# Paula Deen



## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I've got Food Network on as I'm answering some e-mail, and Paula Deen's show is on. She's making (among other things) blueberry dumplings. They look wonderful.

I've caught a few of her shows and have been charmed. This woman has a great sense of humor and, apparently, arteries of steel judging from the cholesterol and fat her scrumptious recipes contain.

It dawned on me that Paula is the Southern Julia Child. We all cherished Julia's sometimes giddy sense of humor ("Wang!!"). Well, I saw the same with Paula today. She dished up a generous serving of blueberry dumplings and giggled deliciously as she laid a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Then, searching for a tasting spoon in vain, she grabbed a huge stainless steel commerical-style spoon, shrugged her shoulders, and dug in.

We loved Julia's warbling voice; I love Paula's accent ("Bohle those blueberries!")

I think a star is emerging. What do _you _think?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Never heard of her. But I have no cable of satellite either, so no big surprise. Sounds like I'd liker her though.

Phi


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Paula Deen's LADY AND SONS RESTAURANT is a real landmark in Savannah, Georgia. I ate there a couple of months ago and the food tasted great. The food is southern faire without being chi-chi.


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## chef heather (Aug 17, 2004)

I love Paula! She's pretty, sassy and a good ol' southern cook. Can't compare her in any way shape or form to Julia though. Julia was a master of French classical cooking and her technique and knowledge was staggering. Paula's techniques are often as home spun and incorrect as she is. Paula can boast probably the very first "BLEEP" I ever heard on Food Network. She was fryin' up some buffalo chicken wings and she got spattered by the hot fat. She said something like "Oh you little son of a BLEEEEEEEEP!!" It was "natural" and cute.  I love how she steps over her DAWG to get to her stove. How many of us do that every day?! Edited to add: I love when she cooks "Shrrrreeeeeeeee-UMP."  :lips:


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## sam (Oct 22, 2004)

I thought she was interesting until she made bread pudding out of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, sweetened condensed milk, and canned fruit cocktail.


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## rsthilaire (Dec 13, 2004)

I would really like the recipe for the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Rsthilaire, go to foodtv.com and search there. I'm sure you'll find it.

Oh, that is truly ugly food Sam, but no worse than the stuff I saw in White Trash Cooking!

Even Julia used conveniences like marshmallo creme once in a while.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

I caught her show a couple of days ago (no sound though) and she was making a chocolate pie with marshmellows, hershey bars melts and then whipped cream folded in.....scooped into a pre made graham crust.....again no sound but not postively impressed with her creation. 
This past week was interesting, I worked with Bob Blumer the surreal gourmet...he was more than I expected, staged at Campanile and Craft, just got back from France.....there was some substance to him.


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## hipjoint (Jan 29, 2005)

Mezzaluna said:


> Rsthilaire, go to foodtv.com and search there. I'm sure you'll find it.
> 
> Oh, that is truly ugly food Sam, but no worse than the stuff I saw in White Trash Cooking!
> 
> ...


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## joan_hoffman (Feb 3, 2005)

I watched the same show! It was the first, but will not be the last time, I watched it. My husband and I giggled all the way through !

The blueberry dumplings look superb. I will try and emulate them for my 82 year old father, when we return to Canada this spring. He loves his blueberries!

And Yes! A star is indeed born!


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## karen (Feb 7, 2005)

I'm a Food Network junkie !! I love to watch Paula. I saw her on the Emeril show last night. She was a hoot !!! Her new husband has such a catch. I wish I could know her personally. She would be a great person to know.


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## karen (Feb 7, 2005)

That is called a "Scottish Egg". They are baked in the oven though and omit the english muffin and gravy. Although, the gravy does sound good !!!


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I just saw part of an episode where Paula makes her new husband's favorites. One of them is a Mexican Chili recipe. I was disappointed to see her make heavy use of processed and packaged foods: canned beans, canned corn, packets of ranch dressing powder and taco mix. Maybe I'm going to revise my opinion of her a bit. That's getting too close to Sandra Lee's "Semi-homemade" style of cooking. Paula does make many things from scatch, but this wasn't her best work.

I hope this isn't a trend on Food TV!


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

If I may chime in on this one. Nothing, I mean NOTHING gives me heartburn like taco mix and burrito mix regardless of the brand. I just use plain ol' burger meat and spices from the spice rack. Taco mix, YUCK.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Koko,
Alot of people experience the same thing. Most of those packets havr Disodium inosinate,guanylate.and sulfiting agents etc.

