Restaurants mark Child's 100th birthday

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Commemorative dinners are being held this week at more than 100 U.S. restaurants in honor of what would have been famed chef Julia Child's 100th birthday.

Child, who is credited with making French cooking widely accessible to non-professional U.S. cooks, died Aug. 13, 2004, two days before her 92nd birthday. She was the longtime host of PBS' "The French Chef" and co-author of the culinary bible "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said "The JC100: Julia Child Restaurant Week" began Aug. 7 and will run through Aug. 15 as part of publisher Alfred A. Knopf's JC100 Celebration. Also included in the publisher's Child-themed schedule are posts by food bloggers, bookstore displays, tributes and readings, the Journal Sentinel said.

PBS is airing a marathon of Child's shows on its lifestyle channel, Create TV, this weekend, while amateur bakers are invited to enter the Julia Child Birthday Cake Contest, sponsored by Epicurious.com. The deadline for entries is Aug. 21.

Those interested in learning more about the life of the American grand dame of French cuisine can check out Bob Spitz's new biography, "Dearie," as well as the children's book, "Minette's Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat," written by Susanna Reich and illustrated by Amy Bates, the Journal Sentinel said.