Any film explicitly about or involving food or cooking inevitably challenges critics/bloggers to sharpen their analytical knives in the hope of carving up a culinary-themed zinger or two.

With this in mind, and in the context of a discussion of writer/director Nora Ephron’s new film Julie and Julia – which centres around two cooks who write about cooking, one for a book and the other for a blog – let’s get the crappy food analogies out of the way first. There was potential here for a tasty dish but the script lacks flavour and the direction lacks bite; the dramatic elements simmer lazily in the pot while the comedy flaps about like a half-dead fish; the film is more airy soufflé than hearty meal; and so on and so forth. Bored yet? Me too. Let’s move on. Mainly as none of these are true!

The film alternates between two courses (last one, promise): the story – set in Paris in the late 40s and early 50s – of celebrity chef Julia Child (the inestimable Meryl Streep) and in particular the authorship of her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The other is the modern day tale of a bored woman in Queens (not her native town, and damn, doesn't she know it!), Julie Powell (Amy Adams) who takes up blogging. Professionally and creatively unsatisfied, Julie decides to cook her way through Julia’s book and blog about it as a “government employee by day, renegade foodie by night.” The film jumps haphazardly between the stories, which are in essence quite similar, both involving women who cook and write about it and have loving and supporting husbands (Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina respectively).

Inevitably, I drew some parallels between the film's modern-day character, Julie Powell, and my own little role in the blogosphere. Like Julie, I do struggle with my nearest and dearest firstly not understanding why I blog, and secondly not respecting my right to write. My right to write about whatever I damn well please. I don't force people to read it. (Well, my besties, yes. But that's mainly so they stop me from publishing inconsistencies and errors.) If you don't care what is going on in my little world, click on. Click on the next page, click on something else. Click on the 'close window' button. I don't care, I'll never know. I do understand that blogging is inherently narcissistic, that writing about oneself can be seen as show-offy and inane. Bloggers get this, which is why I think that bloggers are generally the biggest fans of other bloggers. Because they get that it's a whole new world out there, dishing stuff onto the interweb, not knowing who's reading you.

Powell's other great pressure is finding the time and energy to commit to blogging. This is something I deal with every day. Every day that I don't post, I go to bed with a heave of the shoulders and a sigh, and think 'Well, no-one reads me anyway, what does it matter if I don't post today?' I guess I quickly realised that if I don't post, people's world won't stop revolving. Sure, a few choice individuals will email and say 'Hey - I'm at work and I need a little cynicism to get through the day, what you got?', and a few others might mention it to me the next time we catch up at a BBQ. But in general, nothing that prevents the sun from rising tomorrow. And this is ok. This is what helps me sleep at night. That and a beverage or three.

I particularly loved Streep's personification of the jovial Child. Her performance was sweet, innocent and hilarious at times, her ability to easily befriend many of the French and her deepening love for French cuisine made it quite easy to see how she quickly became a celebrity.Child's insecurities were well-portrayed, and her relationship with her diplomat husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci) was such a joy to watch. Her fabulous sister, Dorothy McWilliams, was played by one of my favourite character actresses ever, Jane Lynch from Glee - comical and riotous as ever.!

Julie and Julia was an entertaining film, both the non- blogging friends I went with enjoyed it, it certainly put a smile on our faces. We sighed and swooned over the the little peeks into life for Americans in post-World War II Paris. Made us hungry for Boeuf Bourguignon too! Go see it with a foodie friend today.

In honour of the first major motion picture release based on a blog - yup! - I'm going to give away a copy of Child's fantastic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Anyone can enter. ANYONE! Yup - even you, friends! The only catch is that you can only enter once. All you need to do is leave a post describing either your favourite blog genre, or your favourite cookbook genre!

So, hop to it, and soon you could be whipping up a raspberry cream tart, or boned duck, even Boeuf Bourguignon! Entries close midday Saturday 17th October.