Peter Frank Edwards
The first time I met Nathalie Dupree wasin Atlantain the summer of 1978.
So thus began my friendship with Nathalie Dupree.
Nathalie insisted Paul had a crush on me because he wouldnt stop talking to me.
Credit:Peter Frank Edwards
I just thought he was being gracious.
And so I did.
When I was charged with reviewingrestaurants in Atlanta, Nathalie was my favorite dinner partner.
Credit:Courtesy of Anne Byrn
I recall parties at her beautiful Ansley Park condo.
I recall Nathalie reading Proust to a class while they baked madeleines.
I also remember a class on turkey and vegetable soup and what it taught me about life.
The tastes varied, too.
How could one recipe produce so many results?
Nathalie explained the recipe had merely guided us into the process of making soup.
We used our own perceptions, personalities, and preferences in the process.
Courtesy of Anne Byrn
And just as recipes differ, so do people.
She knew Julia and Jim (James Beard) personally.
She would donate her papers to the University of South Carolina.
Her time was limited.
She always told me I never wore enough lipstick.
Her words were few, but her sly smile was still there.
I mentioned an old beau, and she lit up from her lips to her almond-shaped eyes.
Its awkward when you have to say farewell to someone you know youll never see again.
I kissed her on the forehead much like I used to tuck my children into bed at night.
Nathalie had come to my rescue, opened doors for me, and made me laugh to the bone.
And now she would be traveling to a more peaceful place.
As hard as it was to let her go, I said goodbye.
Legendary cookbook author Nathalie Dupree passed away on January 13, 2025 at age 85.
