Hot Dish Confidential

George Sorensen wants to learn to cook. Not just cook, but to finally learn how to prepare a truly great meal. George was raised on TV dinners in foil trays, canned string beans reduced to paste in boiling water, Wonder Bread, bologna, and processed cheese sandwiches heated in a toaster oven. But George wants to change all that, and he has a plan: He recruits a group of amateur culinary experts to meet monthly at his little Minneapolis bungalow to cook, eat, drink, and teach him the ropes. George embarks on a year-long gastronomic journey from France to Greece, from soufflé to goose. He samples the delights of wild mushrooms, the flavors of the oceans, and a Charles Dickens Christmas with a mouthwatering pheasant pie. However, George does not anticipate the dynamics of bringing together these self-proclaimed chefs. Arguments over wine—what kind, how much, and who should pay for it—erupt, while others sow discord and divorce. There are suspicions about whether the rattlesnake enchiladas are really rattlesnake or merely frog legs, since really, who can tell the difference. There is trouble unwinding the skin of an octopus. Rebellion ensues when tunics are required for a Greek-themed party featuring a cardboard Parthenon facade in the backyard. But in the end, it means an unforgettable journey of flavor, camaraderie, and adventure. Join George's culinary revolution, and you might even find yourself earning a blue ribbon for your homemade jam at the Minnesota State Fair or stumbling upon your future wife amidst blooming apricot trees. Hot Dish Confidential chronicles an author's journey to becoming a gourmand with the help of his friends and poison control. —Minnesota Star Tribune . . . You will have to pry those lemon bars out of cold, dead hands. —St. Paul Pioneer Press "Sorensen is a wonderful storyteller and he has good stories to tell." —The Wine Economist "Hot Dish Confidential will charm you, make you laugh, and teach you how to cook. It is impossible to resist the story of how apricot jam can lead you to the love of your life."-Lynn Hightower, internationally bestselling author of The Beautiful Risk "In Hot Dish Confidential, George Sorensen takes the reader on a wild and hilarious adventure as he learns to be a gourmet cook. He does this by throwing dinners featuring different countries-France, Italy, Germany, to name a few. While the stories can be harrowing at times-baked peaches that should be served fresh, and other cooking disasters-Sorensen gamely continues on his quest. In the end he not only conquers the feast, he romances a lovely fellow chef and their jam takes honors at the state fair. A piece de resistance indeed!"-Mary Logue, author of The Big Sugar "With just a pinch of wisdom, a shake of humor and a heaping helping of good old fashion imagination, George has managed to serve up a mighty meal in this book." Duncan Rouleau Co-Creator of Big Hero Six and Ben 10