Emi-ly vs. Sara Lee?
I love cooking. And not just any kind of cooking-- I like to make food from scratch. Granted, I cheat most of the time with spaghetti and enhance sauce from a jar, but I do know how to make sauce from scratch, and I have done it on more than one occasion. There's a show on Food TV (porn for fat people*) called "Semi Home Cooking with Sandra Lee" that shows its viewers "techniques for combining fresh ingredients with specially selected store-bought items. The result? Mouthwatering meals and desserts, prepared in minutes, that taste like they were made from scratch." Fraud! Phony! I call Shenanigans!
Where is the fun in semi home cooking?
Last night I made lemon bars for a co-worker's birthday. I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. It involved butter at room temperature, chilling dough, squeezing and zesting lemons, and using the ever-faithful Kitchen-Aid. I wouldn't have it any other way. And they were GOOD.
While I was making them, with love, I might add, I couldn't help but imagining how much everyone would enjoy them at work the next day. I was beaming, anticipating the compliments, and expecting to earn a new nickname-- something along the lines of Betty Crocker. I imagine that people will come to me for cooking advice and for recipes. And why shouldn't they? Everyone has raved about anything I have brought in.
And on the days when I bring the food, such as today, the compliments do come. And I get embarrassed. And people ask for the recipe, and I say, "Oh it's really easy." So why do I bring the food? When I am making it, I anticipate the recognition with excitement. When it comes, I blush, and wish it would go away. And when it's gone, I wonder where it went.
*Off on a tangent: I don't think that Al Roker should be allowed to host a food show. I mean, maybe if it was about eating healthy foods and healthy portions, but it's not. It's about him going around the country and eating. Two of the most recent episodes had to do with chocolate and "feel good food." I'm sorry, but the man had gastric bypass surgery in order to treat severe obesity. Doesn't that say something? Shouldn't he attempt to be more of a role model in nutrition instead of touting the country's best potato chips? That's just how I feel, Man!
Where is the fun in semi home cooking?
Last night I made lemon bars for a co-worker's birthday. I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. It involved butter at room temperature, chilling dough, squeezing and zesting lemons, and using the ever-faithful Kitchen-Aid. I wouldn't have it any other way. And they were GOOD.
While I was making them, with love, I might add, I couldn't help but imagining how much everyone would enjoy them at work the next day. I was beaming, anticipating the compliments, and expecting to earn a new nickname-- something along the lines of Betty Crocker. I imagine that people will come to me for cooking advice and for recipes. And why shouldn't they? Everyone has raved about anything I have brought in.
And on the days when I bring the food, such as today, the compliments do come. And I get embarrassed. And people ask for the recipe, and I say, "Oh it's really easy." So why do I bring the food? When I am making it, I anticipate the recognition with excitement. When it comes, I blush, and wish it would go away. And when it's gone, I wonder where it went.
*Off on a tangent: I don't think that Al Roker should be allowed to host a food show. I mean, maybe if it was about eating healthy foods and healthy portions, but it's not. It's about him going around the country and eating. Two of the most recent episodes had to do with chocolate and "feel good food." I'm sorry, but the man had gastric bypass surgery in order to treat severe obesity. Doesn't that say something? Shouldn't he attempt to be more of a role model in nutrition instead of touting the country's best potato chips? That's just how I feel, Man!
posted by emily @ 7:48 PM
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