Okay. I'm all for rabid celebrity fanaticism, and I enjoy the occasional portrait tattoo. But seriously?
Yep, a Rachael Ray extremist showed up at Borders Books in Syosset, New York for Monday's signing of Ray's new Yum-O: The Family Cookbook and proudly showed the chef her moderately-to-completely terrifying ink.
I can't help but wonder at what point in Rachael Ray's career trajectory this chick decided to indelibly inscribe her devotion. 'Cause honestly, if this is from 2002's $40-A-Day Ray, I can kinda get behind it, 'cause we all need a gentle a reminder to eat on a budget (even internationally!).
Apparently, even if Rachael's show were actually getting cancelled (it's not), she won't go down without a fight. The TV chef is working on an animated series that stars herself as a young chef. The show is being produced by Oprah's company, Harpo Productions (naturally) and is scheduled for debut in January 2009.
Now, I'm not sure how I feel about this one, but to be quite honest, an animated version of Rachael might be easier on the eyes. Then again, it'll still be her voice.
Unfortunately, it's only her syndicated daytime show on ABC, not all 9,832 of Rachael Ray's other shows on the Food Network. According to an "impeccable" source to New York Post's Page Six, "They are seriously talking about taking her off the air."
Is her grin too scary? Too much Yum-o? Apparently, it's her ratings, which was a meager 2.2 when the show debuted two years ago, and has dropped down to a measly 2.0. Yikes.
I know, I know, it seems like we have Rachael Ray news at least once a week here, but hey, the girl is popular and seems to be EVERYWHERE (your television, Dunkin' Donuts, boxes of Triscuits) so...
Ray has just signed a new two-year deal to continue cooking for Food Network. Besides her 30 Minute Meals show (she'll do 60 episodes under the deal), she'll also host a new program titled Rachael's Vacation, which sounds a lot like her $40 A Day show only in foreign countries. The new show starts on January 12.
She'll continue to do her daily syndicated show too, of course.
Now, this isn't exactly breaking news. Bourdain has had a lot of things to say about Rachael Ray, as well as other TV cooks like Sandra Lee and Emeril Lagasse. But his venom is a little bit more specific this week.
The Kitchen Confidential author/No Reservations star takes a dig at Ray for endorsing Dunkin' Donuts in the latest issue of Outside:
"She's got a magazine, a TV empire, all these best-selling books - I'm guessing she's not hurting for money. She's hugely influential, particularly with children. And she's endorsing Dunkin' Donuts. It's like endorsing crack for kids ... That's evil!"
Of course, Ray's reps answered Bourdain by saying that if you watch her shows (all 40 of them), she actually preaches moderation.
Yes, I know how much we all love Rachael Ray. Or hate Rachael Ray. The fact of the matter is, one way or another, we all have a strong opinion of her. Though I feel bad for her recent marriage troubles, I do find her wildly, annoyingly over-perky. Then again, I could be just jealous of all her success.
Whatever your feelings, this minute-and-half video on YouTube of Ms. Ray making all of her tell-tale sounds of joy while eating is pretty funny.
Like many classic kitchen tools such as the cast-iron pan, old-fashioned pastry blender and our good friend the mortar and pestle, the mezzaluna has a simple design that gets the job done. Whether chopping chocolate, chervil or nuts, all you need to do is rock the crescent-shaped blade back and forth.
The mezzaluna is a tool that has no need to be reinvented with a whimsical design. The last time I checked, nobody looked at a knife and said, "Aw how cute." As far as I'm concerned the handle should be wood, stainless, black plastic or antler if you want to get fancy.
So why one earth would anyone want a mezzaluna that looks like a grinning frog? Beats me. I'm sure it works fine. It does have a rubberized antimicrobial handle and is made by Austrianalian knifeworks Füri. Lest I be called out for being a hater, I'll just say that the Froggy Mezzaluna is an RR product and leave it at that.
As already mentioned, I am on a quest for Mother's Day food ideas this week and came across this recipe for a Limoncello Dessert via Rachael Ray. Though it sounds interesting, I was immediately disappointed to find out that there is nothing about the actual preparation that requires any form of culinary skill, and the ingredients are all items that come fully prepared.
When it comes to making this dessert, the terms pouring, scooping, and arranging may apply, but definitely not cooking or baking. I honestly believe this is the epitome of why some people dislike Rachael Ray.
But conversely, this is also why some people love her. She (re)creates familiar items that (for the most part) sound relatively good, look relatively good, and taste relatively good. They are excessively easy to prepare, require very little to no culinary skill whatsoever, and result in a home-cooked meal or dish which is done in a short amount of time.
So, the debate continues. Is it better to have a television personality that teaches the masses that there are easy ways to prepare dinners, or should cooking shows simply be a showcase of taking the gastronomic arts to the next level?
Personally, I would think that a Mother's Day dessert should require a little more effort than simply scooping out some ice cream and drizzling it with Limoncello, but maybe that is just me. I do have to say though, if this is really all someone is capable of preparing - due to skill, time, or other reasons, is it really such a bad thing that the (admittedly quite lovely) little dessert wasn't really made from scratch?
In a special surprise election held yesterday, TV food icon Rachael Ray was named President of the United States.
Her challenger, Martha Stewart from the state of New York, put up quite a fight, but in the end, Ray squeaked out a win in electoral votes. Many people cite Ray's ability to seemingly be in every single state in the country at the same time, giving speeches and cooking demonsrations for crowds of supporters. Others cite Stewart's time in prison as working against her.
