The REAL Queen Bea

I might be the self-proclaimed Queen Bea of Home Shopping, but make no mistake, Bea Toms is the real Queen Bea. I humbly bow in her presence.

Bea is a 95-year-old great-great-grandmother who brings home the bacon, fries it up in the pan, then turns around and sells it on QVC. She is one hot mama!

According to the Baltimore Sun, she single-handedly cooked for the 300 people that came to her 95th birthday party before heading to the QVC studios to promote her book, Recipes From a Country Cook, which she first published at the tender age of 90.

When asked if she ever takes a day off, she pauses and asks, "A whole day?"

Energy, she figures, is a state of mind. If you want to do things, you do them. Simple as that. "Work does not stop me," she says. "I've shocked wheat, I've driven horses, I've husked corn, I've driven tractors. It's who I am."


Her take on cooking and life is real and is the antithesis of the fancy-shmancy celebrity chefs we have crammed down our throats. She grew up on a farm making big, hearty meals that tasted good, weren't complicated, and didn't cost a fortune. Her catering business grew organically out of her kitchen through word-of-mouth--a wedding here, a baby shower there--and she still makes all the food herself. She's written five cookbooks, two volumes of poetry, and a collection of short stories in her spare time.

Just stop and think about that right now ... she's 95 and runs a catering business where she does all the cooking herself and has written 8 books in her spare time. What have you been doing with your time lately? Sure makes you stop and think about what you could accomplish if you put your mind to it.

Bea might be slight of stature, but she is strong as steel.


(This is by far the cutest home shopping picture ever! Love David!)


"They call me the little old roll lady."

Venable bit deeply into one roll stuffed with country ham. "Mmmmmm. Mmmmmmm," he said. "I do like."

Later, on the phone with a reporter, Venable says that all the oohing and ahhing wasn't just for the camera.

"Her rolls are without parallel," he says. "I've never had a nicer, fluffier, more wonderful roll than Bea's."

Bea's advice on cooking: "I don't buy cheap food. You can't make something excellent out of something mediocre." Words to live by.

Check out the entire article here including pictures, recipes, and videos.

Blue Plate Special Daily Round Up

The Q is quack-quack-quackin' up a storm with their Quacker Factory TSV. I'm not a Quacker, but if you are, this 4-piece set is probably a good deal. Honestly though, I think it's a little too tame--if you're gonna quack, QUACK LOUD! QUACK PROUD! Go for the rhinestone-encrusted golden duck ... get the fiber optic light-up Christmas sweater, for the love of all that quacks! (I was actually quite tempted to get that one! What fun!). BTW, if you haven't seen Jeanne Bice's recent slip of the tongue, check it out here.

It's Suzanne Somers day on HSN! She's breaking out her signature trilliant-cut faux diamonds. The goldtone rings (clear, lavender, or champagne) just aren't doing it for me. They look very uncomfortable and the "goldtone" scares me. However, that little "crown and tiara" ring set looks perfect for the Queen Bea of Home Shopping ... I mean, it's got it all! A crown, a tiara, fake diamonds, goldtone, and it's made by Suzanne Somers! It doesn't get much cheesier than that, chickadees!

ShopNBC ... ShopNBC ... what is wrong with them lately?! Their OTV is a classic-looking Pearlfection simulated South Sea pearl necklace, bracelet, and stud earring set. Measuring in at a whopping 14mm, the pearls are absolutely ginormous--think The Flintstones. The set is pretty and looks well made (I particularly like the clasp), so what's the problem?

Cultured pearls have gone waaaay down in price and up in size lately, so why charge almost $100 for fake pearls? I don't mind fake pearls, but the price should be significantly lower than the real-deal. I guess if you are a stickler for the pearls being absolutely perfectly round with no pits or rings, than this is the set for you.

Jewelry Television has free shipping on clearance items with the code DISCEMFS.

Last, but not least ... remember that chef on HSN, Scott Conant? He just opened Scarpetta, an Italian restaurant in New York City. A snooty review can be read here. Is Scott even still with HSN? I could only find 6 items on the website and they were all on clearance.