In my formative, pre-WLBOTT years, there was a dearth of accurate information about the adult world. I grew up on military bases, where my male adult role models were commie-hating, belt-cracking, Camel smoking, hemorrhoidal suffering John Birchers who wanted to keep the world safe from democracy.
Then word got around amongst the 8th grade boys that there was a book at the base library that contained “adult themes” [ed. note: not the term used by my 8th grade colleagues].
The book was Sleep Till Noon, by Max Shulman. I soon devoured the entire available Shulman catalog. Potatoes Are Cheaper (my favorite), Barefoot Boy with Cheek, Anyone Got a Match?,..
Thus began my love of reading.
I still find myself quoting the opening lines from Sleep Till Noon when something unexpected and unpleasant occurs in my life:
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four shots ripped into my groin and I was off on the greatest adventure of my life… But first let me tell you a little about myself.”
Sleep Till Noon by Max Shulman
A Common Theme?
There seems to be a common theme to Max Shulman’s body of work, but I can’t quite put my finger on it….
As it turns out, my high school put on a production of “Rally Round the Flag, Boys!” (a play by Max Shulman) when I was a senior. I was cast as an older man with a gray suit, and had a couple of lines. I wore that old, gray suit around the house for months, until it mysteriously disappeared.
By the way, I still remember a scene from the play. The main character’s basement is filling with water, and his distraught wife is relaying the news from the repair man.
Wife: What’s a sump pump?
Husband (afraid to show his ignorance): Why dear, it’s the pump that pumps sump.
Maximilian Shulman
Maximilian Shulman (March 14, 1919 – August 28, 1988) was an American writer and humorist best known for his television and short story character Dobie Gillis, as well as for best-selling novels.
Wikipedia
Martha Rose Shulman
Max had five children, including his daughter, Martha Rose Shulman. Martha Rose is an American cookbook author, cooking teacher and food columnist for The New York Times.
I wonder if it was one dad-joke-after-another at Sunday dinner!
Elder G provides some background….
Martha Rose Shulman is an American chef, cookbook author, educator, and food consultant, renowned for her focus on healthy and flavorful cuisine. She has been writing about food for over 30 years, contributing to publications like The New York Times, where her “Recipes for Health” series offers readers nutritious and delicious meal ideas.
Born around 1948, Martha is the daughter of author Max Shulman. She attended Radcliffe College and the University of Texas. Her culinary journey began in Texas, where she developed an interest in cooking and was introduced to authentic Mexican recipes. This experience, combined with her passion for healthy eating, led her to specialize in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines, creating lower-fat versions of traditional dishes without compromising on flavor.
Throughout her career, Martha has authored numerous cookbooks, including The Vegetarian Feast, Mediterranean Harvest, Mediterranean Light, and The Simple Art of Vegetarian Cooking. Her work emphasizes the use of fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients, encouraging home cooks to prepare healthful meals that are both satisfying and accessible.
In addition to her writing, Martha has taught cooking classes and worked as a food consultant, sharing her expertise and passion for wholesome, flavorful food with a wide audience. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
You can visit Martha Rose’ web site here:
From Martha Rose’ Facebook page:
From Martha Rose’ Amazon Bio page….
About the author
For over 30 years I have been writing cookbooks devoted to eating well. A pioneer in vegetarian cooking, I began my career in 1973 at the age of 23. This was long before well-educated people from upper middle class backgrounds fantasized about becoming the next Food Network star or owning a successful restaurant. I was then a student at The University of Texas at Austin. I changed my major every semester, but my passion for cooking and for giving dinner parties was unwavering. I also had an interest in health, and combined the two in my approach to food, drawing upon many of the world’s cuisines to create vegetarian dishes that were much better than the standard brown rice fare of the early 1970s. Culturally I was very much a product of my era, but as far as my cooking was concerned, I have always been way ahead of my time.
Martha Rose’ top rated NYT recipe is for mushroom risotto with peas, with over six thousand likes!
You can see all 1,656 of Martha Rose’ NYT recipes here:
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