Fans of the show Desperate Housewives who regularly tune in to see who is stirring the pot, how the plot is thickening and what is simmering beneath the surface will be thrilled to see this cookbook. 

This beautiful book is broken down into sections by main characters Bree Van De Kamp, Susan Mayer, Gabrielle Solis, Lynnette Scavo, Edie Britt as well as a section entailing other neighbors Martha Huber, Mike Delfino, Felicia Tillman, and Mrs. McCluskey.  With this one is given the full range from the elegant, adequate fool-proof but flavorful, simple and healthy with ethnic Mexican/Spanish/Latin American classics, family and company recipes, and those that focus on the seductive. 

Of those dishes attempted, the recipes were easy to follow and the flavors were well balanced.   

The finer foods style of recipes for Bree contain dishes with ingredients that are surprisingly accessible.   

Susan’s section with Sophie’s Meatballs rated very highly with family taste testers, as did the Foolproof Macaroni and Cheese.   

A Penne with Spiced Vodka Sauce for Gabrielle’s chapter turned out beautifully.  

In Lynette’s area, one had to chuckle about the section on Everything You Wanted to Know About Grilled Cheese.  There is also a Mango Martini that looks wonderfully tempting to try this summer.   

Edie’s Angel Hair Pasta with Smoked Salmon was delicious for anyone wanting something fast, beautiful and sensuous. 

Insights and asides into the characters of the TV show simply add to the fun of delving into the kitchens and the psyches of the women of Wisteria Lane.  However, as you can see, one should not judge the book merely for the entertainment value it actually offers up good food, too.   

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