Ree Drummond

JULIA. MARTHA. EMERIL. INA. THEY’VE all cooked in front of the masses with confidence and shown us the intrinsic value and joy of the process. But they’re so much more than cooks or chefs. They’re teachers who reveal their own cultural wisdom and attention to detail in the service of making the rest of us better. Their shared talent is not just about food; it’s about living with passion for something beyond the mundane.

Go ahead and add Ree to the list of names. That’s Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, a homemaker and resourceful blogger who in a little more than a decade has quietly risen to the upper echelon of lifestyle celebrity. But again, a word like celebrity does Drummond no justice. She’s a teacher, like those who captured our culinary imaginations before her. And unlike some of the giants of her industry, she exudes the vibes of a best friend or small-town role model.

To the affable 50-year-old Oklahoman’s credit, she’s set herself apart from her predecessors in meaningful ways. This has all happened naturally. Ten years after marrying Oklahoma cattle rancher Ladd Drummond in 1996, she started an earnest blog about raising a family on a working cattle ranch. Drummond took to the habit of using personal photography and a charmingly informal writing style to create step-by-step foolproof recipes. There was a picture and a simple explanation for every move. From steaks to sauces to sweet treats, she took us through every