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First of all, I am not Richard
Chamberlain, the actor. I am often asked, usually in a grocery store
line, if I am the real Richard Chamberlain. I always respond
"Yes, I am the real one, I don't know who that other guy is."
Having said that, I do think Richard Chamberlain is a first rate
actor.
Secondly, I am not a chef. I
don't know most of those fancy French words for stuff. The
recipes and tips in these books come from 50 years of cooking
for family and friends.
Anyway, I have enjoyed cooking most of my life, and have gotten good at
preparing a somewhat limited repertoire of foods. This has come
in very handy when raising a family because it was often
necessary for me to do the cooking.
My mother and my grandmother taught me most of what I know
about cooking. My mother worked in a store when I was growing up
and often did not get home until late. My father – God rest his
soul – could not boil water without burning it. He could make
almost anything out of sheet-metal but could not make any kind
of food. Since I was the oldest of four children, It often fell
on me to prepare the meals. My grandmother had arthritis and was
in a wheelchair, so when she lived with us, I would often be her
hands while preparing meals.
When my daughters were growing up I often prepared meals.
Schedules were so busy it was necessary to share the load.
These books represent many years of real experience having fun
cooking. Cooking should be fun. The recipes are intentionally
simple - mostly - and you should be able to prepare most of
them.
If you become familiar with the recipes and techniques in these
books you will be able to read other cookbooks and see ways to
tailor the foods to your own tastes. You will see where you want
to add a spice or use a different vegetable.
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