I personally like here alot. She is great for the home cook, I just can't seem to get beyond that awful accent.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I just watched an episode where she had her sons on to make snacks for "Poker Night". What a riot!!!! The food they made was all right (won't win any awards), but a few things looked pretty tasty. As for using prepackaged food stuffs. I really don't have a problem with it as long Food TV keeps that stuff limited to only a few shows. There are plenty of "made from scratch" food shows on the network, I see nothing wrong with a few shows showing how to create tasty foods using these shortcuts. Again, as long as it doesn't become a trend that prevades all shows.


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## cooky (Mar 31, 2005)

I enjoy reading these posts about that woman that I don´t know and probably will never come to know as I don´t have access here to the tv series on cooking that she is moderating. The only more famous tv cook in Europe that I know of is Jamie Oliver. But even of him I have never had a chance to watch an edition. In a recent magazine series of cooking I found, however, several recipes of his. They are not vegetarian, which is a minus, but his ideas appear to be very inventive, decorative and easy to make at the same time.


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## metrakay (Apr 1, 2005)

I find her entertaining, and a lot of her ideas are good, I just don't like the way she executes some of them. I have a couple of her cookbooks -- and they are the same way, for example, they use a lot of canned refrigerator biscuits. I mostly use her books as idea generators.

She did have an updated version of the Tunnel of Fudge bundt cake recipe that my family had used as a birthday cake for years: the original used frosting mix, and when the dry mix was discontinued, so were our birthday cakes. She used premade frosting. I took her recipe and rewrote it without any mixes, using butter, sugar and chocolate in place of the canned stuff. 

When I was a kid, I never noticed the chemical taste from the frosting mix, either I was used to it or the mix didn't have the same flavor as the premixed frosting. The mix-free version is much tastier, and doesn't leave that metallic aftertaste in the mouth that the her version does.


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

OMG!!

Who, I mean, WHO has Krispy Kreme doughnuts long enough for them to go stale!!??

I'd love to try that, but, ahhhhh the sin of letting them stale.........

As to the scotch eggs. Interesting idea to pan fry them. Me, my heritage is very blended. What I grew up with and still do, is a meatloaf with pickled eggs through the centre...mmmm good!

Wish I got the Food Network. Don't, and don't think I will anytime soon. Ah, but as to the other great names in this thread..... MY FAV Julia moment.... roast chicken... slippery chicken..... in hand.... out of hand... on the floor... in hand... hand on apron...chicken then prepared..... mmmm a la floor  And that Jamie guy, a laugh for sure, and a real testament to the short bus

Oh, and is that what it is that causes that searing burning sensation I get from those flavour packets!? Well!! Thanks, never knew that before.... I don't use them except for the occasional "organic" mixes, and even then only rarely.....


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## kerryclan (Mar 13, 2005)

:lips: I have tried making fried chicken many different ways because it is one of my family's favorites. I must say that the Paula Dean trick of adding lots of hot sauce to the egg coating mixture sounded weird, but I tried it and OMG! The best fried chicken I ever made! The heat seems to cook out pretty much and leaves a fantastic flavor.


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## jenni belle (Mar 10, 2005)

I love Paula Deen! She cracks me up. I just love how she has to take a bite out of everthing she makes.....'Just a little bit, no one will even notice'.....and it's this monster sized serving! She just tickles me. I make her version of the gooey butter cakes for birthdays at my office job. Everyone loves them. I think that having like 3 sticks of butter and a pound of powdered sugar might have something to do with it.


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## markv (May 16, 2003)

Well I'm obviously in the minority but I can't stand the woman. She's too histrionic and dramatic for my liking and so........I don't want to use any politically incorrect terms regarding refuse that's pale in color, but let's just say she's not going to win a Golden Globe for sophisitication or grace.

I'll never forget the show where she made cracker salad. Crushed up saltine crackers with mayo. Good Lord! I don't want to come off as hoity-toity but cracker salad???? It sounds like something that should be in a Jeff Foxworthy skit.

But the grossest thing of all, and I've seen her do this more than once, is take an inordinately large mouthful of food and stare at the camera as she gnaws on it like a cow's cud. So gross I want to puke. 

C'mon guys, someone must agree, there's a difference between down-to-earth charm, (which she has some of), and being undignified and uncouth.

My grandmother was from a farm in the hills of Virginia but she was mannerly and ladylike. I don't want anyone to think I'm being prejuduiced toward the south. It's NOT about the culture. It's about her character.

To be fair, I must admit that some of her recipes are good. But as the old commercial used to say: "Take Human Bites!"

Mark


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## kerryclan (Mar 13, 2005)

LOL! Mark. How true. She obviously looooves her food. Talking about a mouthful of food in the camera, ever see Lidia? She'll stuff a tennis ball size amount of pasta in her face and then try to talk! 
But she is less uncouth than Paula. 

I still get a kick out of Paula, though. Maybe because I'm a 6th generation New Yawker and the whole southern thing is alien to me.


