Celebrity Interview - Jewish Princesses - Comments

Jewish Princesses

Poster: Annabel Milnes-Smith 01/12/2006

ANNABEL MILNES-SMITH GLEANS SOME CHUTZPAH FROM AN UNLIKELY DUO OF "JEWISH PRINCESSES" AS THEY RELEASE THEIR FIRST COOKBOOK IN SPAIN.

Tracey Fine and Georgie Tarn, the self-styled "Jewish Princesses", have arrived in Spain, following a successful book tour in the UK. They, as stated on the cover of their book, aptly named The Jewish Princess Cookbook, have well and truly had their cake and eaten it. It was at one of my favourite restaurants, Ogilvy and Mailer, that I caught up with them and discovered what goes on behind the closed doors of a typical Jewish family - and if us mere gentiles would grasp their culinary techniques and humorous take on life.
Each has been very successful in her chosen field: Georgie as a top London aerobics trainer, Tracey running an international Internet giftware company. Even with five children, and having had three husbands between them, they still find time for charity work; their latest cause being funding children's projects in eastern Europe.

How did you two meet?
Tracey: "We met aged nine at the Grand Rimini in Italy and became fast friends. Georgie was then rushed off the beach with appendicitis and I thought I would never see her again. Then by sheer coincidence we ended up at the same secondary school together and became life-long friends. We've been through everything together. Three marriages, children, and four engagements."

What inspired you to write the book? I gather it was initially Georgie's idea.
Georgie: "I woke up one morning and I obviously have quite a vivid imagination because it was there on my pillow. I immediately picked up the telephone to Tracey and said, "How about writing a book called 'The Jewish Princess Cookbook?'" She thought for about half a second and then hopped on board."

It has obviously been an enormous hit because the cookbook advanced in 20 months from their idea to the shop-shelves. I have since been told this is real fast-tracking.

Are you really Jewish Princesses?
"Yes, we wave the banner. We have re-branded the epithet for the 21st century, and are taking back that derogatory term, turning it round and making it a 'princess positive': a woman who not only looks after her self but her family as well."

Your book sold out in Harrods. What was your reaction?
"The first thing a customer said to us was, 'My boyfriend is Jewish, I think the book is unbelievable. I think it will be huge.' We were just blown away and so excited. What makes it different is that it is not just a cookbook but a lifestyle guide. One day when we were in Harrods we spotted Michael Parkinson. Having a bit of chutzpah we said, 'Hello Michael, so lovely to see you. We have just published our first book. He was so impressed by our forthright approach, he bought a copy!"

Jewish women are renowned for their expensive tastes in couture and everyday living. Is this true, and why?
"No, it's not. They just like to look good. You do not have to spend a lot of money; it is just the way you wear your clothes and present yourself. We have always had a passion for fashion, especially handbags and shoes. We work for a charity and go to the Ukraine, where we see a large Jewish population who have absolutely nothing. Again, we have a very big ethos of looking after ourselves but have a charitable point of view in the way we were brought up."

The Jewish community have also been renowned for their chicken soup, and indeed are very proud of it. Why?
"It is something everyone looks forward to on a Friday night; a family thing. We all lead very busy lives and it is something that we all stop for and get together. It is the epitome of traditional dinner. You can smell it permeating throughout the house. We always leave a bit frozen for a Jewish Princess emergency!"

Why does Jewish cooking always include salt beef, chopped liver and gefilte fish? It seems your standard chow. Most of us gentiles are turned off by this. What makes it so attractive?
"Chopped liver at the Wolseley on Piccadilly in London is their standard dish of the day. There is also the salt beef bar in Selfridges. Many people do not even realise this is Jewish food and, unknowingly, consume it with relish. We want to make Jewish cuisine as fashionable as sushi is worldwide. Our dream is to establish our signature dishes; for example, fried fish balls." (Golly, my biology is a bit rusty!)

What would you cook for Jewish media tycoon Richard Desmond?
"Besides a Friday night dinner, we would cook him some of our specialities like Bloody Mary Borscht, Moroccan chicken and Choca-Challah pudding."

Tell us about the Yiddish language...
"It really is not a written language. You can write Yiddish words in any spelling and we all have different ways of writing particular words, as it is explained in the book."

