Forget the fancy cheese board—we’re going with Julia Child’s favorite easy appetizer!
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.”
Related: Julia Child’s French Apple Tart Features a Surprising Ingredient You Probably Have In Your Kitchen
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!
Related: 19 Best-Ever Thanksgiving Hors d’Oeuvres