Welcome to Gastronofique!

In my 1970’s memory bank, my mom had Julia Child’s tv show on all the time. Not sure when it was actually on, but I associate mom’s kitchen with Julia.

I bought Julia’s cookbooks whenever I could, and I loved her book My Life in France. In 2013, my friend and I went to all the places in Paris that Julia talked about, and in 2023, I dragged my 15 year old niece to La Couronne, where Julia had her first French meal.

Fast forward, when I learned Julia’s former home, La Pitchoune, “La Peetch”, had become a Cooking School, I signed up for newsletters and updates. In a newsletter a few weeks ago, Makenna Held, the proprietor, was embarking on a cookbook tour and offered a sweepstakes to win a week of cooking and staying at La Peetch.

I entered and won! I never win anything!

While the cooking school tuition is fully covered by the sweepstakes, travel and accommodations before and after are not. I’m responsible for my flights and lodging before and after the program. Unfortunately, that’s something I can’t fully cover on my own without a little help. When you are planning a trip, you start saving months or years in advance, but I only have about a month.

To bridge the gap, I am seeking sponsors and donors. Whether it’s $10 or simply sharing my story, every bit of support brings me one step closer to this culinary adventure, and I plan to bring the knowledge and inspiration gained at La Pitchoune back home to share with friends, family, and the local food community. Here is the link to my GoFundMe, if you would like to know more.

Thanks!