Why do you think Jewish Princesses get such bad press?
"It's actually kind of good that we can laugh at ourselves and realise that our foibles make us foibulous. We just embrace the term and make it positive and live by our mantra: PPP - Positive, Productive and Princess-like in everything we do."

Give a couple of classic examples...
"When you have got people for dinner there is no reason why you shouldn't go out for the day. You get the food delivered and be prepared. Avoid taking too much time on desserts, which is very aptly named for, when spelt backwards, it reads 'stressed'. Make it easy for yourself so when your guests come you look Princess-like. You will then have a positive attitude towards the evening because you have a wonderfully easy meal on the table that looks simply delicious and people have no idea of the ease with which is was created."

What do you think of fashion gurus Trinny and Susannah?
"We love them. They are fantastic. We have hands-on experience with the amount of work required to get a book published and coordinate the media attention around it. We now look at these people with a renewed respect and see how far they have gone. Also we respect how they put themselves on the line for people to judge. They really are criticised to the limit and we think it is so unfair. They both manage to juggle family life whilst living the dream together whilst keeping their feet firmly on the ground. One classic example being the way they dealt with the lady who had cancer. It was amazing how they lifted her up."

Give me your opinion on such style icons as Stella McCartney, Julian MacDonald, Amanda Wakeley and Nick Foulkes...
"I think clothes are part of who you are, and you should listen to fashion but follow your own style. Clothes are there to be enjoyed."

Why are people often labelled with the phrase, 'Oh, you are so Jewish.'?
"I think this is very important within the book. Maybe some people don't know Jewish people or are a bit unsure of all our commonalities, and that is what we really wanted to do with food: bring down the borders a little bit about religion and talk in an honest way. We all have so many similarities in life and like to laugh, enjoy life together and ultimately reach across to people. We hope we have done this with the book."

When I was in my late teens I first heard the term Jewish Princess, which was always applied to quite tough savvy New York girls. Has the phrase now crept into Britain, as it was not in common usage the last two decades?
"In America it's 'JAP' ('Jewish American Princess') and in London there are many other terms. Obviously now we hope that Jewish Princess will become an everyday term. The whole idea of the book is that we knew it was a global phrase and therefore people would immediately look at it and say, 'Oh, that's different. Fancy someone being that cheeky to write such a book.'"

How do you ultimately define a Jewish Princess in the modern world?
"Deep down it is someone that multi-tasks. These days in the modern world women are holding down jobs, looking after their families and trying to keep up their appearance. Sex in the City meets Desperate Housewives defines the Jewish Princess. Everybody has a bit of the Princess gene and we know that in H! Society Magazine, for example, there are always women looking glamorous every single day of the week with elegant clothes and handbags. The Jewish Princess says, 'If I can do it, you can do it!'"

In your book you say, 'What is a Jewish Princess's favourite wine? I want to go to Marbella!' You obviously love it here. Why is it so special to you both?
"We have been coming here for the past 25 years. The minute we step on the plane, all our troubles melt away. It is a different way of life. You all seem to be on top of things here, rather than like us in London where we are always running from pillar to post. The sun is shining and the sea is rolling, and with such fabulous restaurants like Ogilvy and Mailer we cannot wait to come here every time. We even dream of it."

Many people say Jewish women always expect everything to come to them. How do you both react to that comment?
"It's time management. Maybe they know how to organise life a little better. If there is a hard route or an easy one, it just makes common sense to take the latter. For example, they offer to pack in supermarkets but maybe the English are too reserved to accept the help. However, we Jewish Princesses immediately say, 'Can I have a packer please and take it out to the car?' If the service is out there, use it. Also we say in the book, why make short crust pastry when you can buy it ready-made and still produce something that everybody enjoys and are none the wiser? You do not have to kill yourself to get the end product out!"

What do you have in the pipeline for the next 12 months?
"We have new products to kit out the Jewish Princess like gorgeous oven gloves, aprons and tea-towels which will be hitting the stores in time for Christmas. We are working on book two, and book one will go to France; whoever thought two JP's from north-west London would teach the French how to cook!"

This writer wonders whether the French will be prepared for this onslaught from England. I am not sure that our culinary Gallic cousins will be trembling in their couture boots - yet!

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