My Favorite Food Network Celebrity and Her All Stainless & White Kitchen Appliances.

So I just saw that Google's doodle was done by Ina Garten today.  I've strongly considered getting a TV solely for the purpose of watching Barefoot Contessa.  I know favorite Food Network celebrities can trigger hot debate, but who doesn't want to live in the Hamptons in the middle of their kitchen garden, be best friends with a chocolatier and have their friends over for lunch on their yacht every day? 

In one of the aforementioned times of inwardly debating the "TV for news and Food Network purposes" issue, I just googled Ina instead. (I'm pretty sure deep down if I didn't have a "real job" AND had a TV in the house I could very quickly own only mu-mu's, develop a serious potato chip habit and be sucked in to every daytime soap & telenovela that was on air). I ended up finding an interview with her about kitchen design.  Dreaming of someday having a dream kitchen someday, I took copious notes while thinking what a genius Ina was. (I like saying "Ina" as if we actually know each other in real life.  One can dream.) Now, I have no idea where those notes are, if they survived the move, but I do remember having a ton of "ah-ha!" moments.  But when I've finally got my laptop back and am somewhere other than the middle of the country with sketchy at best internet service (but improved today by our fixed transformer box), I plan to re-watch the interview.

I have been thinking a lot lately about good, functional kitchen design both for the Southern Scratch kitchen as well as our home kitchen.  The great thing about the interview was that Ina's advice works for both a commercial kitchen where baking and cooking are going on all the time or for the home cook who wants a streamlined space to get dinner out fast. 

One of the most memorable thing she said was how she only uses stainless or white kitchen utensils and appliances.  She noted that colorful spatulas and mixing bowls may look pretty but if you have twenty different colored items, it can make a working kitchen (i.e. when you're getting ready for a dinner party) look cluttered and messy.  If you stick with one color (and you can find nearly everything in white or stainless), the room automatically looks "put together" even if you've got a floured work surface, pots on the stove, caserolles in the oven, the mixer going and guests walking in the door.  Genius Ina.  Just genius.

I try to remember that tip whenever I'm drawn to turquoise spatulas or pink handled whisks for the Southern Scratch kitchen to go all matchy with our Waste Not Paper labels.  And while I did give in and register for lemongrass colored Fiesta for our everyday china, we got rid of any and all other plates, mugs, etc. so we still have a monochrome look in our home kitchen.  (Which is really important since the eager home renovater I am took off all our kitchen cabinet doors the day we got back from our honeymoon and haven't made good progress on getting them back up or painted like I had planned...oh sigh.)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!  If you live in Washington, plan to come by the market Saturday morning between 8-till we sell out right behind the courthouse.  We are going to have a good little selection of our best breakfast items for anyone that wants to get out of the house before the football games start or bring your kids by to come pick out a freshly made cinnamon roll!  (We totally allow footie pajamas at the market).

Another Reason Why I Love Reid and a Weight Loss Tip All in the Same.

I realized yesterday that Reid and I had been married a grand total of eight months on Saturday.  So basically we know squat about being married.  And really, we know squat about each other too.  In that time though we have both learned to enjoy the little quirks each of us have that we didn't notice when we were all love-struck, thinking "let's get married and live out a John Prine song." 

Today I had made up a bunch of brown butter pecan shortbread for gift box orders and like a good wife, saved some extra cookies for Reid.  After I told him they were his, he took a little nibble then said "Oh wait, these need coffee."  So we made a pot of fresh coffee (roasted less than a week ago from 1000 Faces in Athens) just so he could have the "perfect pairing" with the shortbread. 

You would be right if you thought the above was a boring little anecdote.  But what I loved was that Reid had the patience and appreciation to enjoy his shortbread to the fullest.  As he was eating them, all nestled in his chair, he said again how great the two went together. (Our eyes met and this shared passion for really good food just made my little newlywed heart all a-flutter.  Oh, what a sophisticated man I married, ripped blue jeans, threadbare t-shirt and discussing the nuances he could taste in non-overroasted coffee.  Rwroarr...).

But on a more practical and less lovey-dovey note, the weight management/enjoying life without counting calories aspects were there too.  How many people mindlessly eat store bought cookies?  Or mindlessly eat even really good cookies without truly enjoying them?    Reid wasn't "dieting" but he avoided eating five or six cookies standing up in the kitchen without mentally "registering" them and instead had two small ones sitting down with coffee which he ended up calling dinner because he had enjoyed it so much. 

I think having a deep appreciation of food may be the cornerstone of maintaining a healthy weight and building a good relationship with food where it nourishes you physically, emotionally and mentally yet doesn't abuse your feelings, invade all your thoughts or harm your body.  I am not a fan of any kind of diet advice during the holidays (or diets ever actually) but Thanksgiving is a great time to practice the art of savoring food for all it's worth.  Not the "how much food can I get away with eating this year?" but "how amazing is this homemade butter crust?"  Take the time to really taste your family's good food Thursday instead of just chewing your food.  

And when it comes time for dessert, definitely make a fresh pot of coffee.