My Drunk Kitchen is a cookbook from 2014 written by Hannah Hart and intended for intoxicated chefs. Hart is a 32 year old comedian, author and actress from California. She has a strong presence on the internet, specifically Youtube. In 2011, she did an episode about drunk cooking, which inspired her to write this New York Times best seller. Hannah now has a weekly web series with millions of viewers for her drunken edible creations.
This cookbook was published relatively recently, and the rhetoric eludes to this. For example, there is a quote on page 25 that says, “But have you guys even watched Orange is the New Black yet? It’s just SO GOOD.” Orange is the New Black is a recent Netflix series that targets young and middle-aged adults. Additionally, the inclusivity of genders and sexual orientations reoccurs throughout the book. There are multiple photos and recipes that show acceptance to different groups of people, such as “how to come out in the gayest way possible- rainbow cake served with skittles vodka” (207). Include these ideas shows that the book was written as feminism and LGBTQ+ discussions became more widespread.
The author makes multiple assumptions about the reader, such as age, social class, and gender. One way the target age of the audie
nce is presented is through how Hart describes the ingredients and instructions. She swears and uses silly phrases, such as “crescent rolls (because the moon is mega mystical)” (100). This silliness also shows the maturity level and age of the author. Another example is in the “adultolescence” section of the cookbook. The adult lunchables recipe lists “fancy adult salami (that’s my porn name)” as an ingredient (111). The laid-back instructions emphasize that this is for a low-skill level and that she has no intentions of teaching you actual culinary skills. On page 53, one of the ingredients listed is “a bag of saltine crackers (if they’re stale, that’s okay too, no judging)” and “add anything really, this is your palette” on page 129. This, along with the lack of measurements, also implies that you can just improvise and hope for the best. The emphasis on intoxication and convenience assumes that reader is around the age of college students. The Thanksgiving Pie recipe epitomizes convenience by listing “one fully baked store-bought cheesecake, one can of cherry pie filling, and holiday related baggage that is manifesting in this weird way right now” as ingredients. This recipe instructs the reader to make a handprint in the store-bought cheesecake and to fill the indents with the pie filling to create the appearance of a turkey (205).
Another assumption that the author makes is about the social class of the reader. The recipes do not require expensive ingredients or tools, which makes them accessible to lower income levels. The recipes are not fancy or intended for parties or formal dinners. They are made for young adults on a budget or for a fun activity. It is unlikely that many working or upper-class adults will be making these meals for themselves or their families on a typical day.
Finally, the author assumes that the readers are mostly female. While the pictures and rhetoric are inclusive and attempt to break gender stereotypes, the types of jokes that are present are targeting females. For example, page 121 says “hey girl. Or guy. Or whatever gender pronoun floats your boat.” Pages 102 and 103 show 2 girls watching sports and eating snacks. They are doing stereotypical “boy things,” but girls are shown doing them to defy the stereotypes and to make the reader laugh. Another reference to gender is in the recipe for “brothel sprouts.” This recipe contains a commentary from a man watching a woman cook; he sexualizes the cooking of brussel sprouts because they came from a farmers’ market and the woman is “dirty like that” (153). Including this commentary shows the way that women are frequently seen in the world, in addition to the idea that women are usually the ones preparing meals.
References
Hannah Hart Bio. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/2017/06/hannah-hart-i-hart-food
Hart, H. (2014). My Drunk Kitchen. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
