Rumson’s Picard Launches Cookbook for Men

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RUMSON – Although male chefs dominate television and the Internet, market research shows the role of cook at home continues to fall on women.
Debra Levy Picard of Rumson found that men have a desire to enter the kitchen, but the motivation, support and resources are just not available.

Debra Levy Picard of Rumson is the author of Tastosterone: The Best Cookbook for Men. (photo by Danny Sanchez)
Debra Levy Picard
of Rumson is the author
of Tastosterone:
The Best Cookbook for Men. (photo by Danny Sanchez)

There are dozens of books on outdoor grilling, but Picard saw a real need to write a book that simply got them cooking in the kitchen. Tastosterone: The Best Cook­book for Men offers men an attractive road map of more than 100 recipes, photographs, tools, tips and techniques to navigate around the kitchen.
Picard will hold a booksigning and fundraiser from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, at River Road Books, 759 River Road, Fair Haven.
The event will benefit Move for Hunger. A suggested donation of $10 per guest is requested to support the work of Move for Hunger.
A representative from the nationally recognized organization will share news about its upcoming projects at the event.
Tastosterone speaks to men of all ages – the son, husband, father, single guy, newlywed, college student, retiree, divorcé and widower. A man who is confident in the kitchen will find independence, health, sex, nostalgia and love through cooking; and, although a man’s role may change throughout his life, cooking will remain a constant passion and skill, according to Picard.
A few chapters in the book include, “Why Should Men Cook?” that explores cooking and the various stages in a man’s life; “Homage to Mom,” which hits on childhood nostalgia with the meats and potatoes of a meal; “Do You Really Need Something on the Side?” enough said; “Happy Endings,” a selection of delectable desserts; “The Dirty Dozen” common cooking mistakes; and “The Real Men Cook Quiz” that tests one’s knowledge of who really cooks among celebrity men.
According to Allrecipes, men enjoy preparing meals more than women (men 82 percent, women 75 percent). Men also are willing to spend more time preparing meals than women with 57 percent of men stating that “40 minutes to as long as it takes” is acceptable, while 52 percent of women prefer to limit cooking time to “0-40 minutes.”
“Men love to cook and they’re heating up the kitchen with their confidence and enthusiasm,” Picard said. “Martha Stewart has raised the bar for women in the kitchen for years. Well, I’m lowering it for men, expecting less and getting great results.”
Tastosterone is available at River Road Books, www.tastosterone.com and Amazon.
Picard started cooking at age 14 to help her busy, working parents get dinner on the table. As a child, she remembers watching Julia Child and writing down her recipes and preparing them for her family.
Child’s methods taught Picard how to work around the kitchen and create dishes and presentations to entertain crowds of people.
She also takes inspira­tion from TV personality, author and entrepreneur, Bethenny Frankel.
She admires her passion for knowing what she wants in life and going for it. Frankel is the founder of Skinnygirl Cocktails, author of four self-help books and host of the TV series “Bethenny.”