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• Cagle, Jess

Reporting from the snows of Lillehammer, David Letterman's mom and The Late Show's 1994 Olympic correspondent Dorothy was the ultimate good sport--and her wry comments and deadpan humor won th hearts of millions of viewers. Now Dave's mom tops her tour-de-force television debut with this irresistible, one-of-a-kind cookbook. Filled with delicious recipes straight from America's heartland, as well as special dishes gathered from her family, friends,and The Late Show staffers, Dorothy's culinary delight contains other surprises as well: lively anecdotes about her children, Jan, David, and Gretchen, when they were growing up, practical kitchen tips, witty asides, and dollops of Dorothy's gentle wisdom for living. With specially selected photographs from the Letterman family album and photos of Dorothy back home in Indiana, there's no treat as satisfying as...Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom.

Memories of Dorothy's own mother cooking over a coal stove are interspersed with recipes for Uncle Earl's Creamed Chipped Beef on Tater Tots, Chicken Noodle Soup (with homemade noodles), Cheese Straws, Friendship Tea, and Lemon Fluff (from Dorothy's personal trainer). Here are the secrets for Dave's favorites: Hot Baloney Sandwich and Sour Cherry Pie, which she overnights faithfully to him each year for his birthday. Dorothy's got terrific techniques for canning and freezing vegetables, helpful household hints including Dorothy's homemade window cleaner, and dozens of recipes, featuring fun foods, soups and salads, meats, sauces, and unforgettable desserts. Make sure, if you're using fresh persimmons for Chilled Persimmon Pudding, that they are ripe enough. Otherwise you just pucker up until you can't stand it. She solves the mystery of flaky pie crust: You can't make a crust without the fat.

I never thought of this in my wildest dreams, Dorothy told Newsweek about her print debut. Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom is her labor of love, spiced with down-home humor, warm-hearted advice, and great-tasting food.