Deep Dish

For all my culinary friends who watch the cooking channel and food network this book is for you.  It is by far no literary masterpiece, and it doesn’t proclaim to be one.  It is a light fun summer read about two chefs that have local cooking shows in the south.

Gina has a show called Fresh Start. She takes your everyday southern dishes and prepares them in a healthy way. Unlike Paula Deen, who famously loves butter, Gina takes a lighter approach—though, don’t get me wrong, I adore Paula Deen and have even tried a few of her dishes. That said, they do lean heavy on the fat and calories.

Tate on the other hand has a show called Vitals, a show with a rugged, back-to-nature vibe.  Watching him, you half expect to have Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies pop up as a guest.   His show is all about venturing into the wild, catching his own ingredients andd then preparing them on air.   MMM MMM Good! Very cave man and very sexy.

A New York producer from the cooking channel is looking for a new show and has his sights on these two chefs.  He comes up with a brilliant concept having a Food Fight on TV and so Gina and Tate Square off.  May the best chef win. 

This book was written during the cooking channel heyday a time when these shows inspired want to be cooks like me.  I loved watching Rachel Ray whip up her 30-minute meals and Sandra Lee was truly inspirational as she prepared dishes on Semi-Homemade.  My family appreciated many of the recipes I prepared after seeing these shows.

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews is a cute, quick read that you can polish of at the pool in no time.