Nigella and Me in the New York Times

After making Nigella’s delicious whole wheat pasta dish with Brussels Sprouts, turnips and melty cheese, I had the rare opportunity to participate in the New York Times’s Recipe Lab to speak with Nigella Lawson directly over the interwebs, as moderated by the intrepid Julia Moskin. It was a really good time! Nigella has such a magnetic personality I could not help but smile while listening to her talk. You can read all about it here.

It almost feels as if, in speaking with Nigella, I have come full circle in a way.  I remember a few years ago while watching Nigella Express on television she ran around town frantically buying ingredients and managing an entire meal in a small period of time. Watching her, I realized that there was another way to shop, a different way of eating and there were more interesting ways to cook. Something about her unabashed presentation finally resonated with me. I got up right in the middle of the episode and ran to about five different grocery stores to pick up ingredients. Since that day, I have adopted a new philosophy on food and cooking. I know what it means to eat, versus to dine, I understand indulgence and restraint, knowing from where your food comes and how to embrace any recipe. I started reading and writing about it. It really was a joy to have that kind of interaction, albeit brief, to remind myself of how far I’ve come.