Dining with the Duchess: Making Everyday Meals a Special Occasion [Hardcover]

Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 1998

Once harshly scrutinized by the unyielding glare of the media, Sarah, The Duchess of York has come into her own as a chic, slimmed-down single mother with a new and exciting career. With her weight woes well behind her, she truly has become a role model for anyone who wishes to turn his or her life around. In fact, her triumph over adversity is just one reason why she is the perfect Weight Watchers member.

"Dining with The Duchess" is a unique collaboration, combining the Duchess's taste and style with the culinary and dietary expertise of Weight Watchers. With thirty menus that boast over 125 recipes, "Dining with The Duchess" is a compendium of easy-to-prepare recipes that are perfect for almost any occasion. Whether it's a simple weeknight dinner, an elegant holiday feast, or a perfectly modern English tea, these menus make everyday meals a fine dining experience. What's more, each recipe features Weight Watchers' revolutionary new 1-2-3 Success, the weight-loss plan designed for busy people who want to cook and eat delicious meals without guilt. The 1-2-3 Success Plan is easy to use; there's no complicated counting, and there are no forbidden foods. Also included for each recipe are points per serving.

In addition, recipes include the basic nutritional breakdown important to any dieter, as well as helpful cooking and presentation tips and hints, making "Dining with The Duchess" the perfect cookbook for anyone who wants to prepare light, healthy, and delicious meals with distinction and flair. Lively, personal anecdotes precede each menu, offering readers an intriguing glimpse into The Duchess's life and style.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When Sarah Ferguson first burst upon the world's consciousness as the soon-to-be wife of Great Britain's Prince Andrew, she was redheaded, freckled, and most definitely full-figured. Several years later, the red hair and the freckles remain, but the husband and the weight have both been shed, leaving the Duchess of York a slimmed-down single mom with a new career as, among other things, a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. In Dining with the Duchess, the author doesn't give any marital advice, but she does share her favorite low-fat recipes from the Weight Watchers program--everything from a simple weeknight meal to a festive holiday occasion. Menus range from the hearty warmth of a Tuscan dinner featuring Warm White Bean Salad, Lemon Chicken, Spicy Polenta, and Bittersweet Fruit to a holiday buffet that includes Provençal Beef Tenderloin, Risotto di Pavia, and Blueberry Zabaglione, among other delights. There are menus for birthdays and for New Year's Eve, for a night spent at home in front of the TV and for a follow-up to a day spent skiing. Each menu is introduced by the Duchess with an anecdote from her personal life. Dining with the Duchess lets you eat like royalty without getting Henry VIII's waistline.

From Publishers Weekly

The author, the former wife of Britain's Prince Andrew and mother of two children, is an official spokesperson for Weight Watchers, the weight management organization. When she was a royal, the Duchess's problems with weight were widely publicized. Attributing her success at weight loss to Weight Watchers (and friends), she adds personal narratives to 125 recipes that mix healthful eating and good taste with considerable panache. Arranged in menus (e.g., Cocktails at Six, A Simple Pasta Dinner, Holiday Buffet), a few suggestions are unexceptional (Genoa Canapes, slices of salami and mustard on party rye; Baby Lamb Chops broiled with garlic and salt). Many, however, yield appealing, uncomplicated fat-reduced dishes: a rolled Turkey Breast with Cremini Mushrooms and Leeks; Risotto di Pavia with asparagus, sherry, shallots and Parmesan cheese; Individual Ginger-Peach Soufflee made with dried peaches and egg whites. Convenience sometimes reigns (Celebration Birthday Cake uses a reduced-fat cake mix and canned frosting). But most recipes, sprinkled with suggestions for serving and substitutions, call for a reasonable number of fresh ingredients that can be combined in straightforward techniques. All come with nutritional analyses and points, the Weight Watchers unit of measurement. The Duchess's commentary is somewhat self-absorbed but will undoubtedly interest readers who follow the royals.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684849151
• ISBN-13: 978-0684849157
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,513,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Red hair and red hot, February 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dining with the Duchess: Making Everyday Meals a Special Occasion (Hardcover)

Dining With the Duchess : Making Every Day Meals a Special Occasion delivers on its promise. This delightful book not only gives readers an enormous amount of simple yet creative, low-fat recipes, it also provides us with wonderful tidbits from her personal life. And in the process, it makes any old Monday night a special occasion.

Sarah Mountbatten-Windsor York comes across as honest, down-to-earth and very funny. Royal-bashers should put their clubs away; this book is ripe with fantastic meal suggestions and real humanity. Yet aside from the heart-healthy (and mouth happy) recipes, the real joy of this book is when The Duchess gets personal, giving us humorous and sometimes moving snippets from her life.

This is an unusual cookbook. Not because it's authored by royalty, but because it's authored by a high-spirited, beautiful and talented woman who is fearless in the pursuit of herself. You just KNOW this woman is a wonderful mother and her two beautiful daughters will grow up to become strong, independent women with not only a royal title, but a sense of humor and a sense of self.

The Duchess' last book, My Story, was a fascinating and shamelessly honest confessional work, on a par with Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath.

My wish is that The Duchess writes another book, perhaps a novel.

Anybody who has ever struggled with self-image issues, calorie problems or depression should read this fabulous cookbook. It's a must for people who eat.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An overall wonderful cookbook, November 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dining with the Duchess: Making Everyday Meals a Special Occasion (Hardcover)

As a Weight Watchers member, entertaining has been one of my biggest challenges. Many of my tried and true recipes are ones that I am no longer comfortable serving - brie en croute, hot artichoke dip, stuffed sausage bread. This book has been a lifesaver! I have literally found something for every occasion in this gem. I've yet to find a child that didn't love the Honey-Dipped Crunchy Chicken Nuggets or an adult who couldn't believe that the various appetizers were not high in fat or calories. Not only are the Paremsan Cheese Straws delicious, but they are a snap to make.

The photos are beautiful and the layout and design of this book is really wonderful. The recipes are collected into menus and each contains not only the points per serving but also a tip about the recipe.

Please, Sarah, write another cookbook!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recipes and beautiful photos!, April 2, 1998

By 

Brooke B Brown (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dining with the Duchess: Making Everyday Meals a Special Occasion (Hardcover)

I am really enjoying this cookbook! The recipes are modern and very chic, without being too fancy. Sarah's commentaries are light, and the
thematic organization of recipes ("Saturday Night with a Movie," "Midday Respite") is very fun.

The colorful photos are great, and the tips at the end of each recipe are useful. This book would be great for anyone interested in low-fat, delicious cuisine that doesn't skimp on flavor. As a Weight Watchers member, I appreciate the modern format and current recipes in this book.

It's a winner!