Staff Reports
Former Food Network star Sandra Lee’s infamous cake recipe has once again surfaced, much to the dismay of her critics. As some may recall, Lee was romantically involved with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, essentially serving as New York’s de facto First Lady until their breakup in 2019. Cuomo’s subsequent resignation in 2021 due to sexual harassment scandals further tainted both his and Lee’s reputations.
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The cake catastrophe in question was featured on Lee’s show, Semi-Homemade, where she demonstrated how to create various dishes using primarily store-bought ingredients. Critics argue that her cooking methods were nothing more than following instructions found on pre-packaged food labels, dubbing it “fugazi cooking.” This cooking debacle aired back in 2003, long before the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, allowing it to escape the full force of public scrutiny.
In today’s environment, cultural appropriation has become a hot-button issue, with strict rules against cooking dishes from other cultures unless one desires to face allegations of appropriation. However, these rules seem to conveniently exempt white liberals, as demonstrated by instances such as Alec Baldwin’s wife claiming to be Spanish, Elizabeth Warren identifying as a fake Cherokee, and Rachel Dolezal masquerading as a black woman despite being as white as Wonder Bread.
Critics have alleged that Lee’s Kwanzaa cake recipe may have been ghostwritten, adding another layer of controversy to the already derided dessert. Even the late Anthony Bourdain, known for his candid and often harsh criticisms, didn’t hold back when expressing his disdain for the cake, referring to it as a “culinary Chernobyl” and a “war crime on television.” Despite the backlash, Lee claimed to have created the cake to honor the holiday of Kwanzaa, citing its celebration of the harvest.
