Last weekend seemed to revolve around food. It started on Friday when Ryan had a pork roast, some chicken thighs, and a half gallon of milk all spoil in his refrigerator. I recommended that he get a refrigerator thermometer and check the temperature and then we would proceed from there.
After a few hours, the temperature seemed to settle on 42 degrees which is really too warm for a refrigerator. I found a repair person who was willing to come Saturday morning to assess the problem and Ryan vacuumed the coils and cleaned the fans. When he woke up early Saturday morning, the temperature had stabilized at 35 degrees. We cancelled the repair person as there was no sense paying for a service call when there didn't appear to be anything to repair.
I had planned to make a pork loin on Saturday and some crockpot tortellini on Sunday, but I switched them around. I wasn't sure if I would be going over to Ryan's to rescue all the things in his freezer on Saturday and if I would be back in time to do the pork loin. It turned out that my Saturday was essentially free after I had dumped everything in the crockpot, so I sat and knit on my sock while I watched Barefoot Contessa. I've never watched her show before, but I noticed some things during my viewing marathon that I thought might help with my own preparing and serving of food.
 |
| Daffodils in a vase are an arrangement low enough to see over. |
- I need to use more adjectives when John asks what's for dinner. Instead of saying "pork", I should reply with "succulent loin of pork, marinated with fragrant garlic, rosemary, and wine".
- I should say "really good" more often, as in "I used good vanilla", or "This is really good olive oil".
- Prosciutto wrapped around things (figs, melon slices) sound like easy and delicious appetizers, and they can be served at room temperature. She did make an accompaniment to a salad by wrapping hard salami around a breadstick, but that seemed a little ghetto for Ina.
- Always describe arugula as "peppery".
- John will appreciate dinner more if I tell him that "I turned the flavor up."
- Ask loudly "How easy is that?" at frequent intervals while cooking.
I am dying over here, Bonny! This is the best review of Ina ever! Hahahahahaha! (and I am really glad that Ryan's refrigerator hiccup was an easy fix!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting my day off with a laugh! (Be sure to search for Ina's early pandemic days Cosmopolitan!) I hope Ryan's fridge troubles are over now.
ReplyDeleteI confess that I don't watch TV much, but when I have watched Ina's show I've loved it. Your review is just hysterical and spot on! With what you've said about John in the past, I'm not sure you want to mention turning the flavor up though! LOL. Glad Ryan's fridge is ok and I hope it stays that way!
ReplyDeleteYes, Ina and many of her cronies in foodland seem to speak in superlatives constantly! LOL If I had used those adjectives to describe my cooking, my John would have laughed. And, yes, I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss that "what's for dinner?" question every afternoon. Sorry to hear about Ryan's frig issues. Losing groceries these days is very troublesome!
ReplyDeleteAudible keeps telling me I need to read her latest book. I think not. My fancy cooking days are over. I just can't get excited about anything that I need to clean up afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm a good audience for her new book either. I wish I had some staff to help me clean up!
DeleteI should do this as well. I rarely describe what we are eating! I do like her cooking ideas and her simplicity as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review of Ina! I have several of her cookbooks and her recipes have never failed me. I love serving a nice dinner while saying "How easy was that?"
ReplyDeleteI do like that her recipes and much of her preparation is relatively easy and she doesn't overcomplicate things. She does love superlatives!
DeleteOh man, you nailed Ina! I like her recipes but I found her show sort of annoying.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Ryan's fridge is working properly and doesn't require work or replacing. Ours is very old and I wonder if we should have replaced it prior to the tariffs. I love the daffodils and the little owl salt and pepper shakers.
ReplyDeleteI love Ina's recipes and approach to cooking . . . but I have never watched her on TV (and maybe I'll just leave it that way). I am so glad that Ryan's fridge is working better now. (Another situation where "a good cleaning" was JUST THE TICKET!)
ReplyDeleteHaha. We love Ina!! I think most of my exposure to her is as a guest on another show, or little clips, and I love her cookbooks. Our favorite, oft-repeated quote is something like 'If you don't want to use raw eggs in your tiramisu, find another recipe!'
ReplyDeleteYour Ina "lessons" made me laugh out loud. I find that 2 of those shows in a row is plenty ;-) (also whew! that Ryan's fridge didn't need that service call)
ReplyDelete