Hit TV series Desperate Housewives inspires collection of recipes
Kitsch? Arguably. Fun? Most definitely.
Faced with the drudgery of having to decide what to prepare for dinner day after day, even the most able housewives have been known to succumb to feelings of desperation. So who better to turn to for help than Bree Van De Kamp, the unparalleled über-homemaker, or the more modest mother of four Lynette Scavo?
Inspired by the successful TV series “Desperate Housewives, the selection of recipes created by Christopher Styler entiled, The Desperate Housewives Cookbook: Juicy Dishes and Saucy Bits creatively captures the style of each housewife. From Bree’s carefully crafted cuisine to Susan Mayer’s fool-proof simple dishes these recipes are perfect for any housewife. Solis’s saucy effortless Mexican dishes that can be thrown together with minimal effort, and Lynette’s meals-in-minutes are perfect for mothers always on the run. And for that lasting impression, Britt includes a few of her crowd-pleasers, particularly if it’s a crowd of men.
The recipes run a gamut of styles suitable for all occasions. If you’re planning a formal dinner then turn to Bree, the epitome of the sophisticated hostess, on the surface at least. “Anything worth doing is worth doing right, as Bree constantly reminds members of her family. “Food is not worth preparing unless it requires great skill and showcases her talent . So in Bree’s world, meals are not about convenience. They’re about simmering, braising, puréeing, steeping, chopping and flambéing. (I m assuming these are quotes from the book, though the first one may be from the show. I am not sure of the style to use here. I imagine it also needs to be attributed to someone since it is in quotes.)
Start with the Basil Purée Soup, a light chicken broth blended with fresh basil and generous dollop of heavy cream. As a side salad, toss together some lettuce with chili-toasted walnuts, blue cheese and orange wedges. For the main course impress your guests with Bree’s Two-Step Braised Duck, prepared ahead of time so that the duck absorbs the aromatic sprigs of rosemary, thyme and sage, and soaks in the brandy and wine. Accompany this with ginger-spike baby carrots. And for the finale, a Blueberry Crisp topped with delicate pine nuts. There you have it, the ultimate dining experience for your guest that will put any housewife to the test.
For those who are not quite up to Bree’s culinary skills, then Susan’s selection might be more appropriate. She is described in the cookbook as “a woman with better intentions than kitchen skills, Susan believes that it’s the thought that counts. But the road to hell s paved with the best intentions, and the road to gastrointestinal illness often starts in Susan Mayer’s kitchen.
Recipes in this section are fool-proof and require “plunking ingredients into a skillet, baking dish or pot, and allowing the rising temperature to do most of the work. So, if you’re in a hurry, turn to this section for simple recipes: mac and cheese, vegetarian chili or Sloppy Joes.
For the more pragmatic housewife and mother of four sprightly children, Lynette’s selection fits the bill. “Like most people, Lynette has a complicated relationship with food. Her goals in the kitchen are practical ones, reads the cookbook. She yearns to find a way to find a way to make sure her family eats health, good-quality meals, but know that she really doesn’t have the time to prepare them on a nightly basis. Sound familiar?
Lynette offers recipes for classic family fast food: the grilled cheese sandwich in “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grilled Cheese (But Were Too Busy to Ask), meat loaf, potato casserole, and broccoli and cauliflower with seasoned bread crumbs. Between recipes, you can read about Lynette’s theories on cake mix.
As an ambitious career woman by day, Lynette is known for her ruthless efficiency. So her litany of recipes includes “Romantic Dinners/Dinners to Impress. Because on the rare occasion when she wants to prepare a romantic dinner for her husband Tom, or when she’s entertaining clients, her “passion for perfection and penchant for planning shines through. But ever the pragmatist, she manages to leave a maximum impression with minimal effort. Try the Do-Ahead Mushroom Souffle and the Broiled-Baked Salmon Fillets with Mustard Bread Crumbs accompanied by asparagus topped with thin shavings of Parmesan.
For something more sultry and saucy, Solis and Britt are your girls. While Gabby prefers simple, healthy meals (preferably prepared by someone else), her former life as a top model has given her a palette for the finer tastes in life. This saucy Latina, however, spices up the recipes with a selection of traditional Mexican dishes, including her mother-in-law’s Quesadillas.
Britt is a firm believer that “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Though, more often than not, she’s more interested in the “rippling muscles that surround it. Cooking is a form of seduction. For a selection of come-hither recipes try Oysters Poached in Champagne and Cream, Sausage Puttanesca (pasta optional), and Make-Your-Own Sundae (Ice Cream Optional).
The cookbook offers recipes as varied as the women on Wisteria Lane. The result is a selection of recipes for every skill level and suggestions for every occasion. And as you’re leafing through the pages, the drudgery is overshadowed by amusing takes from the TV series, notes from the characters, imaginary shopping lists.
Can preparing the evening meal, night after night, actually be fun?
The Desperate Housewives CookbookJuicy Dishes and Saucy BitsRecipes by Christopher Styler, Text by Scott S. TobisBased on the series created by Marc CherryHyperion Book, 2006 (Hardback)
Available at the Diwan bookshop in Zamalek LE 120