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## mssmokey (Apr 13, 2005)

I love Paula's antics and her wonderful Savannah, Georgia accent. I like the way she tastes her dishes, too. Be ware of the cook who won't eat his/her own food!! Paula Dean appears to be the real thing.
I'm in my early 50's and I have had to cook for a hungry family my entire life and Paula is the first person to be able to break the kitchen ice with me. She cooks practical food that my family will really eat. Most of her recipes are absolutely wonderful and not so complicated that I can't find the ingredients in our small town grocery stores. Yeah, most southern cooking is a little on the heavy side but being careful when LOADING your plate will put that problem to rest. I'm southern myself and have eaten this way all my life. Sitting in a doctor's office is a rare event for my family and me and you are what you eat... right?
I wish Paula continued success. Her sons are adorable and her show seems to support a family atmosphere that is so needed these days. My husband and I are planning a trip from our home in Alabama soon to visit Savannah and "Lady and Sons" is on our list of places to dine.

MsSmokey - no I don't smoke


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## temdem (Jun 13, 2006)

As an 11th generation southerner,I must say that Ms.Deen does not represent us all.She is loud and obnoxious.She uses poor grammar,bad manners,and she is not bright.She rarely washes her hands.And,when she does,she rarely uses soap.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

I'm mixed about Paula. She's kind of fun, but much of her food is way too heavy for us. I saw the Krispy-Kreme bread pudding episode with horror. Wasn't there an entire can of prepared frosting in there, too? 

Just _reading_ about the cracker-mayonnaise salad made me queasy. Thank God I didn't catch that episode.It reminds me of a recipe that appeared on Ritz cracker packages for years..."Mock Apple Pie." You took a pie shell, filled it with crushed Ritrz crackers, and sprinkled this with sugar. and then saturated the whole thing with lemon juice. I don't remember whether you baked it or just ate it cold. Needless to say, we never did either.  
Speaking of outlandish food, I think many of you would enjoy James Lileks' blog, _Gallery of Regrettable Food._ It contains many ads, recipes, and other food items from the 40's and 50's. He's a collector of food-related items from that era.

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html

He's a columnist for the Minneapolis _Star-Tribune._

Take a look. There are a half-dozen separate subjects on his site, all enjoyable.

Mike


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Since starting this thread I've repented of my opinion. She may have started out genuine, but she's gone waaaaaaay commerical. As noted here by others, she's using too many processed ingredients and has become more of an entertainer than cook. I do find her more appealing than not, but the shows aren't what they were. She's more like Sandra Lee than Julia Child now. I see that her two sons are getting a show too. We'll see what that's about.


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

Being from the Southern United States myself I do find her accent just a little way out there. I don't know if shes been instructed by producers to accentuate the accent or not. Show reminds me a little bit of "Gone with the Wind" kitchen style no offense to the original movie or the actors that played in it.

Rgds Cakerookie...aka Rook


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I just don't get a clean feeling from the show. wiping nose,dogs, what appears to be the same shirt over nad over:lol: I respect all those personalities taking money from this stupid new look.


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

Pan a few of those words fall into my adjective book don't they?:lol: Be honest I have never watched more than 5 minutes of the show myself. If I watch a cooking show and do not learn something in the first 5 minutes I am flipping the remote.

Rgds Rook


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Yeppers that accent is awful. Dont think I ever heard anybody sound quite that Southern countrified. She must be from E. Texas or Arkieville one or the other. I aint never seen her make anything which appeared fit to eat. I like to look at Rachel Ray much mo betta. Now If I want to know something about cooking stuff..I prefer Alton Brown. Emeril is a dumb portugese yankee from Falls River Mass. Whut could he know huh?

bigwheel


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I would not get involved in anymore Food Network discussions here but something keeps pulling me into these things.Curosity? Heck who knows but what I do know is that when it comes to all things food science Alton is the man on Food Network. I picked up a copy of one of his books today at the library and thumb through it I must say it does not do him justice would not buy it.

Rgds Rook


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Ahhhh a person after me own heart here . Now whut ever happened to our other girlfriend named Jaqui Malouff? I woulda traded in the wife and family on that deal most likely. Sure glad she finally dumped that red headed goose loser she was associated with for a while. Mango chipolte chutney salsa would gag a gut wagon maggot no doubt. Smart thinking. 

bigwheel


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

I recently worked on Ms. Deen's forthcoming book, _Paula Deen Celebrates_. According to material in it, she is indeed from Georgia -- a native and lifelong resident, iirc. My guess is that the TV accent has grown thicker as she becomes more popular, for effect. Just a guess, because I haven't seen her show in years. So I also can't comment on her on-screen habits. But she's not professionally trained, and never claims to be -- in fact, her story of how she started her catering company, and then the restaurant, is probably viewed as quite inspirational.

