Recipes for Life: My Memories [Hardcover]

Linda Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 2011

Ever since her dazzling debut as Audra on The Big Valley, Linda Evans has charmed millions of television viewers around the world with her talent, her warmth, and her beauty. Through it all, Linda has remained unaffected, grounded, and deeply spiritual.

In Recipes for Life, Linda opens up her heart, her past, and her kitchen. She shares a revealing assortment of anecdotes (magical moments mised with painful ones), photographs, and recipes enjoyed by Linda and those near and dear to her. Linda touches upon growing up, family ties, her incredible life in Hollywood, the friends she has made, and provides an intimate glimpse into her high-profile romances. At the heart of this memorable, touching, and inspiring story is how all of these ingredients have come together to make Linda the woman she is today.

True to her beloved personality, Linda warmly and candidly serves up a delightful banquet that Dynasty fans will truly savor. Complete with over 40 recipes, some handed down through generations (Mom's Hot Dog Stew), some taught by famous friends (John Wayne “The Duke's” Crab Dip), some inspired by supreme dining experiences from travels around the world (Ina Garten’s Filet of Beef Bourguignon), and still others from her winning appearance on Hell's Kitchen (Hell's Salmon), Recipes for Life is at once a delightful journey and a treasure trove of recipes of a life well-lived by a woman well-loved.
 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Attention-grabbing anecdotes, glossy photos and delectable recipes. With a warm, friendly tone, Evans gently guides readers through the seminal moments of her life and career. A mouthwatering blend of memoir and cookbook.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Entertaining…filled with magical moments, romantic adventures, friendships with the rich and famous, and personal challenges, with applications far beyond Hollywood and the kitchen.”
—Publishers Weekly

 “Linda has joyously combined her two passions in life—people and food—into a mouthwatering memoir. And just like the lady, herself, it’s Delicious!”
—Kathie Lee Gifford, TV personality and New York Times bestselling author

“A fun read from an iconic beauty and TV star.”
—Susan Lucci, TV legend and New York Times bestselling author

About the Author

Award-winning actress LINDA EVANS has personified beauty and grace to American television viewers for over five decades, from her role as Audra Barkley on The Big Valley, to the glamorous Krystle Carrington on Dynasty, to Hell’s Kitchen, which she won in 2009 in London, England. She has won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama series and has won five People’s Choice Awards for Best Female Performer. Linda was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. For her contribution to the television industry, Linda has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

After Dynasty, Linda moved from Hollywood to the Pacific Northwest, where she began an extraordinary journey of self-discovery.  She has returned to performing frequently, starring in the stage play, Legends, and winning the Hell’s Kitchen competition while working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White.

Linda’s often lavish and luxurious life has rivaled Krystle Carrington’s. She has dined with queens and presidents, been romanced by the rich and famous, and today, what Linda treasures most is the wisdom she has gained along the way.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Vanguard Press; First Edition edition (October 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593156480
• ISBN-13: 978-1593156480
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A unique Hollywood memoir in recipes September 28, 2011

By Diane VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Hollywood memoirs are a dime a dozen, some salacious, some introspective. Linda Evans, who has been on the radar since her days as ingenue Audra Barkley on TV's The Big Valley in the 1960's, has written a unique memoir titled Recipes for Life: My Memories, that incorporates her love of cooking with her tales of living and working in Hollywood.

I was a big fan of The Big Valley and later Dynasty, which was a monster hit in the 1980s, and always thought that Evans was not only beautiful but also talented. This delightful book has fifty recipes interspersed throughout the book, along with many photos and memories.

She begins the book with her childhood, and includes a fantastic photo of her parents who were professional ballroom dancers in the early 1940s. When times were tough, her mother made Hot Dog Stew, the first recipe in the book. (It's actually two recipes, as she shares her version and her sister's version.)

Evans' memories of her co-star Barbara Stanwyck enthralled me, as I am a fan. Stanwyck was a big star, and she gave much advice to the young Evans during their Big Valley days, in her inimitable way, as only she could do. Evans shares a recipe she created called Missy's Hobo Fillet, based on Chasen's Hobo Steak, a Stanwyck favorite. I'm definitely going to try this one.

John Derek was Evans' first big love, and she was devastated when he left her for 15 year-old Mary Cathleen Collins, soon to be known to the world as Bo Derek. Evans had many romances after that, and they are recounted here with stories and photos, along with recipes from parties she hosted and attended. There are many recipes from friends; whenever she ate something she liked, Evans always asked for the recipes, including three from John Wayne himself.

She shares memories of famous friends and colleagues, like Steve McQueen, Richard Burton, and a long time friendship with David Janssen of TV's The Fugitive, along with wonderful spontaneous photos of them at parties.

Evans' made a lifelong friend, Bunky, who eventually became her assistant and traveled with her on jobs around the world. Bunky is quite a character, and brought out the silly side in the usually reticent Evans.

One of the unique things that I remember about Evans is her friendship with John Derek's ex-wives. Ursula Andress, Bo Derek, first wife Pati and her daughter Sean, and Evans all became good friends, and spent a lot of time together, even celebrating his birthday all together.

The Dynasty days are covered, and Evans and screen hubby John Forsythe became good friends. Evans spent a lot of time with John and his wife, dining and vacationing together. She does address the Rock Hudson issue. He was guesting on Dynasty as a love interest for Evans, and was reticent to kiss her in a big scene. Soon she found out it was because he had AIDS. Reading her recollection of the story illuminates the feelings of that not-so-long-ago era.

This is a terrific way to write a memoir; Evans loves to cook (she even finished first on Hell's Kitchen, a London TV cooking competition show) and so wrapping her memories around recipes and fabulous photos is a natural. She shares her own recipes, and recipes of famous chefs like Julia Child and Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten, and many of them sound mouthwateringly delicious. The book is so beautiful, I will have to take care when using it in the kitchen; I don't want to get anything on the pages!

Recipes for Life is a great gift for anyone who loves Linda Evans, as well as anyone who enjoys cooking. Some of the recipes are definitely challenging, but there are some simpler ones in there as well. It reminds me of Paula Deen's autobiography from a few years back- a fascinating life remembered in recipes.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Linda's Story + Handed Down Recipes A+ October 4, 2011

By M. G. Gagliano VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

What I Can Tell You: I was so excited to see read this book. I was a big fan of Linda's during her Dynasty days. I loved everything about her. Her hair, her poise, your history with John Derek. Reading this book was like stepping back into my own past while reading about hers. Complete with a candid, lovely story, beautiful personal photos and recipes handed down through generations, this book is a wonderful read.

There are so many stories that I remember from my own childhood and the Star magazines my grandparents had on the dining room table that I got to read the complete back story on. Very interesting book and well done. If you like autobiographies, this is the book for you. Linda is real reality she will always be Krystal Carrington to me.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read... October 6, 2011

By Fifty Is The New Forty

Format:Hardcover

I enjoyed both the memoir portion of this book AND the recipes! Actually there is a really nice mix of her own recipes, along with some that were shared with her over the years by stars and celebrities. Linda Evans is a warm and lovely woman who has forged her own path in life. She has a wonderful outlook and is an inspiration for all of us in or approaching 'midlife'. My interview with her for Fifty Is The New Forty was interesting. This book is definitely worth a read, and some of the recipes are really, really good! Recipes for Life: My Memories