In the Kitchen With Rosie by Rosie Daley (1994)

This cookbook was given to me as gift when it was published in 1994. However, that implies that someone else was caught up in the hype and I was merely an innocent bystander. I confess. I wanted the book because I had heard about it. (Living in the Chicago area, it is impossible **not** to hear about something related to Oprah).

The Concept

This cookbook was written by Rosie Daley, personal chef to Oprah Winfrey. At the time of her discovery, Rosie was chef for a health spa/fat farm/boot camp. Oprah came for a visit, loved the cooking, and took Rosie home with her. (Do you have any idea how much restraint went into writing those last few sentences?)

Ms. Daley obviously knows how to make healthy food appetizing for people with ample cash. Working for Oprah, the challenge became translating many of her southern favorites, fried and plied with pork, into healthy first cousins. The book provides about six of Oprah s favorite dishes from each basic course, from soups to desserts.

In theory, I like the concept. What I was hoping for was a cache of sensible, but tasty, recipes for daily fare. However, there are several reasons why the concept fails for me personally. First, unless you are fortunate enough to have your own personal chef, many of items are far too complex and time-consuming to prepare routinely. Did I mention that price must be no object? Second, despite the fact that many of the recipes are tasty, few make it to my table when I entertain. When I cook for pleasure, taste rather than calories count. The day I serve unfried (a.k.a baked) chicken, mixed greens with turnips, and chocolate tofu cake is the last time my friends accept my insanity as just a ruse (or my invitation to dinner).

two forks for promise without delivery


The Sensuality Factor, or Do I need a bib when I read it

You can probably already guess my response, so why don t you skip to the next section. The most seductive thing about the introduction is the listing of southern comfort foods. After the first paragraph, it is a guilt-trip on steroids.

There are eight pages of full-color photographs of menu items. Being slightly bent, I particularly liked the ones of Rosie, hair mussed, in her food-stained apron, toiling in the kitchen (wearing lipstick). For the fetish value alone, that has to win a few points. Other pictures qualify as phood fotography, well-suited for Cooking Light.

The descriptions, aside from an occasional giggle, left me decidedly unmoved. Granted, even a wordsmith the caliber of Laura Esquivel (Like Water For Chocolate) would have trouble making Vegetable Barley Stew With Lentils sound exciting. Too many start out with what she took out of traditional preparations to make the dish low this and that.

one fork too much guilt, not enough fun


The Stained Pages Factor

After six years, the book looks brand spanking new. Not a good sign. To be fair, there are dishes I like and routinely prepare: Spinach salad with fresh orange dressing and Goat cheese pizza with artichokes and onions. However, once you have the concept, you don t have to return for the specifics.

I cannot resist one savage comment. The Unfried Chicken, which reportedly garnered praise from guests as the best fried chicken they ever had, was disappointing. The Unfried French Fries, how shall I put this, sent me running to the nearest McKing. Can you say, mushy? Well, of course you can, but why would you want to? What about Unfried Crabcakes? I grew up near the Chesapeake Bay where the blue crab is king. Enough said. Ok, that was three comments, but who is counting?

one fork for been there, done that


The Bang For The Buck Factor

The book contains 42 recipes and a few helpful hints. Whipping out my trusty calculator, at a current cover price of $18.95, that works out to be $.45 a pop. That is bargain if you can afford a personal chef and many of the ingredients in the book.

I have never found a thing wrong with any quantity, temperature, or cooking time in the book. For the limited number of items in the book, they had plenty of time to proof the galley prints.

I do give the book credit for one useful tidbit. Duck has long been a personal favorite. It has also been one of my son s favorites from the time he was able to eat solid food. As much as I love it, dealing with large globs of fat and carving tiny breasts (yes, size matters when you are talking about duck breasts) takes much of the fun out it. The book introduced me to Muscovy Duck, which is usually sold as skinless breasts. The Whole Foods/Wellspring chain sells it frozen, but knock over an ATM before checking out. I have roasted a pepper-coated Muscovy duck breast, chilled it for a day, then sliced it paper thin and served with morels and black truffles in a raspberry sauce. The duck, rather than the recipes in this book, finds its way to my table regularly. For that, I thank you, Rosie.

one fork for audacity


Tie Me Up And Gag Me

There is nothing wrong with this cookbook, but it did not leave me tongue-tied or at a loss for superlatives. Oprah, your book suggestions have given me endless hours of reading enjoyment. Rosie, you look great in your apron and you can feed me any day. If you ever find this book in a bargain bin, buy it. Otherwise, stick to Julia Child.