Fabulously, Not Fabulous
As a Food Network enthusiast (junkie) and lover of food (fine and not-so-fine), I’ve come to adore many of the celebrity chefs/personalities featured on the cable channel. While most chefs on the network can satiate my Food Network crave, there is one person, in particular, with whom I feel a stratospheric and kindred connection …
In 2006, I managed to escape work, mid-day on a rainy day, to attend an Ina Garten book signing at the local Sur la Table. Upon my arrival, I discovered that I was not, in fact, early as there was a line wrapped around the store. Unnerved, I stepped in line with my crisp, newly purchased Garten cookbook and absorbed the hushed, but elated discussions and escalating anticipation/excitement.
My husband constantly teases me about my infatuation with the ‘woman from the Hamptons.’ Mrs. Garten’s life/lifestyle couldn’t be more different from my own. On each episode, I watch Garten create/serve culinary masterpieces to her high-falutin friends and neighbors from her stunning kitchen while engaging in conversation laden with words like ‘fabulous’ and ‘gorgeous.’ As I stood in line with my soaking wet Aerosoles pumps and observed my fellow Ina Garten fans, I wondered whether they, too, experienced or acknowledged a demographic, social, or economic schism with the divine, Ina Garten??? If so, why the infatuation with her?
While many of Mrs. Garten’s recipes can miraculously turn any amateur cook into a professional, I’ve determined that it is not so much her dishes that her fans appreciate, but rather the lifestyle that she/her show embodies and sensationalizes. Via her endless soirees for friends and family, Ina Garten demonstrates her passion for food, as well as her understanding of food’s ability to entice the palate, captivate the heart and uplift the soul. Furthermore, Mrs. Garten seemingly balances the logistics of entertaining with a genuine elation and serenity that one (well, at least me and the other folks in line with me) might find admirable.
This post is homage to my culinary idol, Mrs. Garten. The photo of the dish above is for Ina’s Goat Cheese Tart (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_31510_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html). I’ve made it multiple times for various events with great success.
Category: Travel & Culture, US & Canada
