It was madcap of me to buy tickets for a cooking conversation in Brooklyn considering I live in Louisiana. But, life is short. Plus, the last time we saw New York, the twin towers still stood.
So, off we went to see Nigella Lawson and Ina Garten sit on a stage together near the childhood home of Bernie Sanders. We also managed to walk the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time, admire the stuffed bear who became Winnie the Pooh, visit the cathedral that hosted Babe Ruth's funeral, give our regards to Broadway, cruise through Herald Square so quickly that it will be hard for it to remember us and tour a bookstore that boasts miles of books. There's no shortage of interesting things to see in New York.
But back to Nigella and Ina. I've been a fan for years. I love that they're women who enjoy cooking but aren't trained enough to call themselves chefs - and they've made millions at it. How fabulous is that?
It was a fun evening full of humor, Jeffrey fandom and just a little bit of snark.
Some surprises from the show:
- Nigella strutted onto stage as an all-in-pink Johnny Cash.
- Ina is tiny and absolutely charming. Now I envy her cooking skills and her ability to guide a conversation.
- Nigella - who is private about her personal life - looked startled when Ina casually mentioned where her daughter lives (I won't reveal the location). Also, Nigella's favorite child depends on what day it is.
- A poor fellow fan got so excited and so drunk that he fell to the floor of the theater and had to be escorted into a taxi while staff assured him they'd seen much worse. I hope he made it home OK.
The biggest surprise of all? Nigella has a BIG personality (I guess you'd have to in order to carry off pink from head to toe). Ina is more subdued.
The conversation was part of a U.S. book tour launched by Nigella to promote her new cookbook. Ina agreed to join her for the Brooklyn stop, probably because it's close to home and because she has her own new cookbook out.
The event organizers sent emails urging ticket holders to arrive an hour-and-a-half ahead of the conversation kickoff time. Fortunately, we ignored that advice. We could have arrived 30 minutes past the show's start and not missed a thing. The ladies took their time coming onto the stage, giving us time to admire the theater (and at least one person to get very drunk).
King's Theatre is one of those lush vaudeville palaces that puts today's cineplex to shame, even with the reclining seats and concession call buttons. It's awash in gilt and velvet with soaring staircases and thick carpets.
There were comment cards for fans to jot down questions for Ina and Nigella. I pondered what would rise to the top of the stack and submitted a few questions. We bought drinks and a bag of popcorn. Glenn wandered off, and I spent 20 minutes locating him in the crowded lobby.
Finally, we were allowed inside the auditorium, where more waiting awaited us. The cavernous first floor of the auditorium slowly filled with people, some carrying a thick stack of cookbooks purchased in the lobby (Nigella had one cookbook for sale; a more savvy Ina offered her whole library of cookbooks). We were told the ladies would be onstage soon. We waited some more. An underling trotted onto the stage to set down two stacks of comment cards. A few minutes later, he was back to neaten the stacks. Glenn made and cancelled dinner reservations. Eventually, the ladies arrived.
Very quickly, their personalities emerged. Nigella was the star of the show, dominating the conversation, which I found to be slightly annoying (no offense to Nigella; I just wanted a more even distribution). Ina was funny and delightful sitting so properly in her chair.
Some of my favorite moments:
Pro tip from Ina: Don't use a mandolin to cut a radish while enjoying a glass of wine. She has the cut to show why that's a bad idea.
Two things Nigella hates: Sieving and peeling garlic. Now, she has a rolly thing to help with peeling garlic.
Neither likes to be scripted when filming a cooking show.
Nigella: I wouldn't be scripted so the director would say 'Action,' and I had to fill the silence.
Ina: I wouldn't be scripted either. I would take something out of the oven, and I would hear myself say 'Jeffrey's going to love this.' (CHEERS from the crowd at Jeffrey's name; he's quite the rock star).
Nigella: Do you not talk to yourself in real life?
Ina: No!
Nigella on the timing of her cooking shows: I always do a cookbook first because I need to know what my character is.
Ina on writing a cookbook: If the book is due in December, I start writing it on Nov. 15. I'm the most undisciplined person you know.
Nigella shading Elon Musk: I'm quite good at Twitter ... or I was. Who knows.
Nigella is a rebel.
Nigella: I was always told the importance of eating breakfast. I'm 142. I don't have to have breakfast if I don't want to.
Is that your recipe or mine?
Ina: I love your chicken and orzo with saffron.
Nigella: The saffron is yours.
Ina: It's mine?
Nigella: Mine was lemon and orzo. We've merged!
And, finally, the comment card part of the night. Will they read one of my questions? I had my doubts. It was a crowded theater, and those comment card stacks were pretty tall.
Some revelations:
Nigella's favorite pudding? Lemon meringue pie (didn't see that one coming although I have noticed some inconsistency in her feelings toward chocolate).
Texas towns are tricky to pronounce. Nigella (reading the hometown on a comment card): Is it Plano or Piano?
Nigella's TV suggestion: If you like the Crown, try the Empress. The costumes are fabulous.
Nigella's recommendations for the Thanksgiving menu: It's not my place to talk about Thanksgiving. One of things you're giving thanks for is getting rid of us.
Ina's favorite New York restaurant: Laser Wolf.
Nigella's favorite London restaurant: River Cafe although it's terribly expensive.
Then, Ina shuffled through the comment cards in her hand and asked my question of Nigella: What baffles you about American cooking?
Nigella's answer was a bit baffling in itself. She seemed stumped for a moment, saying nothing really baffled her since the two country's cooking techniques are so similar. She tossed out that portion sizes in America are a bit surprising before landing on an answer.
Bacon. More specifically, bacon as a side is what baffles Nigella about American cooking. Admittedly, she has a point. We are a bacon obsessed country.
The next night, Glenn and I went to dinner and laughed at one of the appetizer choices: Grilled bacon.
