ealth makes you look and feel vibrant and beautiful," writes Evelyn H. Lauder in
the introduction to her recently published cookbook, In Great Taste: Fresh, Simple
Recipes for Eating and Living Well ($29.95; Rodale, Inc.). "Over the years, I have
learned to cherish, protect, and celebrate this precious sense of wellness."
Lauder knows of what she speaks, having spent much of her life immersed
in matters of health and beauty. She is a senior corporate vice president of the Estee Lauder
Companies (she can be thanked for now-staple concepts of cheek color in the form of colored
pressed powder and lip gloss in a lipstick tube rather than in a pot), the founder and chairman
of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (which will receive all proceeds from the sale of her
book) and was instrumental in the conception of the pink ribbon campaign. A breast-cancer
survivor herself, the Vienna-born and New York-raised Lauder began her adult life as a school-
teacher before marrying Leonard Lauder, the eldest son of cosmetics powerhouse Estee, raising
their two sons and heading out in the world to make good use of her advantages.
In Great Taste offers more than 125 of Lauder's own recipes, organized by time of day —
morning, noon and night — and interspersed with tips, nutritional information and personal and
family anecdotes. But most of all, it is the kind of easy-to-navigate cookbook— created by a host-
ess known for her warm yet sophisticated style — that enthusiasts and amateurs alike can't wait
to put to use in their own kitchens. As Lauder writes, "I am convinced that eating wholesome
food at home does not have to be complicated or boring. In fact, it should be exciting." Dig in!

MY SPECIAL CREPE RECIPE

These crepes may be filled with either sweet
fillings, such as pure fruit jam, or orange
marmalade, and sprinkled with a little
powdered sugar. They are also delicious with
savory fillings and wonderful served with
shredded vegetables as an appetizer. Children
enjoy them with [meat (like turkey)] and low-
fat cream cheese, and a popular sweet filling in
France is Nutella. Use your imagination and
a few of your preferred ingredients to develop
your own favorites. We often make crepes, so I
have a nonstick crepe (8-inch/20 cm) pan for
each burner on my stove. It makes it easy to
serve many people simultaneously. Serves 4.

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 teaspoon canola oil
Dash of vanilla extract
Dash of almond extract
Dash of orange extract
Dash of lemon extract
Melted butter

Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl and
make a well in the center. In a separate bowl,
mix the egg, 1/2 cup of the milk and oil. Pour
into the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth
batter forms. Add the vanilla, almond, orange
and lemon extracts and stir to combine.
While whisking the batter, gradually add the
remaining 4 tablespoons milk. To check the
stream of the mix, hold the whisk 12 inches
above the bowl; aim for a thin stream that does
not break.
Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or skillet over
medium-high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of
water into the pan; if they sizzle, the pan is
ready to use. Brush with a little melted butter.
Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour the batter into
the skillet. Immediately pick up the pan and tilt
and swirl it so that the batter covers the entire
bottom of the pan. Pour any excess batter back
into the bowl.

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platinum

Cook for 1 minute. Loosen the edges of the
crepe with a spatula. You can use a spatula to
turn the crepe, but I usually turn it with my
fingers. Using both hands, I pick up the loosened
edges with my thumb and index finger and
quickly flip it over.
Cook on the other side until lightly golden
(usually less than a minute) and slide it out onto
a plate. Cover with waxed paper. Repeat with the
remaining batter.
Per serving: 110 calories, 3.5 g total fat, 1 g
saturated fat, 5 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 0 g
dietaryfiber; 80 mg sodium

COTTAGE CHEESE CREPES

Here is a wonderful crepe recipe that I have
used for brunch for Leonard and myself. I love
cherries, and I always take advantage of them in
season, but when they are unavailable, you can
substitute raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or
blackberries in this recipe. Serves 2.

4 crepes (see recipe above)
6 tablespoons fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon superfine
(caster) sugar
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 cherries, pitted, juices reserved

Prepare the crepes and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the cottage cheese and
1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Place one-quarter
of the mixture in the center of each crepe. Fold
the ends of each crepe in and over the cheese
mixture. Place 2 crepes on each warm serving
plate.
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, vanilla
extract, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon sugar.
Spoon over the crepes and top with the cherries.
Serve.
Per serving: 320 calories, 7g total fat, 2 g saturated
fat, 19 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary
fiber, 180 mg sodium