Friday, November 21, 2008

100 Posts, Paul Newman, and a Giveaway!

{Update, December 3, 2008: by the decision of the random number generator, the winner of the cookbook giveaway is Katrina of the Baking and Boys blog. Katrina, I'll get with you about the mailing details.}

I began this blog 4 months ago so that I could participate in the online baking group Tuesdays With Dorie. All I knew is that I would be baking the assigned recipes at least 2 weeks out of every 4 and would blog the results (those are the minimum TWD requirements). It turns out that I've done that, and more (I've not missed a week of TWD, even with a busy travel schedule). Give me a camera and a keyboard - and a cooking blog - and I'll average 25 posts/month, apparently. So here we are with my 100th post!

I'm celebrating with a giveaway:


My bookshelves are groaning under the weight of my cookbook collection, but there are a special few that I reach for time after time. One favorite is the Hay Day Cookbook, a now-out-of-print collection of fabulous recipes that feature fresh, quality ingredients, arranged by seasonal availability. For example the Fall section has some of the tastiest apple dishes you could ever imagine, and Summer features tomatoes, corn, and fantastic cold salads. Additionally, there are boatloads of how-to's, tips, articles, charts, and suggested menus.

The Hay Day Country Farm Market was a great specialty food shop/glorified produce stand in Westport, Connecticut. Paul Newman, one of Westport's more famous residents, was known to be a regular at Hay Day. Another resident, Martha Stewart, no doubt stopped by periodically for some produce (or maybe something from the prepared-food case?) Of course I never saw either of these luminaries (nor the lovely Joanne Woodward) on my occasional trips to the market, but the food pretty much made up for any disappointment!

My parents lived in a nearby town, and my dad stumbled on a used copy of the market's first cookbook. It quickly became a family favorite, and he had to track down a copy for me. (He had a used book business, but it was a lot harder finding specific books in the days before internet listings.)

Now that my girls have kitchens of their own, I thought I'd buy them copies of this out-of-print cookbook for Christmas (shh, don't tell them!) One for each girl. Two copies total. But counting to two seems to have been more of a challenge than I was capable of handling, and I've ended up with three copies (!) I can't think of a more deserving recipient for that third copy* than....you!

If you'd like your very own Hay Day Cookbook, just leave me a comment on this post by noon Eastern Standard Time on December 3, 2008. Be sure to include some way that I can contact you (your blog name/url or you could subscribe to follow-up comments - I will announce the winner in the comments as well as in the main post).
I will generate a numbered list of unique commenters. But here's a bonus: if you include a sentence or two in your comment about any one, or combination of, (a) Westport, Connecticut, (b) Paul Newman/ Joanne Woodward, or (c) Martha Stewart, I will enter you a second time. On December 1, I'll use a random number generator to choose the winner. I'll be happy to mail the book anywhere in the world, but it may be by slow boat!

I was in junior high school when Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was released. Could there have been a better time to be introduced to Paul Newman? (Or Robert Redford, for that matter?) Sure, there was a minor love story subplot (the bicycle scene with the accompanying "Raindrops Are Falling on My Head" remains classic 1969 film footage), but this movie will always be, for me, the perfect Buddy Movie. With the perfect buddies.

Years later, when my girls were preteens, we were talking about movies and I mentioned Paul Newman. They scratched their heads for a minute, and then one of them said, "Oh, you mean the salad dressing guy?"

And really, Newman's Own, and the money it generated for charity, may be as great a legacy of this great man as his stirling acting credentials. My parents were at a party about 8 or 10 years ago, and ran into Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Paul asked my dad what his job was, and they chatted about that for a few minutes. Then my father asked Paul, facetiously, what was his line of work. Paul answered, completely deadpan, "I make salad dressing."


* The book is used, but a very nice copy. Here are the bookish details (as described by the bookseller from whom I purchased this copy): "Very Good Hardcover book with very Good Dust Jacket. Binding tight and straight. Pages clean and unmarked."

33 comments:

Cristine said...

Congrats on your 100th post! I really enjoy your blog!!!

