Monkey Brain

So I've been reading about how Martha Stewart is dissing Rachael Ray, and with all due respect to her empire (love Body & Soul, btw), Martha needs to get her stick out of her butt. She dismisses RR as an entertainer who doesn't teach, can't bake and repeats her recipes.

I have a special place in my heart for RR, who got me through some dark nights in late 2007. While my newborn slept, well, like a baby, I'd be up in the middle of the night, in pain and unable to sleep. As a result, I ended up with TWO sets of The Magic Bullet and a Food Network addiction.

RR taught me how to be a better cook. I learned how to salt the pasta cooking water, what the hell a roux and mirepoix are, and many basic cooking skills. I like that she tells me the same information over and over again because sometimes it takes a few tries for something to sink into this Monkey Brain of mine. I like that she tweaks recipes, which gives me license to be creative. She has a million recipes for Buffalo Chicken Insert Dish Here, and that's okay with me. If you like something, why not play around with it and find a new dish you like?

RR makes me feel like a good cook, and sometimes Martha sounds like a school marm and I feel a bit inadequate. Guess what Martha? Some people don't have time to garden and make marshmallows from scratch! But I still love you too, and I'm happy that such an arrogant asshole woman is successful; that's what I call feminist progress.