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"Celebrity Cookbook" Interview

Date range assessed by the fact that “The Jacksons were rehearsing for an episode of their TV series” at the time; the first episode aired on June 16, 1976.

Johna Blinn’s “Celebrity Cookbook” (1981), From Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro” (summary/quotes)

The Jacksons were rehearsing for an episode of their TV series when Johna Blinn caught up with Michael to talk about his mother’s family favourite, ‘Sweet Potato Pie.’ Turned out that it was a speciality from father Joe’s family and he had passed the recipe on from his mother.

“I enjoy learning about food in the different countries when I travel, even though I always end up eating Ham & eggs. Unless, of course, someone invites us out to dinner.”

Mother Katherine made sure they had some on hand when they were on the road touring.

“Whenever we’ve been on the road, mother always makes sure she has some of our favourite sweet potato pie on hand. Her sweet potato pie is the best.”

Michael confessed that he didn’t cook much and was more an appreciator than a budding chef.

In the Philippines Michael was offered boiled dog, which completely turned him off.

“The people there raise them there just for the table and they cook them the way we do steak.”

The recipe for Katherine’s Sweet Potato Pie consisted of:

3 eggs

½ cup of white sugar

¼ cup of melted butter

½ teaspoon of salt

About 1/3 cup of milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ heaping cups of mashed sweet potato (fresh or canned)

2 fresh lemon or orange juice

One unbaked 9 inch pie shell

1/3 cup pecan halves, optional