Wednesday, August 12
Rachael Ray Doesn't Want to be Lumped in With Sandra Lee
Poor Sandra! Even Rachael Ray doesn't want to be associated with her!
In a recent Newsweek article titled "Sandra Lee: The Anti-Julia", Rachael said:
"Child really was the forerunner for everything that happens on the Food Network. [I get] lumped in with Sandra Lee, but whatever. I try to do more than that—and I think it's important, for example, to start relearning to cut up whole chickens."
Sandra on the other hand carried on with her assertion that "no one has the time to cook the [Cordon Bleu] way, anyway" and lamented the loss of cocktails in her new show, Money Saving Meals (the alchy is too expensive now for Auntie Lee).
Still, to me, the article is a little mean-spirited and comes across as another biased attempt to bash Food Network and its perpetual punching bag Sandra Lee. I just don't get why Sandra even agrees to doing an article about Julia Child. Does she not know what they're going to say?!
The article also has a few blatant errors. The writer claims that Sandra is "the only host with two cooking programs playing in rotation." Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian and Giada at Home come to mind, and many hosts have multiple "programs" (not necessarily cooking programs, though) on the network.
I saw the movie Julie & Julia and do have a great respect for both Julia Child and Julia Powell, who managed, despite a full time job and other limitations, to cook her way though Child's entire classic cookbook. I know I couldn't do it. I know I wouldn't want to do it. But that doesn't mean I want to cook Sandra Lee recipes everyday, either. There should be enough hours in the Food Network's day to show a good mix. With shows by Anne Burrell, Ina Garten, Alton Brown... hell, even Claire Robinson & Daisy Martinez (who both graduated from culinary schools), I think it's getting there.
In a recent Newsweek article titled "Sandra Lee: The Anti-Julia", Rachael said:
"Child really was the forerunner for everything that happens on the Food Network. [I get] lumped in with Sandra Lee, but whatever. I try to do more than that—and I think it's important, for example, to start relearning to cut up whole chickens."
Sandra on the other hand carried on with her assertion that "no one has the time to cook the [Cordon Bleu] way, anyway" and lamented the loss of cocktails in her new show, Money Saving Meals (the alchy is too expensive now for Auntie Lee).
Still, to me, the article is a little mean-spirited and comes across as another biased attempt to bash Food Network and its perpetual punching bag Sandra Lee. I just don't get why Sandra even agrees to doing an article about Julia Child. Does she not know what they're going to say?!
The article also has a few blatant errors. The writer claims that Sandra is "the only host with two cooking programs playing in rotation." Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian and Giada at Home come to mind, and many hosts have multiple "programs" (not necessarily cooking programs, though) on the network.
I saw the movie Julie & Julia and do have a great respect for both Julia Child and Julia Powell, who managed, despite a full time job and other limitations, to cook her way though Child's entire classic cookbook. I know I couldn't do it. I know I wouldn't want to do it. But that doesn't mean I want to cook Sandra Lee recipes everyday, either. There should be enough hours in the Food Network's day to show a good mix. With shows by Anne Burrell, Ina Garten, Alton Brown... hell, even Claire Robinson & Daisy Martinez (who both graduated from culinary schools), I think it's getting there.
Labels: food network, Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee
posted by jacob @ 10:40 AM
14 Comments:
Nice article. I like Aunt Sandy. The new show is ok, definately not as much fun to watch as Semi-Homemade. You can keep RR, I have better things to do with 30 minutes, although I still want to make the dog treats for my dog.
Its interesting that Sandra Lee comments on the time of cooking when goodness knows how much time she spends working on her "table escapes". Who has the money or storage space to redecorate their kitchen everyday?
I agree with you 100%. I think that's why I enjoy the Food Network so much. There's something for everyone. While I know I'll never make half the stuff I've seen made on there - I'm always learning something new.
Say Jake, things are a bit slow here since you don't allow just anyone to comment these days.
I kind of liked those anonymous comments. I guess Jared is happy now.
