May 26 2008
Cooking Star - Rachael Ray
Cooking Star – Rachael Ray
Talk about being in the right place at the right time.
Rachael’s Professional Life
Rachael Ray, of famed “30 Minute Meals and “The Rachael Ray Show,” started out working in her family’s restaurants growing up. Professionally she worked as store managers and buyers. When she went to work for Cowan and Lobel, a gourmet market in Albany as the store manager and buyer, she started cooking classes to increase sales. Thus, was the beginning of “30-Minute Meals. Her classes became so popular that the local news got drift of them and scurried on down to cover a class. Only a week later, an Albany tv station requested she do a series of “30-Minute Meals,” one a week. She was nominated for two regional Emmys. And, of course, it’s all history after the Food Network picked up the show.
It just goes to show you, you never know who’s watching your work, so maybe it’s a good idea to act like someone always is when you are doing the work you love – cooking. This story could be called, A Food Star is Born. It seems she was discovered just like the old-time movie stars.
An Expected Beginning
Rachael was born into a cooking family which certainly gave her a background to draw on. However, not everyone is in love with the star of “The Rachael Ray Show.” Some say she’s not a “real” chef. She cuts corners, makes up cutesy names for her dishes and uses boxed ingredients. Some more well known chefs might cringe at some of her methods. However, her audience doesn’t seem to mind. She’s like the girl next door, down to earth and her cooking ideas are what American wives and mothers (some men) can practically use. Her entertainment value goes through the roof. And isn’t that what the tv conglomerates really care about – she sells soap.
A gazillion Cookbooks later, and now a magazine, Everyday With Rachael Ray. Well, all the big cooking stars are starting to get them.
Rachael Ray Statistics
Born: Rachael Domenica Ray
Birthdate: August 25, 1968
Birth Place: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Grew Up: Lake George, New York
Ancestry: Sicily, Italy
1 Marriage: John Cusimano, married in a Tuscan castle in Italy.
No Children
Our version of Rachael’s pancake recipe
Choconut Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup old fashioned oat meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1.4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup plain yogurt
¾ cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup apple sauce
¾ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup butter, melted
Chocolate syrup and dollop of whip cream, if desired
Directions
Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients and blend completely. Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry. Whisk completely. Pour batter onto grill or large frying pan, to the size pancake desired. Flip when bubbles form on the top of the pancake. Serve with chocolate syrup and whip cream.
