Tastemakers: Rachel Ray - New Year‘s 2007 A Toast

Dec. 27, 2006

Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats
Cookbooks have become the darlings of the publishing world. Every home in America on average has 5.5 of them. They have become popular gifts and people like me even collect them — 187 and counting — but do we really use them? I posed this question to several friends all who readily admitted to buying their share of cookbooks but rarely, if ever, using any of them.
With the Internet creating instant access to any recipe, one would think that cookbook sales would slow, but last year they showed double-digit sales increases. We shell out the dough for these books that are often loaded with a lifetime of recipes, yet if we prepare more than one recipe from each cookbook we buy, we are lucky. I guess for those of us who like to spend time in the kitchen, cookbooks make us feel good, like all of those other gadgets we seldom use but have to have.
Rachael Ray is at the top of the pile right now; her cookbooks are bestsellers and her programs on the Food Network have turned her into an international star. Ray got her start selling candy at Macy’s and has no formal culinary training. But she knows how to sell cookbooks. I was intrigued with her “No Repeats” cookbook; what a great concept -- a different recipe for each day of the year. Released a year ago, it remains on the top 10-seller list at Amazon.com -- four cookbooks are in the top 20 bestsellers. The book is loaded with (365) easy to prepare recipes. A better concept might be “The Seven Year Cookbook” that would have seven recipes, one for each year.
Oh well – if you are going to buy a cookbook, this one by Rachael Ray is as good as any. If you already have too many cookbooks, then try creating your own in-home cookbook series. Each month prepare recipes from a given cookbook. At least this way you will finally use these things and have some fun doing so. It’s my New Years resolution, and I will admit, it will be nice to finally look at some of the cookbooks I own. Happy New Year.

New Years 2007: A Toast to the Region
It’s that time of year when we contemplate those resolutions. Losing weight and giving up smoking are among the most popular. With the exception of an occasional cigar, I don’t smoke, and a person who writes about food and alcohol for a living really can’t resolve to lose weight. My resolution for 2007 is to be “more local” with my purchases. This marks my 100th “Bottoms Up” piece since the Express launched the column two years ago, and one of the joys is seeking out what those who live here are making, brewing and growing. Each week I search out beverages and food (Tastemakers) items to write about.
What amazes me most is the abundance of world-class products being grown, made and produced in our Northern Michigan backyard. In most cases these are small family operations, farms or shops, with creative people who have a passion for preserving and living the lifestyle and mindset known as “Up North.” Since moving here 20 years ago, I have enjoyed every day of my existence here, from the unique people I meet, to the small towns I shop in.  So join me in 2007 in seeking out and supporting locally produced items, whether it is wine, beer, coffee, cherries or local crafts and art, and everything inbetween. My grandfather told me that everything he needed was right in the backyard, so take a moment and look around in your backyard this year. Start this New Years by seeking out winemaker Mark Johnson of Chateau Chantal promotion for a trio of local sparklers: “Celebrate,” “SEX,” “Tonight,” from his winery and L. Mawby (SEX) on the Leelanau Peninsula. Clever, Mark!