Gendy AlimurungGina Meyers wrote that Twilight cookbook, Love At First Bite. Some of you loved it. Some of you hated it. Here, she talks food, vampires and defends herself against the haters. And yes, she will be releasing a second Twilight cookbook.
Have any people claiming to be vampires bought your book?
No one claiming to be a vampire, but a tattoo artist did purchase the book. And a lot of Team Edward and Team Jacob fans. A female prison guard by the name of Velma, after seeing my culinary talents as broadcast on the evening news, camped out all night in her car to come to my book signing and drove a total of four hours.
Edward's Cornflake Chicken
Some people in the Amazon reviews are really up in arms about the cookbook. One person was angry that the Team Edward Tacos have beef in them. How would you respond to that?
I do not have Team Edward Tacos. The review is completely bogus. The individual did not buy the book, he wrote the review as if he were a teenage girl and according to Amazon, he has registered as a Cary N. Hittle or Cary Norman Thomas. The sad part is a person can become infamous as a reviewer for Amazon having never purchased the book and of course having never experimented in the kitchen with the recipes. He is misleading young girls, pretending he is one, by stating that his boyfriend dumped him over the tacos….Revenge is a dish best served cold. Challenge him to a cook off, I'll be there!
I see that your cookbook is a rather polarizing book. Lots of people love it. But lots of people hate it. How do you deal with the haters?
In this anonymous world of cyber bullying, we as authors and writers have to realize that there is a heavy burden we must pay for creativity and entrepreneurial skills. Giving the public what they desire involves standing up to or hearing harsh criticisms from the critics who wished they would have come up with the concept and thought of doing what I do. Anytime you are in the public eye, and anytime you really have something worthwhile to say, there is going to be controversy. I have my feet firmly planted here on earth and it isn't worth responding to my critics. I prefer what one critic said, “Don't Suck at Cooking, Give The Twilight Cookbook a Try.”
Has Stephenie Meyer seen it? If so, has she made any of the dishes?
I am not sure if she has had the time to view my cookbook, I hope she would be encouraging as I am a wife, mother, and fellow writer, just in a slightly different genre, cooking and trivia. I hope she would have her husband make Charlie's Dinner in a Skillet, an easy, yummy recipe that even a non gourmet dad could make (green peppers, onions, cubed potatoes, and hot dogs sliced and cooked in a skillet on medium heat).
Who do you think has better culinary options, vampires or werewolves?
Well, since vampires don't eat, werewolves would seem to have better culinary options. In Love at First Bite, I make sure there are plenty of Team Jacob culinary treats, such as Werewolf Chow, Wolf pack Waffles, and Jacob Black's Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Sprinkled in Love at First Bite, are food quotes from the Twilight Saga books. Edward says, “I wasn't hunting for food. I was actually trying my hand at tracking. I'm not very good at it.” For that quote I have an Irritated Grizzly Bear Steak recipe. I also have for the Team Edward fans, I Dare You To Eat Pizza, Edward, Butterscotch Eyes (Bella says Edward's eyes are the color butterscotch, it is a dessert with butterscotch pudding and little teddy grahams), as well as Vampire Blood Punch, and Edward's Thirst Quencher.
Love At First Bite Cupcakes
Which is the most difficult dish to prepare?
Harry's Famous Fish Fry is pretty difficult since it calls for fish, so you have to go fishing. Jokes aside, The Lion and the Lamb Stew is a very complex recipe, quite like the relationship between Bella and Edward.
If you had the choice, would you want to be a vampire?
Only if Edward was my husband. To me, and most Twilight fans, Twilight is a love story like Romeo and Juliet. As a woman, I enjoy the fantasy and the theme of unrequited love; it reminds me of my first love and of being a teenager. I don't want to be a teenager again, it just helps me to remain in touch with those youthful feelings before kids, carpools, and spaghetti dinner fundraisers.
Chocolate Mousse
Any plans for a second Twilight cookbook?
Yes, I have written a Bite at Twilight cookbook, and plan on adding some new recipes such as Garden Burgers (turkey and a tofu version) to the book.
Recipe for “Edward's Cornflake Chicken”
10 drumsticks, washed
3 cups of cornflake cereal, crushed
¼ cup of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove skin off of drumsticks and wash and dry chicken thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. In a large baking dish, pour oil and dip and roll chicken in the oil. In a large plastic sealed type bag, place 3 cups of cornflake cereal, salt and pepper to taste and seal. Make sure all air is out of the bag, and crush cornflakes with a wooden spoon or a rolling pin. Next, take drumsticks one at a time and place in the crushed cornflakes, reseal plastic bag and shake until chicken is thoroughly coated with the crushed cornflakes. Place chicken drumsticks in an ungreased 8 x 11.5 baking dish and bake for forty five minutes, uncovered. Serves 10.
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