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Gardening Gourmet
As a young girl I watched cooking shows on PBS as religiously as I watched George of the Jungle (and Super Chicken) on Saturday mornings.
I was interested in cooking, but I was certainly not yet delving into the French cooking Julia Child was introducing to America. I liked seeing the dishes prepared and the mouth-watering end results, but what drew me most to her program (and later to Graham Kerr as The Galloping Gourmet) was her personality. Once you turned on the TV and heard Child’s booming voice and laughter, you pretty much couldn’t change the channel.
The first time I ever saw or heard of a food processor was watching Julia Child. She quickly dispatched of several pounds of onions (for a gratin) using the slicer blade on her French Cuisinart and said something like, "Now, don’t you really think you should have one of these marvelous machines?" I did. I had one as soon as I could afford it. Even though I used it for many years at least four times a week making desserts for restaurants, it still purrs like a kitten.
Later, in the early ’90s at a Fancy Food Show in New York, I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Child. I was the Merchandise Manager/Buyer at Taste Unlimited, and my former boss Peter Coe and I attended a seminar she was participating in about cheese. One topic the panel was keen on were the new low-fat cheeses that had just come on the market. Three members of the panel thought they were an excellent addition to the cheese world. When Child was asked her opinion, she dissed the cheeses and suggested having a bite or two of triple cream brie instead...
After the seminar, I scurried up to Ms. Child with my old food-spattered Julia Child and Company cookbook for her to sign. She couldn’t have been nicer.
Few TV stars have the kind of magnetic personality that makes you feel it’s just fun to be in their "presence." Have you watched The View since Rosie O’Donnell left? Not much I’ll venture.
Child had it for sure, as did Graham Kerr (in his early, boozy, pre-heart attack newly-found religion days) and so did Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet.
For those too young to remember, Jeff Smith was a tall, bald, bearded man with a lust for food and life. He was quick to say he was not a "chef," and his dishes were often the kind found in regional ladies "for charity" cookbooks. Still, his warm personality was as mesmerizing and comforting as the late Bob Ross, of Joy of Painting fame.
Again at a Fancy Food Show, I met Jeff Smith (and his assistant Craig) at a book signing. I remarked on the beautiful view of a lake from the set of his show. He roared with laughter and took my hand with both of his and explained that it was a painted backdrop with potted plants in the foreground moved by a fan. He was a sweetheart.
Later, after several young men came forward with sexual abuse allegations towards Smith (when they worked at his restaurant) his long-running show was yanked and his cookbook career ended. Cash settlements were made, but as Smith stated on Larry King, he confessed to nothing of the sort.
I was disappointed of course, but even today, I’d much rather watch old reruns of The Frugal Gourmet than the cloyingly chirpy Rachael Ray.
"Yummo" indeed. | 
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