Rumors swirled more than the wine in a thousand glasses. Would Paula Deen join her sons, Jamie and Bobby, in the cooking demo scheduled at Sunday's Grand Tasting Village at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival? People were whispering that Paula was still on the fence about appearing at the signature event (hence the "Deen Family" moniker).
When festival founder Lee Brian Schrager took the stage, however, all doubt was erased. Schrager explained that since he couldn't possibly introduce every celebrity chef, he stopped doing any introductions but this was an exception. He said that when "we were planning the festival this year there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted Paula at the festival this year." He added that he remembered the first time he saw Paula Deen cook on television. "I remember what she was making, a blueberry tart, what she was wearing, a pink blouse" and that "we must have this crazy lady at the festival." Schrager then introduced Deen, "back where she has always been and back where she should be."
See also: SOBEWFF: Barbecue, the Blues, and the Deens (Photos)
