Julia and Ruth and Tim

Suddenly, Julia Child is everywhere, and we couldn't be happier. Like many food lovers, we discovered Mastering the Art of French Cooking early on; like a lot of food lovers, we figured that if we worked through every recipe in the two-volume set, we would teach ourselves everything there was to know about cooking. Alas, we only got through a handful, but they included recipes that we use to this day. One has become our standby when we want something fast, simple, and delicious. Though this leek and potato soup is infinitely adaptable—you can toss in anything from garlic cloves to curry powder, and you can cut way back on the butter or cream—it's wonderful in its purest form, a simple puree of leeks and potatoes. Merci, Julia!