It’s funny what you discover while blogging. Since I created this here bloggy blog I realized that I make a LOT of Ina Garten’s recipes – and in posting these recipes with a few funny comments here and there I’ve had a few folks reach out so we could bond over some of her funniest ‘Ina being Ina’ moments. We all know you have to have “good” vanilla, “good” olive oil, “good” dijon mustard, and don’t even get me started on how much Jeffrey likes roast chicken. I’ve watched her being televised proudly presenting a store bought cake and explaining how to gently cascade purple grapes onto a fruit plate with not a hint of irony. While it’s way too easy to giggle about her new library built for cookbooks, I’ve got to say this woman has taught me a lot. While I realize I am a peasant in comparison (unless you consider whichever olive oil is on sale “good”) I still have a long way to go to reach Contessa level. But damn, if I don’t spend my whole life aiming to one day live on a beautiful New England compound filled with tulips, fresh rosemary, fire pits and a bunch of handsome men, I’m obviously doing it wrong. Ina, you’re onto something.

Shout out to Maddi & Amy – when Ina invites me to afternoon tea in the garden I’ll see what I can do for a couple extra invites, or at least make sure there’s space on the property line to view via binoculars.