Learning about past with Leo Pearlstein

Known as the “King of Culinary Public Relations,” Leo Pearlstein opened his own agency in 1950 during the birth of the television industry. His clients’ food products and services were introduced to the public via TV, radio and print by legends like Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen, Groucho Marx and so many others. Even President Nixon’s administration requested Pearlstein’s expertise on food and nutrition.

Many of the items we now eat and drink were first promoted by Pearlstein and his stellar team, and you can read all about this amazing man in his books, “Celebrity Stew,” “Recipes of the Stars” and “Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook.” To learn more, go to: www.celebritystew.com and www.mrscubbisons.com

“You’ve seen so many eating trends and fads come and go. Tell us about the best and the worst.

I think, and so do my friends, that the worst trend was the excess we saw in the ‘80s. Both consumers and restaurant operators placed too much emphasis on the presentation plate. And they were way too expensive, as well. The best, in our opinion, is a trend back to basics, like comfort foods.

“Of all the great legends you’ve interviewed and worked with, name a few who were so good in the kitchen that they could have been a top chef in another life.

Phyllis Diller, without a question! A tremendous cook and charming hostess. Extremely creative with food. And Vincent Price with his wife, Mary, wrote a fantastic cookbook called “A Treasury of Great Recipes.”

“Funniest or craziest search for a Miss ???:

Searching for Miss Turkey Stuffing, for Mrs. Cubbison’s prepared stuffing mix, we had 10 contestants at the L.A. Press Club. One contestant misunderstood what we were looking for, and was extremely overweight, thinking she’d get it because she was well-stuffed. We chose Arlene Charles, a former Miss Indiana, who was very charming, bright and a terrific presenter.

Phyllis Diller’s Baked Dill-Stuffed Sole

3 pounds fillet of sole or halibut

1 (6 ounce) bag cornbread stuffing

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup chopped dill pickles

1/4 cup minced onion

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoon or less dry white wine

1 onion, sliced very thin

1 tomato, sliced very thin

Salt and pepper and sweet basil, to taste

Butter a shallow baking dish and place half the fish in it. Make stuffing by combining and mixing the cornbread stuffing, melted butter, dill pickles, minced onion if desired, salt and pepper, beaten egg and enough wine to moisten to your desired consistency. Spread the stuffing over the fish in the baking dish. Top with remaining fish. On top of fish, arrange thin onion slices, then tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sweet basil to taste. Bake about 40 minutes at 350 F or until fish flakes with a fork. Yields 6-8 servings.