Thirteen Things I love about Paula Deen   For this entry of the Thursday Thirteen Meme I’m returning to the Food Network stables of celebrity, but this time around I’m going to focus on someone I absolutely adore. Miss Paula.
What, he’s going to be nice!?!?!
Yup, I sure am, because for every bobblehead on Food network, there’s a redeeming beacon of culinary hope, and Miss Paula Deen is one of those.
Paula Deen has been called “the Butter Queen” for her habit of starting recipes with “A stick o’ buttah”, “The Queen of Southern Cuisine” for bringing good ol’ southern home cookin’ into the homes of millions, and a few not so nice things as well, mostly I think by people who just don’t understand what she’s about.
So here follows, in no particular order whatsoever, the top 13 reasons that I’m in love and awe of Miss Paula Deen:
- There’s an old rule that states “Never trust a skinny chef.” – This is the antithesis of the comments on my Thursday Thirteen about Giada Delaurentis. Paula obviously loves her food, she’s a hair (or more) overweight and absolutely unafraid to admit it. As a matter of fact, she regularly calls herself a “Fat Girl”, and while that would sound self deprecating coming from some people, for Paula it’s just the way she is. What’s not to love about that?
- Paula is what you see. There are no airs put on with Paula Deen, she’s just a real person that enjoys laughing, both at the silly things in life and at herself.
- Paula makes real food. I’m not saying that the other chef’s of FoodTV don’t, but paula’s cooking is unpretentious, family oriented, and in most cases, it’s just
damn darn good. (Though your cardiologist might disagree with me at times, especially when a stick of butter and a pint of cream cheese is involved.)
- Miss Deen is brave in a manner that most people are not. Paula recently released her autobiography, and unlike so many other celebrities, she made no excuses for the things she’s done in her life that she considered to be unacceptable. There was no cry of “it wasn’t my fault!”, nor any attempt to justify those things. (I’ll let you read the book for yourself to find out what those things were.) She also details the trials in her life through the eyes of someone who has faced many difficulties and turned them into strength and success, all without losing herself in the process. It’s a truly inspiring read.
- Anyone who lists her favorite ingredients as “butter, mayonnaise, cream cheese and grits”, is already someone on my top ten list.
- Paula was told by her producer Gordon Elliot that she was supposed to take “Princess Bites” when tasting recipes on her cooing show. She refused, and continues to grab a good mouthful to this day. If you love it, eat it, and don’t be afraid to eat with gusto!
- Watching Miss Deen’s show is more than watching a cooking lesson. If you listen to her stories, you learn a lot about her family, her friends, and life in the south in general. Where else can you get this kind of perspective on national television?
- A quote from Paula: “Nothing ever tastes bad with a little extra cheese on top, it just never hurt a thing in its life.” – AMEN!
- While other Food network celebrities are worrying about dirtying their thousand dollar designer clothing more than they are about the food they’re preparing (really, I saw it happen just a few minutes ago!), Paula hosts entire episodes of her show “Paula’s Party” wearing a grass skirt and Lei, doing an awful, if hilarious hula (Sorry Paula!) and giving limbo lessons.
C’mon Y’all! it was a fun show!
- I absolutely adore the fact that Paula can’t get through an episode without either mentioning or involving her family. Whether it’s her children, her husband Michael, or her Grandma Paul, Miss Deen is all about family, something that I fully relate to, being raised in a Southern family myself.
- Unlike the subject of my last Thursday Thirteen, I’ve never seen this woman force a smile. When she’s happy, she’s happy. There’s no ridiculous death-pain grin, even when she’s dealing with someone she’s less than fond of. When she is dealing with someone she wouldn’t call a friend, she doesn’t smile at all, she’s just the image of Southern Civility. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Try watching Paula work with Ray-Ray HERE. They look like they’re having fun, but any Southern boy knows that look on his mother’s face, espacially if she doesn’t particularly care for a certain someone. And notice, she’s smiling at her own jokes, not “with” Ray-Ray)*Note: I don’t know for a fact that Miss Dean has anything at all against Ray-Ray. I may be completely incorrect in my assumption, and I want to point out firmly that this is simply an opinion based on close proximity to quite a few very proper southern matrons in my time.
- It just tickles me how excited Paula gets when she’s making something she truly loves. It’s an enthusiasm you can’t fake, it’s infectious, it’s inspiring and it’s wonderful. (you’ll hear me say this about a few other FoodTV personalities as well, but that’s a later edition.)
- Lastly, but most definitely not the least of the reasons that I’m fond of Miss Dean. (Yes, it’s Miss Dean. If I was to use “Mrs.” It would be “Mrs. Groover, her husband Michael’s surname.) she reminds me of my aunt. It’s a personal and very selfish reason, I know, but liking or disliking someone is always a personal choice, and I find that I simply can’t find a reason NOT to like Paula Deen.
Now I’ve got the urge to go make something with a lot of butter!
f you prefer my more scathing commentary on Food Network’s gaggle of bobble-headed cook impersonators, stay tuned for next week’s TT. I’ve got a lot to say about one person in particular, and I’ll not be holding anything back!
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
- Leave your comments and you’ll automagically add you to the “Thank you” list. Thanks to Nancy for pointing out the plugin to me!
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Shes addicting. Shes coming to a Publix here in August..I would love to go
I haven’t heard of Paula before, but I must say she sounds interesting enough to look into.
