[11], In 2009, Powell was awarded an honorary diploma from Le Cordon Bleu, the same cooking school from which Child graduated in 1951. Along the way, she aired her frustrations with tracking down many of the rare ingredients Child called for, and shared quirky anecdotes about her personal disappointments when it came to both her career and private life. One of the women hadnt heard the story. The Book Deal: Sept. 22, 2003 I have landed a book deal! But she continued with what she called the Julie/Julia Project, which was published on Salon.com and soon attracted attention from readers and the media. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The writer, whose blog inspired the 2009 filmJulie & Julia,died at herOlivebridge, New York, home on Oct. 26,The New York Timesreports. Powell's book, published in 2005, inspired a 2009 major motion picture, "Julie & Julia," starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. She was so young, chef Pim Techamuanvivit tweeted. Her husband, Eric Powell, confirmed to the New York Times that she died of cardiac arrest caused by heart arrhythmia at their home in Olivebridge in upstate New York on 26 October. Food writer and author Julie Powell, whose blog and book were later adapted into the 2009 film "Julie & Julia," died Oct. 26 at age 49. . She was 49. Her nonfiction has appeared in theNew York Times Magazine,Bon AppetitandSlate, and the anthologies "Altared"and "Behind The Bedroom Door." Eric Powelltold the outlet that his wife, whom he wed in 1998 after meeting in high school, died of cardiac arrest. Four years later, Nora Ephron's Julie & Juliacame out, with Meryl Streep playing Child and Amy Adams starring as Powell. Julie Powell, the author known for recreating Julia Child's recipes, has died at 49. I totally loved them both. Introduction. In 2002, Powell started the blog The Julie/Julia Project while working in a government temp job. Julie showed us that you didnt have to be formal to write about food; in fact, being too formal was a liability it puts up a wall between you and your readers. Along the way, Powell got bored with the gimmick of cooking all Child's dishes. China looks at reforms to deepen Xi's control, Historic ocean treaty agreed after decade of talks, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. A lot, if you use them right. Her husband told The New York Times that her cause of death was cardiac arrest. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. Food editor Amanda Hesser, who wrote about Powells project in the New York Times in 2003, said in an email after her death: Her writing was so fresh, spirited sometimes crude! "I've always found that when you're stuck or you're in a rut, you have to do something crazy that's just for you," Powell told ET at the premiere of Julie & Julia. At the time, she was depressed and working for the Manhattan Development Corporation after the 11 September 2001 attacks. Contact me to chat about your web project. On the strength of her writing and her newfound popularity, the publishing group Little, Brown and Company offered Powell a contract to develop a book about her experience. All the websites end with her bog on 29 November. At various points in the blog, Powell confessed to loathing beans, olives, anchovies, salad, spinach, eggs and even fresh peas ("little green sacs of wet flour"). It wasnt so much that Julie Powell had amazing writing abilities that landed the book deal, it was the fact that her blog had an established readership. How Julie Powell and her Julie/Julia blog changed food writing, 10 ways to streamline meal prep for more efficient weeknight cooking. Julie Powell Art Collections. Julie Powell has died. The author graduated from Amherst College in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in theater and fiction writing. I was a huge fan of her blog, and I am definitely old enough to remember when social media was more about being snarky about oneself than putting down others. If everyone is telling you, 'That's crazy. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. The resulting book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, was published in 2005. The blog served as the basis for the 2005 "Julie & Julia" book, which in turn served as inspiration for the 2009 film of the same name. This blog even predates WordPress which started in 2003! Julie Powell divorce, married, husband, affair, boyfriend, net worth, salary | Julie Powell was born on April 20, 1973 and is a well-known American non-fiction author. The food writer who prepared all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" also inspired a generation of culinary enthusiasts. Powell died of cardiac arrest,. Julie Powell, a prominent food writer and book author whose blog inspired the Nora Ephron-directed 'Julie & Julia,' died on October 26 in upstate New York at the age of 49. Within a year of documenting her limited success at Julia Child's famous recipes, the blog had about 400,000 page views and several . SALON is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC. Powell's second book,Cleaving: AStory of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession, was released in 2009. Her memoir inspired the 2009 film Julie & Julia, starring Amy Adams as Powell and Meryl Streep as Julia Child. And thats good and valuable, Powell told the Orlando Sentinel in a 2009 interview. What science tells us about the afterlife. Started in August 2002, The Julie/Julia Project detailed her messy attempts to cook her way. Her. As a cook with no training, Powell documented her struggles in the kitchen via the popular, witty and self-deprecating food blog Julie/Julia Project in Salon.com. I wish I could have been a part of Julies blog back then I would have been a faithful follower. She was 49. And wait . Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. https://t.co/kiOsEThg2o, Powell's book editor Judy Clain, editor-in-chief of publisher Little, Brown, told the New York Times: ''She had so much talent and emotional intelligence. Cooking through Julia Child's books, she made Child relevant to a new generation, and wrote about cooking in a fresh, conversational, this-is-my-real life tone that was rare back then. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! The fridge was always a nightmare. KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP When reflecting on the Julie/Julia Project to Salon.com in 2005, Powell described the pleasure of blogging in the nascent days of the form and how her audience kept her going. In addition to butchery, Powell's second book touches on extramarital affairs that she pursued, as well as one pursued by her husband, Eric. Powell wrote a second book in 2009, about butchery and her marriage, called Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession. Read about our approach to external linking. Powell's second book, Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession, was published in 2009. She was 49. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your . Powell's husband, Eric Powell, told The New York Times the cause of death was cardiac arrest.. Powell launched her blog, called the Julie/Julia Project, in 2002 before her 30th birthday, at a time . At that time, Powell was working an unfulfilling job at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, fielding. "Julie Powell, Writer Who Inspired 'Julie & Julia,' Dead at 49", "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen", "Julie Powell: Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen", "Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession by Julie Powell", "What's Wrong With Julie Powell's 'Cleaving', "Julie Powell, food writer behind 'Julie & Julia,' dead at 49", "Julie Powell, Food Writer Known for 'Julie & Julia,' Dies at 49", https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/food-writer-julie-powell-dies-49-cardiac-arrest-covid-19-battle/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Julie_Powell&oldid=1136133778, Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 22:20. One girl and a crappy outer borough kitchen, she wrote. https://t.co/5aB3bcUtKu, This is sad news. enough baking powder to cause a heart attack. The answers are in his puzzle of a new book, 'The Philosophy of Modern Song', Matthew Perry talks Valerie Bertinelli kiss, near-death opioid experience, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. this is the story of Julie. "It's a rom-com version of my life.". The Contender: Julie Powell. She was a USA TODAY bestselling author whose book "Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously" was on USA TODAY's list for 14 weeks, reaching as high as No. [2] She had a brother named Jordan Foster. Powells second book, Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession, which details affairs she had after the first books publication, as well as her experiences learning the butcher trade, was published November 30, 2009. Contributing: Mary Cadden andCarol Memmott,USA TODAY; Associated Press. Get the first edition cause Pauls son and later editors messed up the book as Paul wrote it. Julia's husband, Paul, was portrayed by Stanley Tucci. Take a step back in time. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. Author Julie Powell attends a screening of "Julie and Julia" at the Paley Center For Media on Aug. 4, 2009, in New York City. She was 49. But the most lasting legacy from Powell, who died last week at age 49 of cardiac arrest, might be on the way we write about food. Julie Powell, Writer Behind Beloved Early Food Blog the Julie/Julia Project, Has Died She was 49 by Dayna Evans Nov 1, 2022, 3:05pm EDT WireImage Julie Powell, the creator of the. Do you know this baby? Her death was confirmed to The Associated Press by Judy Clain, Powell's editor and editor in chief of Little, Brown and Company. So I would just listen to them, and some of them were crazy, and some of them were not. [1] The two stories - of Julia Child in the 1950s and Julie Powell in 2002 - run parallel to each other, interwoven and jumping between the past and the present. Don't do that,' you may be onto something. "So that was what I was doing every day and it makes a person feel fairly useless and incapable.". A film adaptation based on her book called Julie & Julia was released in 2009. It was published on November 30, 2009. Julia didn't like what she called "the flimsies". Julie Powell is the author of the memoirs "Julie And Julia" (Little, Brown and Company), based on a widely popular blog and adapted into a feature film, and "Cleaving" (Back Bay Books). iPhonography. We can only wait. http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/ blogs.salon.com The Julie/Julia Project Julia Child was ninety-one years old when she died, late yesterday, inher sleep. "It shows that you can do things. In 2005, Powells blog was turned into the bestseller Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen; its paperback edition was subtitled My Year of Cooking Dangerously. