What you are missing is the forest. Not to beat a dead horse, but: Julia Child’s recipes and techniques set the standards by which all other chefs were trained and judged. It’s not surprising that today her work seems ordinary. The fact that other chefs’ recipes and techniques are equal to hers is a testament to her effectiveness as a teacher. Read Jacques Pepin’s "The Apprentice" for a different perspective on the American culinary landscape before Julia. There were other leaders in the revolution but Julia was clearly the most revered. Wait, I think I saw the horse flinch, so one more whack. Ford Motor Company builds ordinary cars, no better or worse than other car manufacturers, but Henry Ford was a genius who forever changed the way we live. There-there that’s better. Zoot