I mentioned on this site that last week I attended a cooking demonstration with Katie Lee Joel. She was as sweet as can BE! While preparing the food and signing her cookbooks, these are the quotes I was able to write down on my blackberry.

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Did you gain any weight while testing out recipes for your new cookbook?

I did. I gained 8 pounds. In order to take it off, I started to take spinning and yoga. I also was good Monday through Friday and eased up on the weekends.

A woman in the audience said she saw Billy Joel riding his bike in South Beach. Katie said that riding is one of his favorite things to do. Bill (not Billy) always says,

I love watching people look at my bike in South Beach.

I thought that was funny that she admitted that to us. Katie said her husband is a big fan of "showing off his little toy".

I then asked if she was interested in getting her own cooking show since she already spent some time on the small screen filming Top Chef.

I think it would be fun to do a food show. Something where friends come over.

Someone shouted out, "Like Ina?" where Katie began to gush over the Barefoot Contessa.

I love Ina. I've never met her although I'm always on the look out for her in East Hampton.

Does Billy Joel cook?

I let him in the kitchen sometimes. Sometimes he gets ahead of himself, but he makes this great skirt steak marinade! It's in the cookbook!

For a while Billy wouldn't tell her his secret for the marinade and after she begged to be part of the cookbook, he had to fess up. Anchovy paste!! Can you believe that?!

Katie also admitted that Billy makes "great spaghetti bolognase and salad". It's not always restaurant quality with Billy. He's a leftover kind of guy.

Sometimes he thinks that combining ingredient together plus olive oil is cooking. He would kill me if he knew I was telling you! So for example, he'll throw together pasta and left over Chinese food with some olive oil and call it a night."

What are your favorite meals to make?

During July and August, my peach cobbler is the most popular recipe in the Joel household. I only make it when the peaches are the ripest and in season. I actually went yesterday and bought a bunch at the farm stand in Sagaponack.

Favorite meal to cook?

Depends on the time of year. I like to make braised meat that falls apart during the winter. Or pot roast and short ribs with thick gravy. But if I had to pick one meal it would have to be biscuits because of the memories associated with it.

To read a great story and a quote that contains a curse that Paula Deen's husband said to Billy and Katie, click on the continue reading link. 

I had to know how Katie Lee got Paula Deen to do her forward. Here's the story PARAPHRASED except for the actual quote below. There was no way I could type all of this and my tape recorder (naturally) died at the very beginning of the demonstration.

So I asked Katie and she had no problem talking about Paula. She said she loved her with her heart and soul. They were all at a cooking fair down south where both of the ladies were demonstrating. Katie went up to Paula and told her she loved her and went on her way. She then asked Joel if they could go to Georgia and visit Paula's restaurant. 

Billy said yes. So they called up to ask if they could make reservations even though it was against Paula's policy and instead got invited to Paula's HOUSE for a home cooked meal. I WOULD DIE!!! Anyway, they fly down and head over to Paula's house. She was filming for the Food Network and both Billy and Katie were able to watch the taping.

Time for dinner. Michael and Billy completely hit it off. Best of friends right from the start! It was such a great time. Michael turned to Billy and said, 'We get along fine because we have three things in common'.

Are you ready to read what he said? Michael said,

We both like motorcycles, boats and southern bitches.

Everyone laughed and continued to enjoy themselves. 

LOVE IT!