Food Hotties
Last night, another night in Heathrow's Terminal-1 after a long day of meetings -waiting for news of my delayed flight home to Brussels. As is customary, I go to the bookstore and dog-ear all of the cooking magazines for a while. They are so big and colourful in the UK - not like the sophisticated, snobbish-looking (and expensive) Saveur Magazine or Gourmet. These have splashy, sassy coloured, in your face, get out there and cook pictures. I can't help myself. I have gourmand's disease.Hmm. Am I the only one who looks through the magazine on top and then buys a nice, smooth copy stacked underneath?
Late February, still feeling so cold. It's rained here for ages. Drizzly, somber rain. I need verification that spring indeed is coming - because am not so sure on days like this. I need to cook something life-affirming. Springy. Something to waken the taste buds, tease me into the flavours and feelings of spring. Baby lamb's lettuce with bites of goat's cheese, and a honey vinaigrette. Farfalle with Arugula Pesto, succulent, tiny, spring lamb chops with rosemary, E.V.O.O. (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) sea salt and freshly cracked, black pepper - lightly grilled. Perfect triangles of cooled polenta fried to a light golden brown in butter and E.V.O.O. served with a tiny spoon of tart, fresh tomato sauce. Fresh berries and a dollop of whipped marscapone cheese with grated lemon zest. Ya! Need an army to eat it tho.
Wow - there she is again. This is getting ridiculous. She's in every magazine and she's writing books like crazy. How many tricks must publishers and TV networks play to get men to cook. Giada di Laurentiis. The latest darling of the US Food TV Network. She's a hottie - but unlike Nigella, she's petite and all about business. She always has a lot to get done in each show, and this makes her shows seem a tad rushed. Nigella sort of wanders in to the kitchen and without us realising it, she has pulled-out a four-course dinner for 10, and a pitcher of watermelon margaritas in a half hour time slot. Giada is like a hot pepper, on fire, sexy. A cooking feminine speedy Gonzales.
She has a classical sense of style in most things except for her dress. And she is dressing to please the men folk. I once saw her on a show wearing a half halter, half tube-top that could easily be found in Tonya Harding's trailer. She's got the rack for a top like that - meaning - big. I just hope that her taste is dictated by the TV executives and not herself!
Whoever's in charge, they are on to something smart. Not sure if these hotties actually make men want to cook; the jury is still out on that. One thing for sure, is that if a woman has Giada on TV, there will be little to no resistance from a man in changing the channel. My American friend Mike (who is a great cook) is a devotee of Nigella. I think he dreams of her finger-licking, luscious, lip-licking antics and wishes he would wake one morning to find her in his kitchen - wearing pink jammies and with tossled hair - making blueberry muffins and freshed-squeezed juice for him of course. I am not sure what he thinks of Giada. I bet it's saucier though.
Ok - back to what to make for my 'Welcome Spring' menu. Roasted asparagus, Pollo all Scarpariello - crispy chicken with a lemony, tangy sauce, maybe a bit of tagliatele with fresh wild mushrooms in a cream sauce as a starter. A light lemon souffle for desert. Now, who's coming for dinner?
posted by Brussels Confidential @ 2:15 PM
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