My TT lists 13 things I can’t (or don’t want to…) live without.
This is good!!!!
Thanks for all the recommendations. I think I’ll visit her site and see what’s in store for me.
My T13 is up too.
I liker her a lot. She enjoys life to the fullest.
I can’t wait to see your thirteen next week. I have to say Rachel Ray drives me nuts and every recipe I have tried from her has sucked. I am not that bad a cook so I have to blame the recipe.
Your post makes it obvious how much you enjoy her show, good job!
My list is up too.
Got to LUV Paula – she’s my kind of lady and cook… Picked herself up off the floor and made a late in life charge forward – what a great success story!
Her book sounds interesting…I’ll have to check it out!
I love Paula! I’ve made some of her dishes- gotta love the butter!
It’s so funny- I never heard of Paula Deen until maybe 2 months ago (I haven’t watched FoodTV since my kids were born) but ever since it seems she’s been all over the place!
Never heard of her. **Shrug** Happy TT.
Thank you for this great list! I’m a notoriously lousy cook – in truth, I just don’t have the time – but when I was confined to bed after surgery this Spring, I watched the food network non-stop. Paula was my favorite. And you’re right about some of the other “cooks” featured on the network. I can think of 2 that were just scrawny “food assemblers” – no talent there at all!
Happy Thursday and stop by if you’re in the neighborhood!
love me some Paula! Any GRITS girl, (Girl Raised in THe South) has bound to have some great skills. She makes the best shrimp and grits I have ever had…it is made with a rosemary cocktail sauce that is wonderful!
I love Paula! It’s been quite awhile since we had cable but she is such a doll and a strong gal too overcoming social anxiety. I also love to see how much she loves her new hub!
Great TT!
Be well and enjoy the day.
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You make me like her, now.
:)
Happy TT!
We don’t have the Food Network here in Israel, but I love catching her on someone else’s show. She always seems to be enjoying herself so much.
Continuing the cooking theme, my list this week is on my favorite cookbooks.
I adoer Paual. Just think she’s a goddess and so human. Anyone who sneers at Paula will never have me take them seriously.
Are ya listening, Bourdain?
I love Paula, she is a fantastic cook and has no problem being fattening about it. Love her. And you are also right about Giada, a little freaky.
Great post! I have heard much about Paula lately and have seen a cookbook in my local cooking store. I’m all over her philosophy because of my own upbringing. I love to cook all kinds of things — some very complicated — but when it gets right down to it. We’re pretty much about biscuits and gravy. I have to fit the healthy things in to stave off the lubs more than I used to which is a complete pain. Hmmm….I’m not a Ray-Ray fan either. Except she does have more meat on her bones. That’s a plus.
Great list. I like Paula, but tend to try and avoid the stick of buttah she puts in everything. Good old Southern Cooking is just what the doctor ordered once in a while though. Try her banana pudding if you haven’t – it’s amazing! Happy TT.
I adore Paula Deen as well. I’m from the south too and she just tickles my fancy when she’s up there being so silly. Thanks!
I’d never heard of her, but it sounds like there’s a lot to like. Thanks for the description!
Paula is one of my favorites!
Happy TT!
Enjoyed your TT. I LOVE Paula Deen!! Like you said, she is *real*. I could just imagine going to her restaurant in Savannah and her just pulling up a chair and chatting!!
Have to say there “dude” she definitely reminds me of one of the family. I would cook with this woman, “lady” any day of the week. And step aside and watch her go, just as long as she let me lick the “spoon” although we both know it’s usually her finger. ;)
Hey, your time is diff’ from mine… here it’s only 8:22…..
I have to disagree guys. I’ve seen her Chefography, and with my education in the mental health field, someone who claims to have been a sociophobe who now acts the way she does around others is either lying about their past or is on some good medication.
I find her to be way over the top. She over acts her “kookieness”. She acts like a blooming idiot and laughs at stupid things.
And that laugh….I watched Paula’s Party once….once, because I couldn’t stand the way she came off as so happy and laughing and it was just over the top, way over the top.
And I am all about family, but do we have to have her family ( or pets) on every episode ?
I have tried some of her recipes. They aren’t that great.
And I recently saw her as a judge on the next Food Network Star. She was mean. Without any formal training, what gives her the right to criticize trained chefs ?
And I think she has gotten a bit self important over the past couple of years too. I mean really….do we need to see her perfect house and her perfect kitchen and her perfect outdoor kitchen, etc.
Her claim to a “rough” past makes me cringe. I could tell her horror stories of my past that would make hers seems like a cake walk.
Reminds me of Shania Twain’s ” rough childhood” stories, which turned out to be half truths.
Paula’s like a culinary fairy godmother. I can picture her saying, “Honey, it’s ok that your evil step mother locked you in your room, have a stick of buttah and everything’ll be alright- go head, just unwrap it and take a nice bite- you’ll feel betta!’ Her recipe’s are awesome. She’s brought old fashioned “from scratch” cooking back in style.
Some might underestimate her because she’s so jolly. She can criticize all she wants as far as I’m concerned. Just because she doesn’t have formal training doesn’t mean she doesn’t know her stuff. I know lots of degreed idiots. Through the years she’s been taught by her family and she’s a student of hard knocks. She’s genuine and I feel like she’s talking directly to me when I watch her show. That’s something that can’t be taught no matter where you’ve gone to school or been trained. You go, Paula!!