Foodie Pseudery (42)
Some of the battiest lines in Gwyneth Paltrow’s new recipe book:
You’ll also see striped bass called for in a lot of the fish recipes — that’s because it swims in the waters close to Gwyneth’s summer home [in Martha’s Vineyard], where we do a lot of cooking.
My old assistant, Cleo, insisted we include her secret afternoon shake.
Our dear friend Cameron [Diaz] is a master popcorn maker — and this is one of the many reasons she is Apple and Mosey’s favorite house guest.
I once overnighted a batch [of almond butter cookies] from London to my manager in Los Angeles who was doing the clean program and was dying for a cookie! They did not disappoint.
I know that Paltrow is – like Ruth Reichl, I suppose – an easy target. But a lot of what this recipe book of hers recommends, is dangerous nonsense. I want to draw attention to the fact that Paltrow is not a nutritionist. She’s an actress. With a deeply odd relationship with food.
Tangerine and Cinnamon 
Worrying about her ‘dangerous nonsense’ gives her too much credit. If any of the crackpots who buy her book give up everything but quinoa and lettuce for a week it can do them nothing but good. Very like Ruth Reichl in her deliciously total self-absorbtion. One more golden listing in the Foodie-Pseudery role of honour
Yes – that is true.
And thank you! Alas, the food writers of the world have been suspiciously well behaved recently. I have, though, come across a discussion between M Pollan and Ruth Reichl, for which I have high hopes…