A Recipe Ruse

In case you missed it, a judge recently ruled in favor of Jerry Seinfeld's cookbook-writing wife, Jessica. Another cookbook author, Missy Chase Lapine, had accused Jessica Seinfeld of stealing recipe ideas from Lapine's book.

Not only was Mrs. Seinfeld vindicated, but the judge, Laura Taylor Swain, even described her cookbook (Deceptively Delicious) as "bright and cheerful."

Neither cookbook appeals to me. Both of them offer recipes aimed at sneaking vegetables into kids' food. First, I don't have kids. Second, I'm not fond of deceiving those I love, no matter how well-intentioned the deception might appear. Third, the few recipes that I've heard of sound positively dreadful.

One recipe, for example, suggests stirring pureed avocado into chocolate pudding. What a sacrilege. I love avocado, but it has no business hiding in a heap of chocolate pudding.

Kids: Beware -- if your mom or dad owns either one of these cookbooks, you might want to make that book disappear. Otherwise, your parents will get a lot of pernicious ideas for tinkering with good foods.