Sixth season coming up for Blue Bloods. Starring the indomitable Tom Selleck as Police Commissioner Frank Reagan with beauty Bridget Moynahan as his wife, Erin, the CBS series developed a loyal Friday night following with great story lines and consistently high quality. Entertainment that’s as good as it gets.
The news this month is that St. Martin’s Press is publishing The Blue Bloods Cookbook with 120 recipes from Bridget Moynahan and Wendy Howard Goldberg. Author Christopher Peterson supervised the luscious photography and tested the recipes. Wendy’s husband, the TV producer and creative impresario, Leonard Goldberg, stands behind the series’ success, as he has with such standout fare as Charlie’s Angels, etc.
Bridget Moynahan arrived from Manhattan to celebrate the pub date with Wendy. They greeted their People You Should Know guests at a posh reception hosted by friends at an historically luxurious Beverly Hills estate.
Having watched the series for many moons, Wendy’s favorite moments included the four generations of Irish-American “blue bloods” weekly gathering over dinner as they hash out the latest dramas of current cases and controversies. Police Commissioner Frank Reagan and assistant district attorney Erin dine with their flock over a home-cooked meal around the old-fashioned oak table.
“Meals cooked at home by everyone gathered together,” says Wolfgang Puck, “are an essential of a happy, healthy family life.”
Through the seasons, Wendy found herself convinced that a family cookbook seemed a “natural,” brought her idea to St. Martin’s Press, the publisher of daughter Amanda Goldberg’s two novels. Both publisher Steve Cohen and editor Elizabeth Beier became immediate champions. By chance, Wendy discovered that Bridget was a born cooker, and dreamed of writing a cookbook. Destiny decreed that they would join whisks as partners. Elizabeth Beier brought Portland’s “superhero” Christopher Peterson on board, along with photographer Ben Fink, whose food pages are exceptional.
Rival publisher Judith Regan was in hot pursuit of the book, alas to no avail.
“These are classic recipes that have graced family dinners throughout time,” reveal the authors. “Delicious, filling, soul-satisfying, loosen-your-belt food being the main attraction of any family dinner… from chicken pot pie to crown roast of lamb … we’ve even included a short list of memorable menus that will help you plan any special occasion.
“We knew from experience that the smell of a pot roast straight out of the oven is a dinner bell that no mortal can resist. Whether you’re a Blue Bloods fan or not, you’ll be amused at Tom Selleck’s dislike of anything resembling a vegetable or a salad.”
For Thanksgiving, the start of the holiday season, Bridget and Wendy offer recipes for a menu with spinach, avocado and orange salad, the Thanksgiving turkey, cranberry sauce, buttermilk biscuits, persimmons with pomegranate, candied yams, roasted garlic stuffing, pumpkin pie (two ways: traditional and “cheesecakey”).
Come Christmas, they suggest a Caesar salad, stuffed tomatoes, standing rib roast with onion sauce, popovers, roasted root vegetables, minty peas, and a chocolate roulade Leontine “that will be the high point of the meal.”
Mixing with the reception crowd: Jaclyn Smith and Brad Allen had their gift books signed, as did Kathy and Rick Hilton who described daughter Nicky’s fabled London wedding this summer to banking heir James Rothschild, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, Ron Meyer, Toni Howard, David Yarnell, Melanie Cook, Marcia Hobbs, Judy and Bernie Briskin, Marg Helgenberger and Alan Finkelstein, Susan Dolgen, Lauren King, soon-to-be BH Mayor John Mirisch with son Vince, Susan and Peter Strauss, Leslie and Roger Birnbaum, Elizabeth Berkley and Greg Lauren, Armani’s Wanda McDaniel, Dr. Charles Kivovitz with wife Alex.
Also: Gelila and Wolfgang Puck, Joanna and Sidney Poitier, Lori and Mike Milken, Nicole Avant and Ted Sarandos, Lyn and Norman Lear, Susie and Harold Becker, Sherry Lansing and Billy Friedkin, Jane and Marc Nathanson, Amy Ephron with Alan Rader, John Goldwyn and Jeff Klein, Mary Hayley and Selim Zilkha, Anne and Arnold Kopelson, Barbara Davis, Ellen Meyer, Anne and Frank Johnson, Nadine and Fred Rosen, Barbera (cq) Thornhill, Jennifer Hale Smith, Amanda Goldberg and Philip Raskind, Judy and Jack Harris, Jason Sinay, CBS’ Glenn Geller, CBS’ David Stapf, CBS’ Bridget Wiley, CBS’ Eric Kim, Carole Black and Dawn Ostroff, Stephanie Savage, Irena Medavoy, Joan Quinn, Dr. Andrew Charles, Jane and Michael Eisner.
Did anyone else notice, as we did, Jane Eisner’s fabulous Russian amber choker and earrings? A pity, if not. An imperial treasure. C’est magnifique!