And I LOVE Paul Newman! Cool Hand Luke is one of my favorite movies!

Kristin said...

You had me at "Paul Newman". I saw his name in your post title and clicked immediately to read! I love the picture of the Newmans you posted - holy cow what a couple! I like the movie "The Long Hot Summer".

Congrats on 100 posts!

Audrey said...

I have this book - it's one of my favorites. (So please don't enter me in your drawing - but I know your winner will enjoy it!)

Congrats on your 100 posts! I've read most of them, I think - and enjoyed every one.

I used to visit the Hay Day market in Westport when I visited clients there for my first job. I never saw Paul and Joanne (or anyone famous) - but then again, who knows...maybe I saw you!

Audrey

CM said...

Congrats on your 100th post! Gosh, you've been busy! 25 posts a month is formidable!
And thanks for the eye candy- Paul Newman was uber-sexy.
As for the cookbook, I used to have a book similar to this one- sadly it was misplaced in a move...I really love it when cookbooks focus on cooking with the season! It's how I learned to cook, and something I try to pay attention to when cooking at home and at work.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your 100th post. I admire your discipline in consistently putting out quality work. I don't know how you do it!

I have always admired Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman's marriage and careers both of which were long term and stable.

I love Butch Casssidy and the Sundance Kid, a film I introduced to my son a year or two ago. Now he loves it, too. I really love him, however, in Cat on a Hot Tin roof with Elizabeth Taylor.

I think what I most admire about him is his charitable work. Because when all is said and done, our lives are not about fame and fortune, but the very real ways we make the world a better place. He exemplified this.

natalia said...

Dear Nancy ! Congratulazioni ! You are so good it seems you blogged forever !

James said...

Congrats, Nancy! Definitely count me as one of your fans. Hope I can do half as well as you one of these days.

Here's to another hundred of your posts!

Cathy said...

Congrats on your 100th post, Nancy! I enjoy them all, and I've learned so much about cooking from your posts!

I'm feeling like this is my lucky giveaway. I spent a lot of time in Westport in college, including getting up at ungodly hours to row on the Saugatuck River. I worked at Onion Alley in Westport at the end of my senior year and the summer after graduation, first waiting tables and later bartending on the roof deck (the same roof deck that generated lots of noise complaints from the nearby residents. Yes, I was an accessory to those violations). If Onion Alley had not closed its doors a few years ago, you could go by and check the "employee of the month" plaque -- I earned the distinction in April 1994. Every day I'd go to work hoping to see Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, or heck, even Martha Stewart. But alas, the best I ever saw was Michael Bolton.

Maria said...

Happy 100! I am glad you started blogging!! I just love your blog!

I love Paul Newamn, so many great movies...and what a great man in general!

Thanks for the giveaway. I have never seen this book, but I really want to!!!

Mary Ann said...

I love cookbooks so, yeah for your giveaway! I love your blog and want to see those lemon cakes. oh, and the risotto cake you tried sounded so fabulous! I might have to try and concoct that somehow!

Di said...

Congratulations on your 100th post! And in only four months--I'm impressed. My next post will be my 100th, and it's taken me 11 months to get there. =)

Reeni said...

Congrats on your 100th! 25 posts a month is amazing. Almost a post a day. That's a lovely book your giving away, very sweet of you.

Cathy said...

Hey, it's me again, just came over to see those Paul pictures again and gain an unfair advantage in your giveaway. Actually, I'm really just here to let you know I've passed on an award to you -- it's over at my blog.

Karleen said...

Congratulations on you 100th post and not missing a single TWD!!

Annette said...

Congrats on your 100th post! 100 posts in four months - very impressive!! This cookbook looks lovely. Thanks for the opportunity to win. :)

I love that Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward stayed married when the majority of Hollywood couples don't. They didn't let their careers get the best of their marriage. It proves it can be done, even in tinsel town.

Fit Chick said...

WOW, 100 posts that's impressive, and with your schedule! My favorite Paul Newman movie is Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Elizabeth Taylor. That man had great abs, LOL!

Marthe said...

