Not only is it practical and readable but it's also funny. Highly recommended: http://www.amazon.com/How-Repair-Food-Marina-Bear/dp/0898151783/ref=tmm_pap_title_0 Thanks Marina & John!
I remember seeing John on Letterman after the book's release. From what I recall, Dave kinda savaged the idea, and I don't recall the charm of the book getting through. John, obviously, would recall it better.
The Amazon readers gave it high marks, which is what made me buy it. Good price too. I wouldn't listen to Letterman if he claimed to speak for God and I'm betting he didn't bother to read the book. He's such a snarky little pissant snot. And those are his good qualities.
Well, to be fair, he's also an HR expert, or at least that's what I gather from having heard that he's on top of his staff.... -=Steve=-
Thanks for the kind comments, cute deedle. Now that Random House has bought Ten Speed Press, there has been much speculation on which of the 2,000 titles they acquired will be revitalized (they've said about 25%) and which abandoned. We've just signed a contract for a revised and expanded "How to Repair Food" to be published next fall. Turns out that will be its 40th anniversary. It's kind of a rare thing for a book to remain in print that long. As for Letterman, it was really a very positive experience. His staff said that if people stand up to him, and are funny, he really likes that. We set up a long table with a dozen or so things that could be quickly repaired: fallen cakes, burned bread, mushy vegetables, etc. The first demo was very wilted drooping celery. Letterman held it suggestively over his crotch and said, "What can we do about this?" "Plunge it into ice water," I replied, grabbing it and doing just that. Grabbing the celery, that is. We were buddies after that, and my moment of fame was actually extended by a few minutes. (Part of that, I think, was that the next guest was Howard Cosell, and he was already three sheets to the wind when he arrived.) As a reminder of how books can be sold . . . over the next few days, Ten Speed got about 10,000 orders . . . not so much from the general public, as from wholesalers and bookstores thinking, "Hey if that guy is on Letterman, we better stock up on his book." Final comment: the Letterman people treated me better than any other author thing I've done (which have included The Today Show, 3 times on Good Morning America, Fresh Air, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and many others.). Business class air fare, good hotel, use of a limo for two days. And the splendid bonus that, because the 2nd limo didn't show up, I got to share one with B. B. King and Lucille (even if he said not a word).
That's fabulous news! Thanks for the anecdotes and I will watch for the updated book to buy. I read mine in about an hour. Very witty yet practical -- and the repair tips are valid, in my cooking experience. I even learned something -- about pouring boiling water over citrus fruit to peel them more easily. That alone was worth the modest price of the book because I just bought a new centrifugal juicer. So ..... thanks!
