Newman's Own Cookbook: Sparkling Recipes from Paul Newman and His Hollywood Friends Book

Paul Newman (yes, that Paul Newman) describes his principal vocation as cooking, although he has managed to find the time to dabble in acting and films and to become "number nineteen on Nixon's enemy list". Newman's business partner A.E Hotchner likewise has contrived to write a number of books and plays. In 1982 they founded Newman's Own, a small business producing bottled salad dressing which subsequently grew into a multinational, multi-million-dollar food empire, from which every cent in profits is given away to charity. Newman's Own is the book of the conglomerate. Making liberal use of their fine, all-natural products, they have assembled a collection of recipes that range from the simple to the sophisticated, but are always delicious. Some are their own, some are contributed by family and friends (and what friends!), some are prize-winners in a competition the company sponsors each year. From friends, the recipes include "Whoopi Goldberg's Big Bad Ass Beef Ribs", "Robert Redford's Lamb Chilli With Black Beans" and "Julia Roberts' Peach Crisp"; there are further contributions from Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, no less, Harry Belafonte, Matthew Broderick, Holly Hunter ... Half of Hollywood seems to have queued up to offer something. But many of the best recipes are the competition winners, many of them archly referring to Newman's acting sideline: how about "Judge Roy's Zesty White Bean Bisque", "Towering Inferno Creole Posole", "Butch's Wild West Tex-Mex Salad"? The book is much enlivened (as if it needed it) by letters from satisfied customers. We learn that Newman's Own Salad dressing makes an excellent furniture polish, that it removes tar and that their salsa is an efficient lung tonic. Most satisfied of all, perhaps, is a formerly cough-plagued auctioneer who recommends that the Virgin Lemonade be labelled "Cuts through phlegm". --Robin DavidsonRead More