Julia's Birthday Draws an Eclectic Crowd of Bakers to the Balboa

Balboa Theater

The array of cakes included clafoutis and banana bread.

​The promise of a free ticket to Julie & Julia in exchange for a cake in honor of what would have been Julia Child's 97th birthday drew about thirty bakers to the Balboa Theater (3630 Balboa at 38th Ave.) Saturday. Many more showed up to buy a ticket, sample the bakers' wares, and attend the screenings with like-minded enthusiasts.

The bakers were an eclectic bunch, bringing sheet cakes, bundts, cupcakes, and, stretching the rules a bit, banana bread. The array included lots of chocolate, pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, Marsala wine cake, lemon poppyseed, a peach-blueberry clafoutis, and an unusual green tomato cake. One baker carefully iced cupcakes with a "J" for Julia.

"Most of the bakers said they used family recipes," Balboa employee Serafina Kernberger told SFoodie, "and nobody mentioned they'd used a Julia one!"

Theater owner Gary Meyer told us one man even brought copies of a photo he'd taken of Julia and Paul Child; he posted one and gave the other away. Meyer was so impressed he's giving the photographer, Michael Jang, a show in the Balboa's lobby this fall. More pics after the jump.

 

Balboa Theater

An overflow crowd sampled the goods. Balboa Theater Michael Jang's portrait of Julia and Paul Child. ​