Congratulations on your 100th post!! How great!! I always enjoy reading your blog!

Pamela said...

Congratulations on your 100th post!! LOVE those pictures of Paul Newman. What an amazing man he was.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your 100th post. It's amazing, isn't it.

Westport, Conn sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Your story about your Dad and Paul Newman reminds me of a friend's dad who sat next to Bruce Springsteen at a dinner party chatting about literature (he was a lit professor)and asked what Bruce did, etc. Didn't realize it was Bruce Springsteen.

I love Newman-O's (ginger, mint, original-they're all good). They are my favorite store-bought cookie.

Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

Wow! 100 posts, that a lot of cooking and a lot of writing. I always enjoy what I find on your blog, and now you have even added photos of Paul Newman!

Laura said...

When my blog grows up, I want it to be just like yours, Nancy! Congrats on your 100th post! You know, I never really thought of Paul Newman as a sex-symbol, but that photo of him and Joanne Woodward had me fanning myself a bit :-)

TeaLady said...

My Mom used to have this cookbook, but when she moved she sold it and I wish I could have 'borrowed' it first. I does have some great recipes in it.

When I was in Jr. High, P.N. was in New Orleans while makint "The Drowning Pool". His eyes were beautiful when I spotted him in the Cabildo Museum but I was just too shy to go up to him and say anything. Maybe he just appreciated being left alone. He was fantastic.

Congrats on your 100th post.

Katrina said...

Wow, 100 posts in about 4 months! You go! Congrats. I love cookbooks, too! Great photo of Paul Newman there, too! ;)

Lisa magicsprinkles said...

100 posts? Already? Time flies. Congratulations! My kids love Paul Newman, only they know him as Doc from the movie Cars. I'll take him any way I can get him...

Debbie said...

My Paul Newman story....one day about 15 years ago, my mom called and said "the love of my life died today"
I said "PAUL NEWMAN?!"
She said "no, Conway Twitty"
(she had 2 loves of her life apparently)
Neither of us thought of my poor dad. (sigh)
Congrats on your 100th post.

NKP said...

Congratulations on your 100th post! Hubby is a huge fan of Paul Newman, and was very sad when he passed.
It is so cool that you tracked down a favourite classic cookbook for your girls.

Peggy said...

Oh I'm a sucker for signing up for give-a-ways! Count me in. But most of all, congratulations on your 100th post and you do a great job with all of them! I'm in awe most of the time of how beautiful your photos are and your food always looks so tasty. I saw Cool Hand Luke in high school with a friend and it was a good buddy movie too. I"ll never forget the egg eating contest in that film. His contributions to charity are extraordinary and what a couple they made!

AmyRuth said...

I'll bet Mrs. Paul Newman aka Joanne would love knowing that you are gifting a cookbook connected to her dear sweet hubby. What a gorgeous man. Anyway, yes of course, you record setting gal, 100 posts!?!?! Wow....Congratulations. You are blazing a trail. If only one could keep up with you. he he They are all very well done and I love inclusion of your beloved S-dog and daughters. Its very appealing.
Would I love a new (to me) cookbook. Yes Mam! I'm sure you have made lots of notes in the books for your babes. That would be exta special keepsake. Please DO count me in the mix. Thank you Mr. Newman and Nancy

Karen said...

It looks like a great cookbook - and I'd love to win it!

Rachel said...

Way to go, you blogger you! I'd love to win the cookbook. ::crossing my fingers for luck::
Rachel
www.tangerine-tart.blogspot.com

Anne said...

Congratulations on 100 posts! I love the photos and the cookbook sounds wonderful. I don't think I'd ever bump into Paul Newman or Martha Stewart in Arizona, haha, but I love the story about your Dad and Paul. Too cute.

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Thanks for all the comments, folks. I am working on the list and will run it through a random number generator, and the winner will be announced this evening!
Nancy

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Based on a random number, the winner of the cookbook giveaway is Katrina of Baking and Boys! Katrina, I'll get with you about the details of sending the book off to you.

Thanks again, everyone, for participating!
Nancy