Katie Couric's Notebook: Julia Child

Well now, she's topping the bestseller list again, posthumously. "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" sold 22-thousand copies in a week - nearly half a century after it was written.

The film Julie & Julia is one ingredient in this new found success - but maybe there's more to it.

Julia Child taught us all that cooking is an art and eating with family and friends is the most important part of the day.

Americans spend more than $500 billion dollars a year in restaurants. We grab meals on the run and even eat in our cars.

Julia began her career in post-war France and learned the value of homemade food served at humble tables.

The recession has many of us reordering our priorities and her life and work could provide some serious food for thought.

As she used to say, Bon Appetit!

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.