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Powell borrowed it while visiting the family home in Austin, Texas. Powell received further national attention when Ephron adapted her story as a screenplay. Powell's blog developed a large following after appearing in an article in The New York Times. She decided to work her way through Child's opus, often tackling multiple recipes a day in the tiny apartment she shared with her husband Eric - and she documented the personal and domestic challenges as well as the culinary ones. Writer: Julie & Julia. The same year that Julie & Julia was released, Powell released a second book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession. The book was noticeably darker in tone, detailing extramarital affairs involving her and, later, her husband. She attended Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts, graduating in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and dance/fiction writing. Before her, there were cookbooks and feature articles, but nothing so personal., Powells relatable persona might have paved the way for others, but, Jacob says, her work remains singular. Powell has said that her experience with the blog led her to embrace her talents as a writer, rather than as a chef. I too zm searching for Julies blog after learning. What came through on the blog was somebody who was doing it almost for the sake of a stunt. I was trying to say something about how much she meant to me and how much she had improved me. Julie & Julia is a 2009 American biographical comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Messina.The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career with the life of young New Yorker Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes in . We have a medium where we can type in the snarky comments we used to just say out loud to our friends.. Olivebridge, New York - Julia Powell, the food writer and creator of a popular food blog that inspired the movie Julie & Julia, passed away suddenly. https://web.archive.org/web/20021217011704/http://blogs.salon.com:80/0001399/2002/08/25.html, Shrimp Cakes and Full Disclosure #2 | cooking the kitchen, Create SEO Friendly Images in WordPress with alt text, How to make your website accessible | AODA Compliance, 3 things you need to do when Google suspects This site may be hacked, 8 Secrets to Reduce Bounce Rate and Improve User Experience. It would be Ephrons final film before she died. Eric Powell told the outlet that his wife . The New York Times reports that Julie Powell, food blogger and author of the book "Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously," died on October 26 at her upstate New York home due to cardiac . The book details Powell's experiences learning the trade of butchery, first in several New York City establishments and ultimately in a butcher shop in the Catskills. FEMALE. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. That was the birth of her historic and laborious Cooking and Blog project called "Julie/Julia". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. If Id just written in a journal, Im not sure I would have finished, because the communal nature of the blog definitely kept me going., The freshest news from the food world every day. The publishers knew that her blog had already created a market for the book and the media had already picked up on her story. Her mother had used recipes from Child's masterpiece at times. How to Watch 'Daisy Jones & the Six' Online Now Streaming, John Legend Launches Affordable Skincare Line Loved01 at Walmart, How to Watch Farmer Wants a Wife Premiering March 8, 15 Spring Wedding Guest Dresses for Every Budget, How and Where to Watch All The Oscar-Nominated Films Online. When Julie Powell, a 29-year-old low-level "government drone" living in Queens, set out in 2002 to cook every recipe in Julia Child's epic " Mastering the Art of French Cooking " and to write. Leibling had long mixed their own narratives with those about the food they consumed, but Powells was far rawer, filled with the minutiae of Gen X scrapping, where cat vomit and Netflix rentals and takeout pizza and too many vodka gimlets were the backdrop to the gratins and pate brisee. What do bay leaves do? Julie Powell, the food writer best known for her hit memoir "Julie & Julia," has died, her publisher said Tuesday. "I got a lot of calls from residents and relatives of people who had died," she told the BBC World Service's Outlook programme in 2020. The screenplay also drew from Child's memoir, "My Life in France," which described the famous TV personality's marriage to Paul Child, played by Stanley Tucci, as well as her struggles to learn French cooking and to earn respect in a male-dominated field. Each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, and more! In 2002, these readers instantly grasped the dynamic between Ms. Powell's personal chaos she was literally working through the aftermath of 9/11, as an administrative assistant for the Lower. Julie Powell, the food blogger played by Amy Adams in the film Julie & Julia, died at age 49 in her New York residence Oct. 26, per The New York Times. Her mission, she said, was to approach all of the recipes in Childs two-volume cookbook from the perspective of a relatively inexperienced foodie. She was just 49 years old. Amy Adams and Meryl Streep starrer 'Julie & Julia' is a 2009 comedy-drama film that centers on two women who are generations apart but find solace in the culinary arts. In 2002, an Amherst College grad with a double major in theater and creative writing started a project that would change her life. Julie and Julia still has too much blog in its DNA: It has a messy, whatevers-on-my-mind incontinence to it, taking us places wed rather not go, he sniffed. In 2011, Northwestern University student Lawrence Dai committed to watching Julie & Julia every day for a year, continuing Powells legacy of obsessiveness nearly a decade after the original blog went live. 9. in 2009, when the film came out. It is truly an authentic reflection of my studio and all the different facets of the work I do, which is exactly what we were going for. In 2002, on the eve of her 30th birthday, depressed and dreading another year as an office drone, Julie Powell decided she needed a hobby. And though she and Adams look nothing alike, Powell told USA TODAY in 2009 that Adams"captured the drive that I felt and the reason behind the Julia project. She was played by Amy Adams in a 2009 film version, titled Julie & Julia, written and directed by Nora Ephron. Child herself, though, was less impressed, and told a journalist that she felt Powell's project was exploitative. But they didnt bare their hearts the same way.. Biography: You Need to Know: Agness Underwood. I did have to get my head around the fact that someone so perky and sweet and lovely would be playing me, because I'm not particularly sweet. David Kamp writing in The New York Times disliked Powell's writing style, saying it "has too much blog in its DNA. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Broth vs. stock: Whats the difference and does it matter? Her project spawned a crop of bloggers who launched their own cook-through projects in which they cooked (and wrote) their way through classic culinary tomes, including The French Laundry Cookbook and the 1,300-recipe The Gourmet Cookbook. Others found liberation in her gritty honesty. She came across it again when visiting her parents at the age of 29. But its a Wild West kind of world, and people feel free to say things they never would in a face-to-face civil conversation. You can read more about Julie Powell on her current blog. She was previously married to Eric Powell. Julie Powel cooked and wrote her way to a book and movie deal in 2002. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. To many young writers, her lack of pretense and the fact that she was an uncredentialed interloper in the typically gate-kept world of food writing was inspiring. [1][5] The blog quickly gained a large following, and Powell signed a book deal with Little, Brown and Company. The goal was to cook all 524 recipes . It stars Amy Adams as Powell and Meryl Streep as Julia Child. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Cooking through Julia Childs books, she made Child relevant to a new generation, and wrote about cooking in a fresh, conversational, this-is-my-real life tone that was rare back then, she tweeted. Julie Powell was living in New York City with her husband. While Powell would detail her challenges around cooking with ingredients like aspic, she would also expound on her personal life, quickly growing an audience that was as interested in Powells cooking successes and failures as it was in her feelings and relationships. They began a cultural phenomenon that would nurture a new generations affection for Child and her butter-laden cuisine, prompting 20-somethings who werent just servantless, as Child described her readers, but also lacking cooking skills and much money to attempt classics such as beef bourguignon and lobster thermidor in their own group house and studio kitchens. There were "lots of times when I kind of lost my mind a bit", she added. [17][18], In 2022, Powell started writing a series of commentary pieces for Salon about The Julia Child Challenge, a Food Network reality television show in which Powell was not involved. . She was 49 years old. Eric Powell told the New York Times her cause of death was a heart attack, which her brother-in-law Ethan Powell told the Los Angeles Times was caused by a heart arrhythmia, or heart rhythm problems. Food writers from MFK Fisher to A.J. Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession. (As Julie Powell) Yesterday was Tuesday, August 13, 2002 . From dead-end secretarial job to a 110-pound dog and a job writing in my pajamas. While working for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in August 2002, Powell began the Julie/Julia Project, a blog on Salon chronicling her attempt to cook all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Many credit Powells cheeky, self-deprecating narrative style with paving the way for the more accessible approach to food writing now embraced by the likes of Ina Garten and Alison Roman. 536 recipes. It also renewed interest in Childs life and work. "There was a lot of jumping over cords and almost tripping on stuff that was stacked on the floor. Everyone is saying its really beautifully designed, well laid out and easy to navigate. I have my own copy of Mastering Art of Fench Cooking and Ive had it for quite a while. It was the kind of thing you couldnt even describe as confessional because there was no apology implied. writer. "She was a tremendous creative talent and, as expressed in her writing, a consummate gourmand with a passion for culinary challenges and extraordinary adventures," Powell's family wrote after her death. WP Lesson: What in the world is a widget? You could build house with the rock hard inedible loafs these recioes turned out!! Something went wrong. It's a tale of the self-proclaimed . I was shocked to learn this morning of the passing of Julie Powell, the original food blogger. Reviews from others were also mixed. The blog quickly gained a large following. Location. 2023 BBC. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Powell was not deeply involved in the film adaptation of her book. The cause was cardiac arrest, he said. Her husband, Eric Powell, reported to The New York Times on Tuesday that the author died of a cardiac arrest on Oct. 26 at their home in Olivebridge, New York. [6] The paperback edition was retitled Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously. While Cleaving didnt match the success of Julie and Julia, Powells legacy will live on among a new generation of food writers and enthusiasts, as evidenced by the countless tributes that appeared on social media Tuesday. Now that Ive read the book and watched the movie the book is now my treasure as Julie Powell and Julia Child are. Those who were unaware of the original Julie/Julia Project soon came to know it through the 2009 Nora Ephron film Julie & Julia, which starred Amy Adams as Powell and Meryl Streep as Julia Child, for which Streep earned an Oscar nomination. Foraged in Baltimore celebrates a few of the chefs favorite things, Colorful coconut truffles capture the Holi festivals hues and joy, These teriyaki-inspired salmon bowls are sticky, sweet and savory, himself one of the pioneers of food blogging. How very sad. 12 Designs. In a New York Times review of the book, critic David Kamp likened it (unflatteringly, of course) to Sex and the City and chick-lit novels. Gender. Amy Adams filming 'Julie & Julia' in 2008. Best Known For: American author Julie Powell is best known for her blog, "The Julie/Julia Project," and the Nora Ephron movie 'Julie & Julia,' which is based in part on Powell's experience. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. "My entire experience with Julia Child before was the book and Dan Aykroyd," who portrayed the 6-foot-2 chef on "Saturday Night Live." "Maybe in April, I had a breakdown that involved putting watercress through a food mill that wasn't working properly, and I absolutely lost it. Julie Powellis the author of the memoirs "Julie And Julia"(Little, Brown and Company), based on a widely popular blog and adapted into a feature film,and "Cleaving"(Back Bay Books). On Twitter last week, she had complained of feeling ill. Those paying tribute included fellow New York food blogger Deb Perelman, known for her Smitten Kitchen recipes. Powell is survived by her husband, Eric Powell;brother, Jordan Foster;and parents, John and Kay Foster. Child's editor, Judith Jones, said in an interview:[7]. Celebrity Deaths in 2022: Stars We've Lost Her husband, Eric Powell, confirmed the news to The New. Sending my condolences to her family and friends. Having a unique great idea and posting regularly is the perfect recipe for blogging success. The blog was eventually turned into a book, initially titled Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, which published in 2005. The blog was about Julia Child and her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Julie Powell, who has died at the age of 49, at a screening of Julie & Julia in Los Angeles in 2009. Powells husband, Eric, confirmed her death to The New York Times Tuesday. Most of the food writers that Id been reading up until that point wrote really polished prose everyone from Ruth Reichl to Jeffrey Steingarten, says Adam Roberts, who began his own food blog, the Amateur Gourmet, in 2004 and now pens cookbooks and a newsletter. Powell was recognized with an honorary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, and her work received critical acclaim, including two James Beard Awards for magazine writing and a Quill Award for debut author of the year. ", Who does Bob Dylan revere? Powell began her blog with the intention of channeling her energy into a more fulfilling venture. Instead cut these levelers down to 2 teaspoons or less instead of the 4-6 asked for. Julia Anne Powell (ne Foster; April 20, 1973 October 26, 2022) was an American author known for her 2005 book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen which was based on her blog, the Julie/Julia Project. Powell had little involvement with the movie. In 2009, Powell published her second book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession, which explored her relationship with her husband. Julie Powell, who found fame with an early food blog that was turned into a best-selling book and a hit movie, has died at the age of 49. That first proper loaf was made possible by Jumia Child. she told the BBC World Service's Outlook programme in 2020, Chris Rock jokes about Oscars slap in Netflix show, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, Everything Everywhere wins big ahead of Oscars, PM to end asylum claims from small boat arrivals, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court. Her second book, Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession, was published in 2009. But while knitting or yoga might have appealed to. [2] She was raised in Austin, Texas. Looking for inspiration? "Julie & Julia" started as a blog, "The Julie/Julia Project." The 2009 movie, directed by the late Nora Ephron, helped launch a revival of interest in Julia Child as a pioneer and historical figure she worked for the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the CIA, as a research assistant rather than just a cookbook writer and TV host. The blog was about Julia Child and her bookMastering the Art of French Cooking. Food blogger was played by Amy Adams in the film inspired by her memoir, about attempting to cook more than 500 Julia Child recipes in a year. But Powell herself was contemptuous of most establishment food writing and never set out to ape it. Julie and Eric Powell's marital struggles are an integral part of the blog, the book and the movie. She was a writer, known for Julie & Julia (2009), Rocco's Dinner Party (2011) and The 2nd Annual Quill Awards (2006). Julie Powell, the food blogger best known for her cooking memoir, Julie & Julia, which inspired a film starring Meryl Streep, has died at the age of 49. RIP Julie., Echoing those sentiments was Smitten Kitchen founder Deb Perelman, who declared Powell the original food blogger.. She didn't want to endorse it. [12], Prior to her Julie/Julia project, Powell had never eaten an egg before she tackled Oeufs la Fondue de Fromage. Voila! She graduated from Amherst College in 1995 with a double major in theater and creative writing.[3][4].