I really think a lot of the Rachel Ray success is due to working parents and young single women (maybe some men, too) who either don't have the time or don't want to spend the extra time in the kitchen cooking from scratch. I know when I was working outside the home, it was rough after being on my feet all day to have the energy and drive to come home and cook anything labor intensive. Now that I am home all day, I find myself cooking a lot differently and experimenting with new flavors and combinations. Since I do stay home, I don't always have a lot of money to spend on groceries and am always looking for new ideas to cook well on a budget. While I love seafood and the more expensive cuts of meat, I have to work with what I can afford on a daily basis to feed my family in the best way that I can. I love watching Julia Child, Jacque (sp?) Pepin, and others but don't usually have the ingredients they call for in recipes. When you're showing people at home how to cook, you have to take into consideration budgeting, experience or lack thereof, as well as availability of ingredients in all viewing areas. Too many times I see something I'd like to try and go looking for it but can't find it. This is why I understand why Food Network is on an upward swing. They're catering to the normal folks, not the experienced cooks or chefs.  |