Barefoot Contessa

[ilovelondon]

I love Ina Garten. I live in London and probably wouldn't have heard about her had it not been for cable tv. Is she popular in North America? I don't know about her recipes (they seem rather on the rich side - loads of butter and salt, it seems to me) but she's great to watch. Are her shows a regular feature on your side of the Atlantic? I have never seen one of her cookbooks. Are they reliable recipes? Would love to hear your views...

[plumies]

I enjoy Ina's shows. Barefoot Contessa has a regular spot on Food Network here in the U.S.

I've made several of her recipes (main courses, side dishes, and desserts) and they've all turned out well. Many of them are big hits with the family and friends. I noticed that I don't tweak her (or Giada's) recipes like I do with some other shows' recipes, which is a plus in my book. I don't have any of her cookbooks so I can't speak to those. I figure I can get all the recipes for free from her show on Food Network's website.

[ilovelondon]

Thank you for replying. I really love the blokes (it usually is men!) who dress the tables during each show. It's so camp! Also, Ina manages to look really surprised and delighted at their work. Brilliant.

[Katie E]

Interesting you should bring up Ina Garten today. Buck and I had two of her dishes for dinner last night. Delicious and easy to make. Presented beautifully, too.

Yes, as plumies said, we see her on the Food Network here. We enjoy watching her and are often tempted by the things she prepares on the show. As a result, we can easily pop the recipes off the Internet from the Food Network site.

I have one of her cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa - Family Style. I haven't cooked anything from the book yet, but I have marked about a dozen recipes I want to try.

[GotGarlic]

I enjoy her show, too, although there seem to be a lot of reruns lately. Some of her recipes are rich, but some are good and healthy, too. Now, Paula Deen - I can't see myself making much of her style of food

[ilovelondon]

I don't know Paula. We're quite behind here, so give it a while...

[Caine]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

Some of her recipes are rich, but some are good and healthy, too.

Name two!

Everything she makes is loaded with fat, calories, and salt, and her portion sizes are outrageously huge. One of her recipes for diner for two would feed a small village in the Sudan for a week.

Just lay back some time with your eyes closed and listen to her putting a recipe together and you'll be amazed at the number of times she adds salt to whatever she is preparing. She uses more salt in one recipe than I use in an entire month.

[ilovelondon]

Hello, Caine:

I didn't mean to be critical about Ina Garten because she is so very entertaining to watch. But it one episode - I think it was a thanksgiving dinner for two show - she actually served one Cornish hen per person with swede and fried onions(or, you may call them turnips - I'm not sure) and broccoli. They were very generous portions! However, the point of these shows - surely - is that you take what you want from them.

[ChefJune]

The "proper" name for "Swede" is rutabaga. Thankfully, turnips are something else again.

Rutabaga... the one vegetable I can happily live forever without!

[ilovelondon]

Sorry, ChefJune. Got mixed up with the proper name for Swede. What on Earth is a turnip, then?