may have been one of the first book-to-blog deals. It was certainly the first one I'd ever heard of.

    I don't know if you know anything about Julie Powell, but in addition to being an office drone at LMDC, she was a published author before she started the Julie/Julia Project. Her blog was entertaining, informative and had a huge following (including myself). Her project was to cook all 700+ recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a one year period (while working full-time, mind you). Doing that took creativity, discipline and an incredible amount of resourcefulness.

    Why would you bother to take the opportunity to disparage a writer like her for a lazy, careless choice of words from the New York Times? And really, was that paragraph the worst you could find?

    You didn't look very hard. Lazy.-COLLAPSE

  • First:" immortalized" is the wrong word to use on a classic book such as J. Child's Joy because it is a classic(look up the definition of the word 'classic' if confused).
    Secondly: The movie, albeit boring at times, was not horrible or even that bad. It was meant to introduce a younger generation to the above mentioned classic.
    Thirdly: There was a point not too long ago when women and cookbook...+READ

    First:" immortalized" is the wrong word to use on a classic book such as J. Child's Joy because it is a classic(look up the definition of the word 'classic' if confused).
    Secondly: The movie, albeit boring at times, was not horrible or even that bad. It was meant to introduce a younger generation to the above mentioned classic.
    Thirdly: There was a point not too long ago when women and cookbook writers were themselves hailed by food critics as silly and trivial.(read some of Julias own critics if confused)
    Fourthly:This is a website about food therefore your gripes about generational differences should be taken to a more appropriate forum(aka the kinds of forums that the older generations don't know about and newer generations avoid because of zero traffic)-read some of Julias advice on table manners if confused
    Lastly: Read the book and try the cooking, watch the movie and try to be inspired to share your cooking with others before you come to a food forum and share your uninformed oppinion!-COLLAPSE

  • FN did the same thing a while back. On one of their shows it was stated to 'Mastering the Art...' became a best seller because of the movie. Then again that's FN for you.

  • "....a fine book tragically dragged through the mud by the carnival sideshow of Generation Y bubble-brained self-celebration that was the questionable best seller Julie & Julia and its film counterpart, a movie saved from being a critical zero only through the labors of the unquestionably talented Meryl Streep."
    That is the best line ever, and so so so true.

  • Tempest in a teapot to use a nice metaphor. I agree with those who whine over this poorly written piece, or at least that particular word's use.

  • Hilarious and accurate. Thank you, Mr. Norton!

  • Dare I say it? I enjoyed the movie.
    I think it worthwhile.
    And here is why:
    "Julie's" original experience opened to her a new world-one into which she would very probably never entered-I refer here to the world of classical cooking with all the tastes and techniques that become the foundation of a wonderfully expanded life.
    The movie - even if you consider it less than Oscar-worthy - I'm sure...+READ

    Dare I say it? I enjoyed the movie.
    I think it worthwhile.
    And here is why:
    "Julie's" original experience opened to her a new world-one into which she would very probably never entered-I refer here to the world of classical cooking with all the tastes and techniques that become the foundation of a wonderfully expanded life.
    The movie - even if you consider it less than Oscar-worthy - I'm sure did the same for at at least some of the young people who went to see it, who would never otherwise known that "Joy" existed - much less its fascinating author.
    As a print journalist unwillingly thrust into the digital age... I have been slapped into surrendering some of my ways. The fact is that our children-and especially their children- are going to experience the world in a brand-new way. Information does not lose its value by being presented in a different format. If young people get turned on to a classic through a movie-so be it. Without the movie "Captains Courageous," would I ever had read the book? Doubtful. Same for "Out of Africa," which also lead me to "The Flame Trees of Thika" and "The Mottled Lizard" How many young girls who ogled Clark Gable in "Gone with the Wind" went on to read the book? "The Wizard of Oz" sparked a revolutionary interest in all of L. Frank Baum's wonderful books, and those written by his able successor, Ruth Plumly Thompson. The list goes on.
    My point is this.
    No matter how "we" cling to the past, Generation (fill in the blank) will relentlessly forge the future. New classics will emerge and old ones will fade. We should embrace any means of preserving classics - even if it is a B-movie.
    After all-I'm sure the fans of Catullus thought his poems were forever. If someone made a movie about his fascinating life, his complicated love affairs, and all the celebs he mocked-I'm guessing some publisher would resurrect his books. They might have to cast Russell Crowe (someone whose acting I detest) but would I care if it awakened even one young person to the wonder of Catullus? Not a whit.
    I've spoken my piece and counted to three. (move reference here)-COLLAPSE

  • I'd say that "restaurant critic" Terra Walters of Annapolis does a much more entertaining job of writing poorly about food. Each of her reviews is a guilty pleasure. A train wreck just waiting to be stared at. Google her and see for yourself.

  • @Mary McChugalug

    Gen Y and Millennial are the same. Perhaps, you're referring to Gen Z as the "horrible, illiterate bastard generation."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#List_of_generations

  • Um... who cares?

  • "... a fine book tragically dragged through the mud by the carnival sideshow of Generation Y bubble-brained self-celebration that was the questionable best seller Julie & Julia and its film counterpart, a movie saved from being a critical zero only through the labors of the unquestionably talented Meryl Streep."

    Agreed! What hubris

  • So ridiculous all this uproar -- I agree with the article because I am sick and tired of the misuse of the English language as well as the presumption that everything old is only improved by the superior knowledge of the young.

  • Are you criticizing the writing or the movie? As usual, the CHOW writers seem confused, and angry about trivia.

  • Yes Guilty, generation Y is a horrible, illiterate bastard generation and a waste of space and resources. Boomers, X-ers, and millenials on the other hand have always been known for their fine taste and selection of only the highest quality entertainments.

  • I don't care 4 Julie either, but I can't speak 4 Mrs child...i thk she'sdead.

  • Besides, Mrs. Child didn't care for Julie. She thought Julie was gimmicky and potty-mouthed.

  • That is one MFK'g Fissure of bad food writing there, people.

  • THANK YOU! I'm so glad I am not alone in my HATRED for that awful movie, specifically because of that whiny, fame-mongering blogger. Why could Hollywood not just make a movie based on "My Life in France" and let it be?

  • I really wish they had just made a movie based on My Life In France.. better all around..

  • That last sentence is the best IMO, because it slams Julie and Julia and doesn't take away Meryl Streep.

  • nofunlatte, I think you're confusing "worst" with "most super awesome." Common mistake.

  • I suspect to one generation (Y?), a book doesn't really exist until it's on-screen. In non-text form.

    But yeah, your last paragraph is obviously what should have been printed in the NYT.

  • I thought for sure that the worst paragraph in food writing would have come from Joyce Slaton.

  • I read that article when it came out and my eyes almost popped out of my head then too. Amazing!

  • ROTFLMAO! I read that paragraph and thought the same thing. LOVE your suggested rewrites.

  • In your title I'd replace "worst" with "dumbest". For me, in the context of the title, the word worst implies bad grammar.

    Nevertheless, thank you; a funny article. I enjoyed the movie for killing an hour or so of time; of course the best parts were all of the Julia Child segments. The bubble-brain segments were an annoying intrusion.

  • who cares...a fast ticket to meaningless-ville.