One more thing. If you think this article is mean spirited and bashes the Food Network, you're totally wrong Jake. It is well deserved and pretty accurate. Sandra Lee advocates buying pre-chopped onions. Dummies and simpletons buy pre-chopped onions.
They should probably have singled out your buddy Tuschwipe as well, because this guy has almost singlehandedly made FN the laughing stock of cable TV.
I don't think you get it sometimes Jake. I really don't. Loyal FN viewers are not your ordinary dolts who crave reality TV programming and therefore require something a bit more substantive than what Bob and Susie have been dishing out lately.
Newsweek probably took it easy on them.
Amen brother!
Rachel would rather be lumped with Julia? That'd be a stretch.
J, you say "I think it's getting there." You mean it WAS there and is now trying to get back there? To gourmet cooking you mean?
Although Rachael from time to time uses help from the store, (i.e. shredded carrots), she really shouldn't be classified with Aunt Sandy. Not that Rachael is on there cutting up a whole chicken or boiling a lobster, but her dishes require more than just opening a can or using the slow-cooker. I'd like to hope that it wasn't a crack against Aunt Sandy though. Most of my friends dislike Rachael, and say that she makes slop pots, LOL
Chefography reruns are on this week. Watch them. Sandy will make money at what ever she does. Tough woman, trained chef. RR admits openly she is not a chef.
New shows include Duff, a mensa level genuis BTW, Guy, and the Neely's which so far I seem to have "missed" recording.
Not so fast Lord of Light. Who said Sandra Lee was a trained chef ? I think she did attend the satellite location of Cordon Bleu in Ottawa Ontario, but admits she never completed any courses.
Does that make her a "trained chef" ? Is Giada a trained chef then if she did the Paris location of Cordon Bleu for the weekend brunch pastry course ?
I've yet to read anywhere that these two graduated from Cordon Bleu which leads us to believe their relationship with the school is casual and is being used as a smoke screen to give them culinary credibility. If they were real graduates, Cordon Bleu would make it known.
This whole Chefography thing is a crock of shit too.
It is Tushelwipe leading us to believe these people are somehow important in the scheme of the American culinary scene. Creating more crap nobody cares about.
Next.
Wow the article was very mean-spirited. So it the Ray quote. I chuckle at Aunt Sandy's personality too (and this blog!) but she isn't really trying to be something she's not...she openly admits to using mostly store-bought. Her show is more of a lifestyle show than a cooking show...maybe it shouldn't be on FN but that's not her fault for capitalizing on a theme. Wow I can't believe I'm defending her but the Newsweek article was just so mean!
Alec Smart, you must be right. Going to skool and graduating are 2 different things.
I remember I used to say I attended ASU, now I don't say that.
Maybe the Newsweek people were wondering why so many people would try and follow Aunt Sandy's methods which advocate stupidity,laziness and overall lack of caring of what you feed yourself ?
Throw in copious amounts of booze and you can add the adjective drunken.
Alec you are so right!!!
The very thought of Rache in the same category as Julia Child is pretty damn funny. Yes, I DO think she's in the same category as Sandra Lee. But to be fair to both Ray and Lee, I would actually put Rache much higher in that same category than Sandra Lee. They're not trained chefs - and that's not a shameful thing, few of us are (though few of us have our own cooking shows, natch). But Lauren above made a good point: Rache is trying to make something edible. Sandy's more concerned with her tablescapes and her Cocktail Time, so she puts out crapola like that one recipe which included "pre-baked un-iced cakes you buy from a grocery store" generously iced with "frosting from a can" :p I'm sorry, but anyone who uses "pre-baked un-iced cakes you buy from a grocery store" as an ingredient in "cake" shouldn't have her own show. I am the first person to admit that Rachael Ray would try to bake her own cake, as much as she hates baking.
(This potshot at Aunt Sandy is too easy but...) Just an addendum to Alec above. Think about this: if Sandra Lee HAD graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, all else being equal, with Lee putting out the usual crapola that she does but spends ridiculous amounts of time and $$$ on her "tablescapes", wouldn't they rather HIDE the fact that she had graduated from there? It's a good point, I think :)
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