My Glamour TV Job of Thanksgiving Cooking and Planned Overs

(Gerry Furth-Sides) When people learn that I was a food writer who cooked on TV, they invariably say, “Oh, I wish I could be doing that.”  And, a second glance followed because people knew me more as a happy restaurant guest and guidebook writer than a cook behind the stove.  

Well, on camera cooking turns out not to be the most important requirement at all.  So for all of you thinking about a glamorous culinary career in the media, let me tell you my story before you decide.

My west coast tour involved creating new recipes made with Mrs. Cubbison‘s stuffing.  This meant testing them (which I later got chefs to do), booking the shows for a guy who would have me do three shows a day even if they took place at the same time and in different cities, transporting product and finished dishes on the plane with me, shopping for fresh produce and checking local turkey prices on the road before prepping and transporting everything to the station, doing the segment which ranged from 3 minutes to 30 minutes, and then getting a tape of the segment and taking my own picture if possible.

Turkey, sweet and white potatoes were the stars along with Mrs. C.  I had to work in the sponsor stuffing without mentioning the brand – “melba toasted stuffing” was the key.

The first year I made a large cioppino .  When I prepared a big batch in my Austrian dad’s immaculate motor home kitchen in Tucson, tomato sauce appeared on every counter top. But my dad was so proud I was on TV, and especially on this show with his favorite news anchor’s show, that he was just waiting to clean up.  We all happily went out to dinner together that night to a Janos Wilder restaurant in a historic house, and happily did this for years to come.

And with years came simplicity:  my signature dish became a salad of Fresno partially-dried figs, jumbo Mexican shrimp and marinated artichokes, a head of California Romaine and chopped walnuts. Western Research Kitchens said, “ugh” when I mentioned it and it turned out to be their favorite recipe and the most popular recipe with the public. (I also got more recipe requests from viewers than all the other cooks in the country combined.)

After decades of working with the stuffing I used to joke that I could make tables and chairs out of it.  And, in fact, I came close with stuffing “cut outs” of dishes and tables atop a sweet potato casseroles as the highlights of a typical trip to 10 northwest and southwest cities. 

Here are the highlights of a typical trip to 10 northwest and southwest cities.

One week prior to leaving, I stood in the middle of the office and yelled,” there is not one more thing anyone could possible ask me to do.”  Thus the phone rang and it was Mitzi Cutler of the Southern California Culinary Guild. She was delighted to let me know that the organization would do my idea of a food and fashion show –  smack in the middle of the tour schedule.   So, of course, I had to fly in for a day to do be a part of this happening.

So the trip began. Well, it began with the day of departure also being the day of a surprise birthday party for my high maintenance 80 year-old aunt.  I was the coordinator on behalf of her out-of-town brother while she was hell-bent on doing her own party as usual.  I only got her to the Century City Hotel by telling her I was being honored at a ceremony.   And somehow all I can remember is having potential guests still peppering me with invite requests on the phone the day of the event, and riding my bike to pick up plants for the trip after dropping my car off at the hotel.  And that it was a smash success. 

1) Departure was historic with a new Tumi suitcase with wheels.  Was I more in love with my first suitcase on wheels, or the smart cart?   I would consider it an eternity’s worthy of achievement had I either invented this or wrote  “Hotel California.”  Big smile on my face: the skyap loves my  homemade cookies so much he waves me  through with an extra box, but when it was x-rayed, I had to repack “sharp objects” in my suitcase.  

I realize cowboy boots work better than high heels for traveling.  

2) People are so friendly on the plane.  Wow, is it me?  No, it’s the bunch of pepper flowers I am carrying.  The man across the aisle turns out to own Fred Meyers and presents me with a gift certificate and a brand new $2 bill for luck.  He gives me directions to his Fred Meyer’s market that is open late at night.

3) I’m astonished at the warm, sophisticated Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City after knowing the “box on the plains” only from 1800 adverts on Interstate 80 letting you know how much more ahead it would be.  Night clerk points me in the right direction to Fred Meyers Market for shopping.  It closes just as I get to the door.

4) I find fresh turkey after midnight at Smith’s!  This turns out to be the only fresh one the whole trip.  Added stroke of luck:  the boxboy gives me the empty Mrs. Cubbison box he is about to throw away after only a little duress. 

5) Memories of Salt Lake on preceding ski trips were of cute Mormon boys who drank lots of beer, and ice cream at Fendalls and Snelgroves. This trip make a childhood dream come true:  ice cream for three meals in one day.  Other than a licorice shake at Fendalls.  

6) What there is not:  my new favorite food of coffee and espresso.

7) Yikes I leave my mixing bowl to do the stuffing on the “Gabby Gourmet” Tv kitchen set… And after I was so proud of myself that I cooked instead of just showing finished dishes.

8) New airport policy:  no rental car  within 100 yards of the airport. I will be good the rest of my life if I can carry an unwieldy 30 pounds of boxes to the finish line.

When I did bookings on the radio shows for the far northwest, it brought to mind a vast, dark and snowy expanse “somewhere out there.”  A perception, as it turned out, that was absolutely accurate.

Spokane actually is dark in winter by 3:30 PM, especially when it is snowing. I notice this while still inside airport trying to process that my luggage was either still on a plane to somewhere else. Or stolen. I head to lodgings.

9) I am buoyed up by empathetic Errilyn at the Marriott Courtyard while I make literally 37 phone calls to locate luggage.  And a market that is open

10) I start to shop for fresh turkey.  It is now raining.  I purchase a great, cheap umbrella at Safeway and discover a Spokane special, a Stromboli sandwich and espresso.  I perk up. 

11) I defrost fresh turkey in bathtub.  And now it turns out that luggage was “taken by mistake” and returned late at night.  It is less surprising that it is also dark at 4:00 AM. Departure time for tv morning show at a station across town somewhere in the snowy countryside. Actually it is across many hills and dales.  And it actually is outside of town.  

12)When I get to the studio, the heated up dishes that do smell wonderful are received with great enthusiasm and there are many caller questions even at 6 am.  And they have a mixing bowl.   I pinch myself.  Am I in heaven?

13) I realize that my all-weather coat covers any outfit, including sneakers. So becomes the new traveling uniform.  I change after dragging boxes in and setting up, then change back after show to clean up and transport back.

It is 11 am and still looks dark outside in Spokane though I can make out buildings.

Question to ponder while plane is delayed for take off due to storm:  how does rental car company think you can move your luggage from off-airport property car lot to airport counter inside with no humans or Smart Cart’s in between the two?     

12)  Washington.  Seattle.  Espresso country.  I am now half awake around the clock –drive-thrus I need to try, too!  I sink back into memories of wild old days as west coast Peace Corps recruiting campaign “advance man” for six glorious weeks of sunshine and getting engaged to a hippie.   I spend time this go-round with the young, blue-haired son of my college friends there, visiting the graves of Bruce Lee and Jimi Hendrix in the rain. The last hours take form as a meal of perfection at Rover’s.  The renowned Thierry welcomes us as though we were royalty. I literally leap over cars in traffic to the airpot.

More déjà vu: The Thrifty Car Rental Van Driver scoots me to the airport doors in record time.  I race down the airport corridor, beating OJ’s time, who was still a hero then.  Just as the plane door closes, I fall into the last unoccupied seat of a sold-out Alaska airlines plane. I feel something heavy in the tote I am slinging into the overhead.  Yikes.  I packed Tv station mixing bowl with me.   I land next to yet another foodie who wants my recipes along with a list of my favorite LA restaurants.   The lights and desert air of LA greet us as we hover before landing. Life is good.  Celebrating Thanksgiving is over for me for the year.  It is November 10.