Synopses & Reviews
Do you know the real Paula Deen? You may think you know the butter-loving, finger-licking, joke-cracking queen of melt-in-your-mouth Southern cuisine. You may have even visited The Lady and Sons to taste for yourself the down-home delicacies that made her famous and even heard some version of her Cinderella story (a single mom with two teenage sons started a brown-bag lunch business with $200 and wound up with a thriving restaurant, a fairy-tale second marriage, and wildly popular television shows), but you have never heard the intimate details of her often bumpy road to fame and fortune.
Courageously honest, downright inspiring, and just a little bit saucy, Paula shares the highs and lows of her life in the inimitable charming and irreverent style that you know from her television shows and personal appearances. She talks about long childhood summers spent in a bathing suit and roller skates and hard years living in the back of her father's gas station; a buzzing high school social life of sleepovers, parties, cheerleading, and boys; and a difficult marriage. The death of her beloved parents precipitated a debilitating agoraphobia that crippled her for years. But even when the going got tough, Paula never lost the good grace and sense of humor that would eventually help carry her to success and stardom. Of course, you can't get by on charm alone: as Paula has learned, you need plenty of willpower, hard work, and, above all, the love and support of family and friends to finance, sustain, and run a successful restaurant.
In each chapter, Paula shares new recipes: there's serious comfort food like her momma's Chocolate-Dippy Doughnuts, Courage Chili for when you know life's going to get tough, Sexy Oxtails for seducing that special someone, and the recipe for her new mother-in-law's Banana Nut Delight Cake that Paula finally got just right. And you'll love the never-before-seen photos of her family.
In this memoir, Paula Deen speaks as frankly and intimately as few women in the public eye have ever dared. Whether she's telling tales of good times or bad, her story is proof that the old-fashioned American dream is alive and kicking, and there still is such a thing as a real-life happy ending.
Synopsis
- Fans love Paula Deen: Paula Deen: It Ain't About the Cookin' spent over 3 months on the New York Times bestseller list: there are over 500,000 hardcovers in print..
- A superstar author: Paula Deen is an American icon. She is one of the most popular hosts on the Food Network and with more than 6 million books in print, an expanding restaurant empire, her own line of furniture, cookware, and tableware, Paula's fame and retail power will only continue to grow..
- Rags-to-riches, the real Paula Deen: Starting with only $200 and plenty of faith and courage, Paula achieved success beyond her wildest dreams. She speaks to readers as frankly about her struggles along the way, including her difficult first marriage and her battle with agoraphobia. .
- Fairy tale marriage: Paula gives all the details on the romance with tugboat captain Michael Groover that ?captured the hearts of fans across the country. .
Synopsis
From the bestselling cookbook author and Food Network star comes an inspiring memoir with recipes. Paula Deen shares where she came from, how she transformed herself into a household name, and her exciting plans for the future.
Synopsis
• Fans love Paula Deen:
Paula Deen: It Ain’t About the Cookin’ spent over 3 months on the
New York Times bestseller list: there are over 500,000 hardcovers in print..
• A superstar Author - Paula Deen is an American icon. She is one of the most popular hosts on the Food Network and with more than 6 million books in print, an expanding restaurant empire, her own line of furniture, cookware, and tableware, Paula’s fame and retail power will only continue to grow..
• Rags-to-riches, the real Paula Deen: Starting with only $200 and plenty of faith and courage, Paula achieved success beyond her wildest dreams. She speaks to readers as frankly about her struggles along the way, including her difficult first marriage and her battle with agoraphobia. .
• Fairy tale marriage: Paula gives all the details on the romance with tugboat captain Michael Groover that ?captured the hearts of fans across the country. .
Synopsis
• Fans love Paula Deen:
Paula Deen: It Ain’t About the Cookin’ spent over 3 months on the
New York Times bestseller list: there are over 500,000 hardcovers in print..
• A superstar Author - Paula Deen is an American icon. She is one of the most popular hosts on the Food Network and with more than 6 million books in print, an expanding restaurant empire, her own line of furniture, cookware, and tableware, Paula’s fame and retail power will only continue to grow..
• Rags-to-riches, the real Paula Deen: Starting with only $200 and plenty of faith and courage, Paula achieved success beyond her wildest dreams. She speaks to readers as frankly about her struggles along the way, including her difficult first marriage and her battle with agoraphobia. .
• Fairy tale marriage: Paula gives all the details on the romance with tugboat captain Michael Groover that ?captured the hearts of fans across the country. .
Synopsis
and#8226; Fans love Paula Deen: andlt;Iandgt;Paula Deen: It Ainand#8217;t About the Cookinand#8217;andlt;/Iandgt; spent over 3 months on the andlt;Iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/Iandgt; bestseller list: there are over 500,000 hardcovers in print..andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; A superstar
About the Author
Paula Deen is the bestselling author of thirteen books and an Emmy Awardand#8211;winning Food Network television star. She was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she started The Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady andamp; Sons restaurant, which is located in Savannahand#8217;s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. She also co-owns Uncle Bubbaand#8217;s Oyster House with her brother. Paula publishes a bimonthly magazine, andlt;iandgt;Cooking with Paula Deen, andlt;/iandgt;and is a regular guest on QVC, where she sells her books and food products.andlt;bandgt;Sherry Suib Cohenandlt;/bandgt; has written twenty-one books for major publishers and was a contributing editor at andlt;iandgt;McCall'sandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Rosieandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;New Womanandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Lifetimeandlt;/iandgt; magazines. She regularly writes for periodicals, including andlt;iandgt;Paradeandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Family Circleandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Redbookandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Reader's Digestandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Ladies' Home Journalandlt;/iandgt;. Cohen is an award-winning member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and lives with her husband, Larry, in New York City. She makes a great soup.
Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword
1 Terror with No Name
2 Something Smells Good
3 On Not Listening to Yo' Momma
4 How Do You Get to Be a Woman of Substance When Your World's Fallin' Apart?
5 The Terror Did Have a Name
6 The Bag Lady
7 The Bottoming Out and the New Beginning
8 What I Did for Love
9 The Lady and Sons
10 Sharing Recipes
11 Love on a Tug: Michael
12 How I Got My Own Television Show, and It Wasn't No Desperate Housewives
13 Backstage Secrets and a Weddin' to Beat All
14 Blend. Don't Mix, Stir, or Beat
15 Food, Glorious Food, Southern Style
16 So You Want to Own a Restaurant?
17 Scenes from a Life: Growth, Cameron, Mr. Jimmy, Bubba, and Me
18 Southern Comfort: Things I've Learned
Index