This is really the most logical next step for Ray, who has 27 shows on Food Network, her own monthly magazine, a daily syndicated TV show, her face on various products in the supermarket, DVDs, a Christmas CD, cookware, a new endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts, and her own planet named after her. Ray has said that the first thing she plans to do as President is to add the word "awesome" to the Pledge of Allegience.
After the jump, the complete statement from President-Elect Ray.
How can someone who puts out such a fun food mag put on such an unbearable TV show?
I want to like Rachael Ray, the TV show. I really, really do. Honest. But it's just an annoying hour to me. Maybe it's because I'm a guy. One minute Rachael will be teaching us how to make some cool quick meal with pasta and vegetables, and then five minutes later she'll be talking about women in abusive relationships or how someone can organize the shoes in their closets. It just doesn't work for me. (And there's also the whole thing with her voice and bubbly personality, which I can take on 30 Minute Meals but when it's an hour every day...). But it's really popular, so maybe I'm not the right audience.
But Every Day With Rachael Ray? That's a great little magazine. It has a bunch of recipes that you feel you can actually cook (unlike some mags), quick guides to eating in various cities, tips on shopping, tips on buying wine, interviews. It's well-done. If there's one quibble I have is the whole "celebrity fridge" feature in the back of every issue. It's kinda funny to see what celebs have in there, but do we have to have some quiz about what they have? On the same page where we can see the answers?!? It seems to be a quiz made for people who find the TV Guide crossword difficult.
Rachael Ray doesn't do too many vegetarian dishes on her show, 30-Minute Meals, and if she does do them, they're usually a side dish and not the main course. There are a few scattered here an there, however, and when you compile them all (along with a few that were not shown on TV, or were show in different variations) into one volume, it suddenly looks like there are a lot! In Veggie Meals: Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals, Rachael applies the same quick-fix, casual-measuring techniques that helped push her into stardom to vegetable-centric dishes. These recipes are a great place to start if you're looking for a very accessible resource to help you incorporate more veggies in your diet because all of the dishes are interesting enough to make you want to serve them again and again, but not so exotic that a picky eater (i.e. a veggie-phobe) will be turned off. Recipes include vegetarian Chili, Eggplant Parmesan, Quesadillas with Pico de Gallo salsa and Chunky Guacamole, and Chick Pea and Cannelloni Minestrone.
Just in case she happens to find herself with a spare two or three minutes a day, Rachael Ray has sourced yet another job. In addition to hosting her three television shows -- Rachael Ray, 30-Minute Meals, and Tasty Travels -- she is also the editor-in-chief of her own magazine Every Day With Rachael Ray, has written numerous cookbooks, and recently launched her own brand of olive oil. Now, you can add Dunkin' Donuts spokesperson to that ever-increasing list.
When asked how she manages her schedule, she answered in true spokesperson form. "The answer is coffee. Having grown up in the Northeast, I have a longstanding and deep appreciation for Dunkin'."
For the next three years, Ray will be involved in all aspects of the Dunkin' Donuts marketing campaign including television spots, online ads, radio, print, and personal appearances. In addition, she will be working with the DD culinary team to help develop food and beverage options that are better for your health. My guess is either the EVOO Donut Delish or the Yum-O Cappuccino.
I'm not completely sure how many cookbooks Rachael Ray has to her name right now, so let's just say that there are more than enough to choose from. RachaelRay's Open House Cookbook, however, seems to be one of her more popular books. It was originally published in 2000 and was such a hit that used copies of the previous edition are selling for somewhat shocking amounts. Fortunately, this paperback reissue brings the price back down and everyone can, once again, afford to get a little more of RR's culinary wisdom.
Whether you're a fan or not, a shortcut or two can always come in hand when you're entertaining and Ray's easy style is easily incorporated into your planning. Easy and crowd-pleasing, yet still far from "semi-homemade," these are recipes that you'll turn to again and again, in addition to being ones that you fall back on when you really need an extra dish for a few unexpected guests
Okay. I'm all for rabid celebrity fanaticism, and I enjoy the occasional portrait tattoo. But seriously?
How did we miss this?!?!
Unfortunately, it's only her syndicated daytime show on ABC, not all 9,832 of Rachael Ray's other shows on the Food Network. According to an "impeccable" source to 
I know, I know, it seems like we have Rachael Ray news at least once a week here, but hey, the girl is popular and seems to be EVERYWHERE (your television, Dunkin' Donuts, boxes of Triscuits) so...
Now, this isn't exactly breaking news. Bourdain has had a lot of things to say about Rachael Ray, as well as other TV cooks like Sandra Lee and Emeril Lagasse. But his venom is a little bit more specific this week.
I haven't had a great breakfast in a while. I usually just grab a granola bar. But here are some recipes for breakfast foods, including 
Like many classic kitchen tools such as the cast-iron pan, old-fashioned pastry blender and our good friend the mortar and pestle, the mezzaluna has a simple design that gets the job done. Whether chopping chocolate, chervil or nuts, all you need to do is rock the crescent-shaped blade back and forth.
As already mentioned, I am on a quest for Mother's Day food ideas this week and came across this recipe for a 
Need something to feed your pet? How about a 
In a special surprise election held yesterday, TV food icon Rachael Ray was named President of the United States.
How can someone who puts out such a fun food mag put on such an unbearable TV show?
Just in case she happens to find herself with a spare two or three minutes a day, Rachael Ray has sourced 
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