Sure Debi Mazar currently stars as Maggie on TV Land’s Younger and is widely recognized from her starring role on Entourage, but the New Yorker has also hosted several seasons of Extra Virgin, a Cooking Channel show that was just nominated for a James Beard Award, and Extra Virgin Americana with her husband Gabriele Corcos, a chef from Tuscany. Now, in a partnership with Soy Vay, the marinade company, this mom of two is lending her voice to a thoroughly modern project—a voice-controlled recipe website. Use it and you’ll not only avoid splattering batter or olive oil on your cookbooks, but it’s the next best thing to having Mazar over for a cooking lesson.
What attracted you to this collaboration?
I like everything modern. To me, this feels like futuristic recipe assistance and I love that you get the recipe and it talks back to you. I also like that you don’t have to touch your cookbooks and get messy. And, if you don’t have time and don’t have a cookbook in front of you, it’s easy. It’s as simple as that.
You’ve recorded four recipes. What was your favorite?
The Turkey Lettuce Cups because they’re so easy to assemble. I also know that people are health-conscious and turkey is the least offensive option for people who don’t eat meat. It’s also a great recipe for kids—our recipe calls for mushrooms but, of course, you can substitute any vegetable.
What are your favorite food prep tips as a busy working mom?
I look for ways to reuse leftovers. We don’t waste food. On the weekends, I’ll drink wine, hang out with a friend or my husband and create sauces I can freeze so during the week I have some things in the freezer that are ready to go. I’ve even been known to slow-cook something for nine hours in the middle of August. I’m funny like that. I do stuff that’s, timing-wise, not appropriate!
Is there a cooking show that’s going to follow Extra Virgin?
Yes. That’s coming. Our cookbook, Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen, is a New York Times bestseller and we’re working on a new cookbook, too.
And, in June, you’re about to begin shooting season three of Younger?
Yes and it’s wonderful seeing all the characters growing and seeing the troubles people get into. My character, Maggie, doesn’t get into trouble because she’s older than the other characters. I know they’ll have me doing fun crazy stuff next season. I just won’t know until we sit down and read the scripts.
In my mind, what’s most memorable about Maggie is that she’s such a great friend to Liza, played by Sutton Foster.
She really is. Who lets you live in their house for that long? It’s true. The good thing is that when everyone else is blowing smoke, she keeps it real. When Liza becomes annoying, she lets her know. She infuses the belief that reinvention is a good thing, that you should do what you want, that life is short, that you should go for it. It’s also interesting because Liza is revisiting that crazy side of youth where Maggie is more comfortable in her bones.
They’re also old friends—and that’s something special.
With old friends you have moments where you’re like ‘you haven’t called me in so long.’ I have that with old friends and then you get together and, within moments, it’s like it was yesterday. There’s no judgment. That’s so crucial. People will pay a therapist to be objective and sometimes a great old friend is all you really need.
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