As for the quality of her TV recipes: well, at least she gets people into the kitchen and cooking more than, say, Sandra Lee.  Gotta remember, not everyone feels comfortable even opening that can of frosting.  The only criticism I will voice is: That woman uses a TON of sugar! :crazy:

Changing subjects slightly: if you want some really basic, honest Tennessee-mountain cooking mixed with a few condensed-cream-of and Jell-O-and-Kool-aid recipes (not in the same recipe, though  ), be on the lookout for _Dolly's Dixie Fixin's_, due out later this year or early next, by . . . Dolly Parton!  Really a delightful book to read, and some of the recipes are actually worth having.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

A couple of things:

Regarding her accent, yes she may play it up a bit, but not much. Have you ever met someone from the middle of Georgia (she was born and raised in Albany, before heading to Savannah). Their accents can be so thick they almost drip. For any Northerner who hasn't spent time in the deep South, not all Southern accents sound alike. A Texan sounds very different than a Georgian, who sounds very different from someone in New Orleans, who sounds very different from someone from Kentucky, who sounds very different than someone from N. Carolina. There are also degrees in the thickness of an accent stemming from where they are from.

As for her using way too many "processed" ingredients. Have you ever looked really looked through a bunch of church or Junior League cookbooks? Pick up any locally produced, home-spun cookbooks and you will see considerable use of processed ingredients. She cooks like a lot of people of her generation do. A judicious amount of processed products, at times, but still can turn out food, from scratch that rules. Reminds me of my Grandmother. She could make a pie crust as tender and flaky as the best pastry chef. She would make and hand cut egg noodles for every holiday, and bake cookies until the cows come home, but she was also the queen of convience foods so she wasn't always spending time in the kitchen. I remember that she used to make the best Iced Tea in the world and then one day I saw her using Lipton Instant Iced Tea and I was blown away.

And again, I find myself defending Food TV. Don't get me wrong, I can't stand most of the shows on there, but the Execs. there are not idiots. They put on what sells, what turns a profit for them. And ultimately that is their goal, to make the biggest profit they can for their shareholders. Everyday I hear from people (not associated with this website) about how great Rachel, Paula, Emeril and Bobby are. Face it, we are in the minority. And we also tend to be overly critical, with the exception of our discussion about "Semi-ho-made." Just saw the last few minutes of her show a couple days back. I find nothing redeeming about her or her food.


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## skilletlicker (Aug 19, 2005)

Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely watch for it.


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

Suzanne did Dolly actually write these things? I might glance through it in the bookstore but I doubt it will be high on my list of wanted books. Not saying that the book will not be any good just have a hard time associating Dolly Pardon with a cookbook.

Rgds Cakerookie...aka Rook


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## diane (Mar 24, 2006)

Our food network will obviously be different from yours, we do get a lot of English programmes. But we do have Alton, Emeril, Paula Deene, Flay etc. Of course most of these are several years old. One recent pleasing prog. is conducted by a very elegant Maori woman, so it is all local ingredients. My daughter recently told me what s'mores are. Pass, thank you. 

I think, in general, that the US diet has substantially more sugar in it than NZ. But that is changing unfortunately. And as for Paula, well I find her accent somewhat, umm, penetrating. My favourite of all time is Rick Stein. I like the travelling programmes from the US as well, showing me a country and people/foods I will never otherwise see. I can't remember if it was Roker on the Road, or Flay that showed an omlette being made on the flat top by a fellow who had clearly made at least a million before. And the ribs, huge flats of smoked and dressed and BIG. Nothing like that here. And Alton of course, we really like him. Tyler, naturally. I would quite like Emeril, except for all the braying from the audience. It gets so loud. Having said all that, I know I could never do what these people do. And they are teaching people, even if they do things like cracker soup, or whatever, at least it isn't coming from McDevils et al. Even if one person learns, the simplicity of soup, the joy of good casserole, the ease of a roast dinner. And that they don't need dessert.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

You can be sure that it sounds a lot like her!  And I know that the recipes have been tested -- which is more than I can tell for some of the fancier books I work on!


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Ya know this talk of celebrity cookbooks got me to yearning for one I used to possess but loaned out to some future ex-daughter in law and aint seen it since. It was called Granny's Hillbilly Cookbook and was supposed to have been by Irene Ryan and some other lady who prob done the work. The book had a bunch of good recipes including some cornmeal and pork recipes which seemed to be based on the diet of folks from NC or maybe TN circa 1950 or so...with many recipes I had not seen before or since. The book always start out the recipe with a cute story about how it got the name or some of the ingredients..then you got two columns one of which was the joke recipe..and the other of how to really make it. Spent a lot of fun hours reading the book and playing around with the recipes. If anybody see a copy up for sale be good to grab it I think. 

bigwheel


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