Customer Reviews

In the Kitchen with Elinor Donahue: Favorite Memories and Recipes from a Life in Hollywood

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must preface this review by stating that I am one of Elinor's sonsj, so this review is somewhat biased.

I read the book last night and beleive it will be a great read for anyone interested in television. Elinor highlights her career and much of the book is focused on shows she's acted in (Father Knows Best, The Odd Couple, Dr. Quinn) as well as shows produced by her husband, my father - Harry Ackerman (Bewitched, Dennis the Menace, Gidget).

I can attest to the tasty-ness of many of the recipies as I've eaten her creations for over thirty years!

This was a labor of love for my Mom and it shows. I recommend this as a great gift for lovers of "Hollywood" and cooking!

I _LOVE_ this book. I found it to be very unique, and different from most celebrity cookbooks ... It is very warmly written, a veritable treasure trove of fascinating little insights into Hollywood's biggest names (and their favorite recipes), and shows Elinor Donahue to be an exceptionally kind, lovely person. She also includes a large number of her own favorite recipes, which look delectable -- and which I can't wait to try. (My copy is studded with bookmarks, since there are so many dishes I'm eager to make.) I love it both as reading material, and as an outstanding cookbook. I'll be buying additional copies to give as gifts.

Elinor re-affirms her fans thoughts that she is indeed a warm and facinating person. Her collection of favorite foods and rememberances are entertaining as well as an insight into her life and dreams. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves TV history, great food, and, of course, Elinor Donahue.

I am a fan of Elinor's from the Father Knows Best days and am always thrilled to see her on TV or in movies. Reading this book I found out how little I knew about Elinor and her career. It was fascinating reading, I had no idea she had worked with so many great actors and had started in the business at such a young age. Haven't tried the receipes yet but they look really good too!

Ever since her "Father Knows Best" days, Elinor Donahue has been a familiar presence on our screens. She always seemed so "up". Is that real, or just acting? After reading this unusual book that is both an autobiography and a cookbook, I've reached the conclusion that Elinor is real, on-screen and off. I don't recall reading a single word in which she said anything bad about anyone. She seems to be as charming and optimistic as her image. She's a lady in the truest sense of the word, and it was a delight to read her book. Now to try out some of those terrific recipes . . . .

Elinor re-affirms her fans thoughts that she is indeed a warm and fascinating person. Her collection of favorite foods and rememberances are entertaining as well as an insight into her life and dreams. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves TV history, great food, and, of course, Elinor Donahue.

Let me explain the title of my review... My sister lent me this book, practically insisting that I read it. And to tell the truth, I was less than interested in doing so. I opened it with a sigh, with a feeling of obligation.

But from the first page, I was immediately taken with Ms. Donahue's anecdotes of her film and television career, her personal relationships; her lifelong friendships and other warm memories. To my surprise, I really LIKED reading this. In fact, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next in Elinor's life.

As a cookbook, however... Well, strictly speaking it's not really a cookbook. But even though I found a few nice new recipes I'm willing to try out, as Ms. Donahue admits, plenty of these recipes don't really suit today's more health-conscious lifestyle. Many of the recipes fall under the proviso of "comfort food" (read: caloric, sugary, salty).

Still, I do look forward to trying Jane Wyatt's great-grandmother's rice pudding recipe. And besides, this is a really nice memoir of a life well lived, and is very enjoyable reading.

THIS A VERY INTERESTING BILOGRAPHY REGARDING A WELL KNOWN ACTRESS.THESE RECIPES THOUGH SEEM A LITTLE OUT DATE IM NOT SURE IF SOME OF THEM ARE EDIABLE.THIS IS CERTAINITY NOT YOUR AVERAGE COOK BOOK. YOU WOULD PURCHASE THIS BOOK MORE FOR A NOVELTY THEN FOR A READ OF ANY SORT.