It Sounds Fishy: Julia Child's Go -To Thanksgiving Appetizer

So, what is the signature snack Julia Child often served before Thanksgiving dinner? 

I'll give you a hint. Julia Child's go-to Thanksgiving snack is simple, affordable, and easy to locate. Knowing that Julia was the queen of introducing French cooking to the American kitchen, you might think of something simple like sliced crisp radishes layered on baguettes smeared with salted French butter. 

No, Julia didn't serve foie gras or stuffed dates with Bleu cheese wrapped with prosciutto to nibble on before Thanksgiving dinner. Julia served her favorite snack, which she enjoyed with her preferred happy-hour martini—more like her "reverse martini." A glass of dry vermouth on ice with a sprinkle of gin floating on top (Of course, her preferred choice of vermouth was Noilly Pratt, an original French vermouth created in the south of France in the 1800s). 

During Julia and her husband Paul's years in France, they enjoyed oysters and Champagne to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving. When they were back in the United States, Julia spent time making the traditional Thanksgiving meal in the kitchen, but nothing elaborate. Her kitchen also became the turkey hotline, as people would often call Julia, asking questions about preparing and cooking a turkey. 

In 1958, Oscar J. Kambly, the head of a Swiss biscuit company, created Goldfish crackers as a birthday gift for his wife. The fish shape was inspired by his wife's astrological symbol, Pisces, which is a fish.

In the 1960s, the founder of Pepperidge Farm, Margaret Rudkin, discovered these fish-shaped crackers while on vacation in Switzerland and acquired the right to bring them to the United States. The original flavor was lightly salted like an oyster cracker. Cheddar cheese was introduced in 1966. Goldfish crackers are made with real cheese and colors sourced from plants without artificial flavors or preservatives. So, Julia's Thanksgiving snack is healthy, too.