The Barefoot Contessa Visits Artisanal
On Monday, we welcomed Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, into our kitchen at the Artisanal Cheese Center, and had an exciting morning dedicated to launching the Contessa’s new line of mixes, coffees, and preserves. The Barefoot Contessa Pantry and Stonewall kitchen had contacted us about this event in May, and we’d been preparing ever since.
Roastmaster Keith Geter and I were asked to test out the mixes in our kitchen prior to the event. We received a box of each (popovers, biscuits, scones, and coffee cake) with instructions to test and record the results from each recipe. I truly appreciated these recipes as I am not much of a baker and I could never have such great results on my own. The coffee cake came out golden brown, moist, and with the perfect amount of spice in the streusel topping. The biscuits were soft and fluffy. The popovers were delicate and went wonderfully with the Barefoot Contessa’s preserves, and the scones made me crave a great cup of coffee. The rest of the staff at Artisanal loved her mixes too—they got to finish off our samples.
After a month of planning, scheduling and baking, the big day arrived. Keith and I showed up at 5 a.m. on Monday to start the preparations. Our baking schedule needed to be followed exactly in order to make sure everyone got served, but our plans were slightly disrupted by the unbelievable turnout. Keith and I had to move very quickly in order to serve everyone, and our combined kitchen experience helped us keep up with the hungry crowds. Honestly, we should have expected a massive turnout for a big name like Ina Garten.
As the event wound down, Ina came up to us and thanked us for all of our help. I was somewhat star struck but Keith took it in stride (he’s been around big names before). Luckily I was able to get an autograph before she left, and ended an exciting morning at the Artisanal Cheese Center.
Frank Buatti
Intern