Celebrities Serve - Book

Well here goes my first book review.It feels a little funny to call it a review because I'm writing about a book that came out a long time ago.I've bought quite a few books about tennis over the years.I'm sure my collection is pitiful compared to some.But what I'm interested in is the actual experience of reading it.I don't buy books just to have them.


I read a story about a book collector once.It said he had the books stacked all over his house.Someone would come in and ask,"Have you read them all?".He would answer,"Every last page".Because when he got a book he would glance at/read the last page of the book.
Ha ha.Jackass.

I read them.Old,musty,brown pages,or worse,boring.I read them.
Whoever stuffs their head with the most useless information before they die wins.Wins what?I don't know.But let me tell you,I'm ahead of most people.

This book is subtitled "A Celebrity Tennis Cookbook".It was written(or compiled) by Dee Gordon,De Lora Maurus, and Shirley Gorospe.It was published in 1991 to benefit The International Tennis Hall of Fame.It's a hardback with ring binding on the inside.


It's nicely made with a good number of color pictures.Many pictures taken at the beautiful Hall of Fame in Newport RI.
It seems like the sort of thing people would do for a benefit project.Very Junior League.



There are recipes from current (at the time) players,former players,executives,and famous fans.

Many of the recipe's come from a particular genre of American cooking I like to call the Campbell's soup casserole.Noodles,meat(probably chicken) some vegetables to keep it respectable,and a can of Campbell's cream of chicken,celery,or mushroom soup.
If that doesn't bring back memories of childhood dinners.

I do have a feeling most of the young players just asked their moms for a recipe."Hey mom what's that thing you make,you know,the thing with the noodles"?
My mother had one of these dishes,she called it glop.
The older players may have gotten recipes from themselves, wives,or maybe the chef from the club.Some casseroles,and a lot more seafood.A match at the club,a shower,and then a lovely lobster salad.
Almost every recipe from a Czech is for Dumplings.

The recipes start out with Hall of Famers.These are from people already in the hall.
Saint Germain Soup from Arthur Ashe.
Tennis Club Special from Margaret Osborne duPont.(It's taco salad,and I can make a far better version of it.)
Cheesy Potatoes from Billie Jean King (Hash browns,cheese,and cream of chicken soup.Right off the package I bet.)
Then Professional Tennis Players.
V.J. Armitrage with two chutney recipes.
Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich from Jennifer Capriati (sigh)
Swedish Meatballs from Stefan Edberg
Puerto Rican Chicken Fricassee from Gigi Fernandez
Weiner Schnitzel from Steffi Graf
Black Forest Cake from Tim Mayotte
Paella from Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
The next section is Celebrity Chefs.Former players,coaches,sportscasters,and fans.
California Lemon Bread from Dick Enberg
Cape Cod Fish Chowder from Edward M Kennedy
Roast Squirrels from Larry,Darryl,and Darryl (These guys were characters on a sitcom called Newhart.Which doesn't really even begin to explain it.Uhh..they was hicks.)
Irish Colcannon from Bob Newhart (Yes! that Newhart.)
Kennebunk Pickle from Tom Poston(Newhart cast)
Sorrel Vegetable Soup from Julia Duffy (Newhart cast)
What I want to know is,where the hell was Peter Scolari the day they turned in their recipes!
The last section is Tennis Parties.
This is by Martha Stewart.

I ordered this book directly from the Hall,and it had a brochure to join as a contributor.
I wonder how much they raised with this effort? Maybe time to do another one.

As a recipe book,I would have to call it a little uneven.
As a tennis book,it's an interesting item.A bit of fun in seeing what the players contributed.
There are plenty of copies available from sellers on Amazon for about $5.00 to $10.00.