But at the end of the day, the cookbooks sold like hotcakes, and gossip about the cutthroat, backstabbing world of big-city food publishing flowed freely (in contrast to Reichl's more lyrical remarks earlier about the sustaining bonds of shared family suppers).
Her review of her meal in Philadelphia?
Ah, she'd hung up those spurs long ago.
"I had," she said noncommittally, "dinner."
On the Side: Spiced Chicken
Makes 4 servings
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 chicken breast halves (with skin and bones) or 4 whole chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated if desired, rinsed and patted dry
1. Put rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Stir together spices, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil. Rub evenly all over chicken.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch ovenproof heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking. Brown chicken, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Turn chicken, skin side up, transfer skillet to oven, and roast until just cooked through, 16 to 18 minutes for breasts, about 25 minutes for legs. Transfer to a platter.
5. Add 1/2 cup water to pan and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits, for one minute. Transfer sauce to a bowl and skim off fat.
6. Serve chicken with sauce on side.
- From Ruth Reichl
Per serving: 487 calories, 48 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace sugar, 32 grams fat, 145 milligrams cholesterol, 738 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
Contact columnist Rick Nichols at 215-854-2715 or rnichols@phillynews.com. Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/ricknichols.
