If you’ve read many of my posts, you know I have a bit of a crush on Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. She’s what inspired me out of my miserable corporate life and into…this: my happy freelance life, using all that free-freelance time to cook and write about it for S and my friends and all seven of you. If I hadn’t met her back in 1998, who knows where I’d be right now.
Well, today I had lunch with T, a friend of mine and colleague at the publishing company where I used to work. And she brought me a gift:
Woo hoo! The new Ina! Those multicolored flags at the top are all the recipes I’m dying to try. I knew T was bringing it for me (since I asked for it, heh heh) and my reaction when she handed it over was frankly a little pathetic. I caressed Ina’s smiling cheek as if she were an old friend, and only put the book away when I realized my behavior was bordering on creepy. Luckily T and I ate at the Indian buffet, since I was out soon and alone with my new treasure. As we said goodbye, T starting raving about the new Ina herself. She said that the boeuf bourguignon, the salmon with lentils, and the cheese straws were fa-bu-lous. She said it was Ina’s Best Cookbook Yet. My heart soared.
On the subway, I started paging through, and sure enough there are a ton of amazing-sounding recipes in here. A short list of things I want to try:
- Eggplant gratin (Oh. My. God. does this sound good)
- Herbed-baked eggs
- Spinach in puff pastry (sort of a gruyerey-parmesany spanakopita)
- Provencal vegetable soup
- Warm mushroom salad
- Lemon chicken with croutons
- Vegetable tian (the pic is really pretty, too)
- Tomato rice pilaf
- Moroccan couscous
- Caramelized shallots
- Pear clafouti
- Elephant ears (so easy! made with frozen puff pastry)
Sigh. Today, my friends, I am a satisfied customer.
We now return you to your regular programming.