PRESENTS

Welcome to the Grapevine News. This section of the Mathis Chronicles contains my views about anything I find or am sent about Johnny Mathis on the 'net and elsewhere, that isn't being discussed by any "official" sites. Occasionally, I report on things not directly related to Mathis but have a connection, may even make up a question to ask myself and try to answer. Readers are welcome to share their news here also. So enjoy and thanks for coming.

VOL. 1 NO. 10 - AUGUST 6, 2002

THE HEAT OF SUMMER: In the southwestern United States, of course, where a body experiences REAL heat, one is pretty much forced to do as much as possible before 2 p.m. and then go into semi-hibernation untl evening.

But, this is also the time of year when, at least for me, all cooking is confined to the stovetop, and all the wonderful water-gorged and succulent summer fruits and vegetables are at their peak, and become the snacks of choice.

I've had a cookbook in the planning stages since the mid-90's, before I even got my first computer. I've put that project off way too long, but I'd long since made up my mind that when I get into the production phase, I'd have Johnny Mathis' Cooking For You Alone as a wonderful example of how to put together a useful cookbook.

One has only to thumb through the tough little book to realize that somebody really used their head to put it together. First of all, the pages are all coated. The cover is hard plastic and designed in such a way that, when folded correctly, it makes a triangular stand with large spiral binding over which all the recipe card-styled pages conveniently flip. And, the entire book is washable! Now, that's genius!

I have myriad cookery books, and this one beats all of them by design. Imagine actually designing a cookbook to where it could actually be used...in the kitchen, around food, grease, water, and all the other things that are likely to fall on the book. I'm left wondering, does this make so much sense that nobody else has thought to design a book this way, before or since?

Even the way the recipes are laid out make sense. At the top of the page is what the dish is; say, for example HAM AND CHEESE PUFFS. Beneath that is how many the recipe will serve. (In the case of the cheese puffs, it serves 12! I wonder, why are you making a recipe for 12 if you're cooking for yourself alone?! Those cheese puffs would get old after about the third day, I'd think...) Then, and here's the brilliant part, the instructions on each recipe card is divided in two parts: HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED and HERE'S WHAT YOU DO. Outstanding! A moron could understand how to put these meals together.

This is just a commonsense little book, divided into six headings basically; ones for appetizers, red meat entrees, white meat entrees, veggies, salads, and desserts. All the recipes are perfectly doable; for a rich man, Johnny Mathis put together a book that even a commoner could use. He shows you how to make your own tartar sauce, and fry green tomatoes, for Heaven's sake! Some of the recipes (Crabs Chesapeake, Ham Steak with Raisin-Wine Sauce) are a little too "Martha" for me, though, but that's fine. That's one way my own book would differ; my family recipes are more basic, without the fancy names to it, the so-called "peasant food" that Jeff Smith used to sneeringly mention on his Frugal Gourmet series, but the kind which got me through many a hungry night.

It must be said that this book is VERY difficult to find. If you stay away from eBay, where Johnny Mathis fans can drive the price well over $100, you can find the book if you're lucky for around $25 to $30 American, which is a bit more than the $14.95 it sold for originally, but still reasonable.

OK, I admit, I don't have myriad books, I have closer to twenty-five. But none of the other had the thought put into them that the publishers of Cooking For You Alone seems to have done for their product. Well done!

TOUR BUS: Good news from the west coast of the United States: Johnny Mathis is well again! So don't be afraid to plan for seeing his shows in fear that he will not show. I know it's expensive and disappointing when it happens, but Mathis is and always will be a professional of the highest order, in my opinion, and he wouldn't cancel unless he felt it were absolutely necessary to deliver the kind of performance we serious connaisseurs of Mathis expect from him. It sounds as if he's good to go now!

San Francisco is a city that captured my heart the last time I was there; I didn't feel I could justify the trip this year, but Mathis or not, I'll definitely be back! All systems seem to be go for the South Shore Music Tent in Cohasset. This is a relatively small venue that offers a nearly ideal setting in which to experience the magic of Johnny Mathis. I understand there's no such thing as a bad seat in this little tent! I hope one day very soon to experience that intimacy in person! Here's hoping that he's putting different songs in his shows, letting The Voice of More Than Just Romance show just how versatile it can be!

©2002 Iris Gross Georg. All rights reserved.

Back to the Mathis Chronicles