Cut the Fat

As a regular reader of the Food section, I hope the article on President Clinton’s eating habits (“Fare of Bill: How to Feed a Future President,” Jan. 7)--and those of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in particular--will inspire healthier recipes in your pages.

The year’s selection of “best” recipes (“Cook’s Dozen: Our Favorite Recipes of the Year,” Dec. 31, 1992), with the exception of an apple cake, hit several new highs: in calories, topping out at 1,145 per serving (roasted duck); in sodium, 1,528 mg ( farsumagru steak); in cholesterol, 319 mg ( farsumagru again), and in fat, 104 grams (the roasted duck once more). The worst offender derived 90% of its calories from fat, and the total calories of these recipes averaged 577 per serving.

I am confounded by the frequent contradiction between recipes in the Food section and articles (promoting sound nutrition) found throughout the paper. C’mon Food department, get with the times.

--SHIRLEY CHASE

Santa Monica