Every Day With Rachael Ray

by William J. McGee, Jan 23, 2009, 12:30 PM

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It must be somewhat dicey to have a magazine named after you. In recent years, the crop of eponymous celebrity editors -- Oprah, Martha, Rosie -- has run the risk of alienating a certain percentage of would-be subscribers just for being who they are.

And so it is with Rachael Ray, whom I've learned from informal polling engenders strong feelings -- both good and bad. I'm neither a fan nor a critic of her TV show, multiple book titles, and cookware line, so I approached the February issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray without bias. My experience with food has focused on the consumption end more than the supply side, so I considered myself a good subject for the woman who has given our hectic nation the 30-Minute Meal.

In fact, I was inclined to like Rachael and therefore her magazine. I know that serious foodies have criticized her lack of culinary savvy (fellow celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain called her endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts "evil"). But in some ways she seemed like the right person for our age, a cooking expert not for other cooking experts, but for the rest of us. After all, who among us isn't too tired to press fresh garlic after a long day?

Rachael looks cute as a bug's ear, barefoot and in soft clothes, sitting casually on the cover. And at first, I was struck by some of the good stuff in these pages. The upfront "Talk" section contains interesting tidbits about cooking and shopping. And like most mags that feature food, the photography is excellent -- n fact, it borders on pornography. The plump, succulent "baby potatoes" peeking out of the White Bean Stew? The oozing sour cream dripping off The Adirondacker burger? Heck, you had me at "Burger of the Month."

And the handmade manicotti looks and sounds great, supplemented by reminiscences and family photos from author Patricia Nelson. Then you spy the final item on the ingredients list -- "3 cups store-bought meat sauce" -- and you know serious foodaholics see this and read no further than Page 58. But why not? More power to EDWRR. If you're making the manicotti, who decrees you have to make the darn gravy from scratch too?

Then I started reading more of EDWRR.

I'm not an expert on food journalism, but I am an expert on travel journalism. This issue's travel advice is lacking, which raised a red flag about all the editorial content. The report on "How to Pack Light" provides no recognition of current governmental or airline regulations concerning carry-on and checked baggage. There's a reference to packing batteries without acknowledging the lengthy prohibitions on certain types, and the "Travel 101" piece advises wearing slip-on shoes to expedite security lines, even though this defies the Federal Aviation Administration's advice about how best to safely evacuate an airplane. The "Your Vacation, Only Better" and "What a Trip" features offer very generic advice and some romantic suggestions, but are short on the "timeless tips" promised.

Then there's the magazine's raison d'être: food. In service to this column, I tried making the first of February's featured 30-Minute Meals, Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans, because it looked good and easy to make. However, even allowing for my unpolished culinary skills, I stopped looking at the timer after about 50 minutes, since it still wasn't cooked "until tender."

Now opening a jar of Ragu is one thing, but Sticky PB&J Wings? That's right, chicken wings glazed with peanut butter and grape jelly. Didn't David Letterman used to bring on kids to share recipes like spaghetti and jelly beans, or pizza with Hershey's Kisses? But we were all in on the joke. And it was a joke, right? Yet supposedly EDWRR isn't kidding. Even though Elvis died for our gastronomic sins, his 42-year-old heart clogged by loaves of Wonder Bread slathered with peanut butter, bananas, and bacon.

Perhaps most disturbing is the "Hey Rach..." page of reader questions for the mag's founder and editorial director. The first reader asks: "How did you keep your dreams alive? Sometimes I just feel like giving up." RR's answer is anything but windy: "Whatever it is you want to do, take a job in that field. You will learn by experience and, slow and steady, you'll get it done!" Did no one who edited this find it superficial?

Then nine-year-old Alyssa asks, "What's your favorite healthy treat?" The complete three-word response: "Cheese and fruit." The rap on Rachael has long been that she's glib and superficial about most gastronomical matters. "Cheese and fruit" doesn't do much to silence such criticism. On a deeper level, however, it also doesn't provide much for readers. (Care to name some cheeses or fruits that are healthier than others, particularly for children? Will Velveeta do?)

No doubt about it, the Rachael Ray personality that apparently bothers many TV viewers comes through on these pages as well, complete with the trademarked phrases ("yummo" and "sammy") and overuse of superlatives (a Q&A with Spice Girl Mel B includes this line: "You were amazing and you look phenomenal"). Then there's the third-person editorial voice, which refers to its mistress as "Rach," as in: "Short attention span? No prob. Rach's meals are a midwinter night's dream." Which makes you wonder: Just exactly how large is the demographic of readers who are not turned off by such prose?

In the end, there are dozens of expert food magazines on the market, and nearly all of them provide better content than Every Day with Rachael Ray. Even Elvis would tire of it.

 

MAG STATS

Published by: The Reader's Digest Association Inc.

Frequency: 10 times per year

Web site: www.rachaelraymag.com

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0 comments on "Every Day With Rachael Ray ".

1. Charli Sowrey from Third Rail Creative
   

   commented on: January 23, 2009 at 12:58 p.m.

   A good cooking magazine that's simple and also features "30 minute meal cards" is Cook's Country. Great layout, tips, substitutions and product/food recommendation and testing labs. It's what EDWRR tries to be to the casual chef without the fluff. That being said I also subscribe to EDWRR.

2. Joy Patin from Patin Media Services
   

   commented on: January 23, 2009 at 1:12 p.m.

   Ouch! Talk about evil. EDWRR is a fun magazine -- I don't think that it's meant to be a haute cuisine guide. Instead, it is a practical guide for busy people to enjoy a variety of foods. And, it’s more than just cooking.

   By the way, the secret to perfect rice is to NOT open the lid until the timer goes off (usually 20 minutes). Checking it in between lets out the steam!

   P.S. I also subscribe to Food and Wine!
   

3. Tom Keane from USA Weekend
   

   commented on: January 23, 2009 at 1:18 p.m.

   What is your problem with wearing slip on's to make getting through the airport screenin line easier???

4. William Mcgee from Self-employed
   

   commented on: January 23, 2009 at 2:12 p.m.

   In response to Tom Keane:
   It's not that I have a problem with slip-on shoes, but it is the advice of the Federal Aviation Administration and most aviation safety experts that low-heeled shoes with laces or straps are ALWAYS recommended when flying (www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/travel/flysmart/flysmart.htm). The problem with slip-ons is that they also slip off, and as last week's US Airways accident made quite clear, airline passengers may be required to evacuate an airplane—in water, snow, ice, mud, or fire—on a moment's notice. There's no question that slip-ons make it easier to clear security, but the larger concern is safety.

5. Nicole Leonardi from Dial Global
   

   commented on: January 27, 2009 at 3:57 p.m.

   You are being way too harsh for this magazine. It is filled with easy tips, fun recipes and ways to enjoy your time with family as well as host a get together. Why mock the cover? The idea she is bringing to the readers is that you can be a mom, wife, worker and home maker and still be comfortable in your own house. The "Talk" section was made as a new column for her readers. The magazine takes it's feedback and acts on it. The food is sopossed to look scrmptious, not pornographic. The food you eat must be all one color and texture for you not to appreciate the photographers' (Antonis Achilleos & tina Rupp) purposes. Stick with your side focusing on the consumption end rather than the supply side and leave the rest to Rachael and her loyal readers.

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