From cassoulet to Coq au Vin to crêpes Suzette, many of Julia Child’s signature recipes are quite elegant, and, well, a little complicated. While the results are worth the effort, her dishes often require a labor of love to get them on the table. But for Thanksgiving it seems that Child wasn’t shy about taking a delicious (and simple!) shortcut for the appetizer course. Apparently, she adored Goldfish crackers.
Harvard University shared details about Child’s food philosophy at a 2012 day-long symposium about her life. “While Julia is often heralded for her focus on fresh ingredients, her ideas on food were far-ranging…she found organic food elitist, thought McDonald’s French fries and Burger King hamburgers were the best.”
One of her favorite snacks, Goldfish crackers, were served at the post-symposium reception, the Harvard hosts revealed.
Getty / John Dominis / Contributor
Apparently, Child set out Goldfish as a Thanksgiving appetizer each year to pair with “reverse martinis”—her cocktail hour creation that included vermouth on the rocks with a floater of gin.
Sure, you could spend $50+ to assemble a showy cheese board to snack on before Thanksgiving dinner. But if you’re looking for a store-bought shortcut to save you some time in the kitchen, feel free to follow in Child’s footsteps. The flavor of Cheddar and crackers in one affordable, 5-second “recipe” (open bag, pour into bowl)? That sounds like a winning starter to us!