Why I (and People like Me) Love Ree Drummond

Ree Drummond made sheet cake on The Bonnie Hunt Show yesterday. Today she weaned calves and then was on her way to sign books at Borders. Tomorrow, she, her hunky husband "Marlboro Man" ,and their four punks (children) along with assorted other wranglers and cowboys will wean more calves. Nice life, eh?

For the uninitiated, Ree Drummond, also known as "The Pioneer Woman" has become something of a lifestyle sensation. Her blog today drew 30.000 hits for her cooking section alone that featured a give away of two electric mixers and five copies of her first cookbook.

Ree was a city girl and living in California through college and for a few years beyond. When stopping back home to suburban Oklahoma en route to Chicago and the city life, she happened upon one cowboy boot wearing rancher whose hiney is especially nice looking in a pair of chaps. (Ree loves the word hiney.). It was love ever after and Ree gave up her plans for Chicago and a Starbucks on almost every corner to move to the middle of nowhere and wean calves.

Well, then there is her photography (very very good), her recipes (to die for and in some of the recipes where she uses butter she does warn you about this possibility) and homeschooling ideas. Her home improvement segments followed her extended Drummond family restoring their "Lodge" on the grounds of their working ranch (versus their farm which is about four hours south of the middle of nowhere). Aside from the fact that I am not sure what the difference between a working and not working ranch might be (and no email from any ranchers union please on this point) that narrative seemed a little reminiscent of Martha and Andy Stewart's Turkey Hill restoration for this aging yuppie. Having said that, it is strictly an observation and not a criticism of the very gifted Ree Drummond.

Ree is no Martha and that;s a good thing. Drummond is a self deprecating breath of fresh air without the polish and savoir faire of any of yesterday's or today's food and lifestyle gurus.

Ree Drummond's cookbook is not likely to end up in my kitchen in spite of it's delicious recipes. The book is warm, welcoming and too pretty to travel anywhere near anything that can spill or spatter. Its more of a coffee table book that you want to curl up with and savor under a quilt on the living room sofa. Like her blog recipes,the chapters are divided up into sections: starters, in the morning, dinner (lunch to us city folk), supper (dinner in the non ranching world) and sweets. She defines the appeal of her entrees as either cowboy for the heartier fare or cowgirl for the more delicate cuisine.

Drummond is first and foremost a raconteur of the highest order. Her mini memoir "Green Acres meets Harlequin Romances" had me howling with laughter and while the cookbook is similarly well written in her warm style it is not as deliriously funny as well it should not be.

I am sure the book is going to fly off the shelves so saddle up and get down to your book store or order online The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond for about $16.00.