An EXCLUSIVE Interview with Ina Garten, Author of Make It Ahead
When Ina Garten began running a specialty food store in 1978, she had no idea it would be the beginning of a delectable empire. Since the 1999 publication of her first, bestselling cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina has been serving up recipes for vibrant, thoughtful meals for every occasion, from elegant cocktail parties to casual dinners at home. Her ninth cookbook, Make It Ahead, is new this holiday season. The perfect cookbook for the host who is tired of rushing around at the last minute, Make It Ahead features dazzling recipes—for entrees, drinks, and even dessert (we can’t stop dreaming about her Decadent—and gluten-free—Chocolate Cake with Make-Ahead Whipped Cream) that can be made long before the doorbell rings and the first guests begin to arrive. Ms. Garten was kind enough to answer a few of our most burning questions about her new cookbook—and beyond.
What inspired you to write a cookbook specifically about making dishes ahead?
When I started thinking about this book, I realized that, by far, the most frequent question we got was, “Can I make it ahead?” People want to make Christmas cookies in July, when they have time to bake, freeze them, and then serve them in December. You can’t really do that and have delicious cookies, but there are lots of ways to prepare cookies ahead and still have freshly baked cookies to serve right out of the oven. My goal for each recipe is that you can make almost every step of it ahead and all the last-minute instructions can fit on a single Post-it note!
Are certain dishes better when made ahead?
Actually, this is one of the tests I used when I decided if a recipe made the cut for this book. Was the dish actually better made ahead? So many dishes such as Moroccan Lamb Tagine and Grilled New York Strip Steak are much better made ahead because the seasonings have time to work their way into the meats. Salads like the Quinoa Tabouleh with Feta are better because the vinaigrette and freshly squeezed lemon juice really soak into the quinoa. And with the decadent Dark Chocolate Terrine with Orange Sauce, the chocolate and orange really have time to meld together.
Make-ahead dishes are usually associated with dinner parties or large events. Why should people prepare everyday meals ahead?
Most of us have incredibly busy lives and we still want to make a delicious dinner to serve our families. If you have time to cook ahead over the weekends, then you can serve a really satisfying meal every night without too much effort. For example, if you make the Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork for dinner one night, you can serve pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw a second night, and shredded pork tacos a third night.
Which recipe in Make It Ahead would surprise readers?
There are several dishes that no one thinks they can make ahead! I have a recipe for Make-Ahead Turkey with Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage. You make the gravy up to a week ahead and refrigerate it. Early in the day on Thanksgiving, you roast the turkey and carve it. I then pour a layer of gravy onto a large ovenproof platter and arrange the carved turkey on top. When I’m ready to serve dinner, I can reheat the turkey and gravy and serve it right away. Not only is it the moistest turkey you’ve ever eaten, but the gravy keeps the turkey hot on the buffet! I also have recipes for make-ahead mashed potatoes and make-ahead whipped cream that people think are impossible to do!
Many of us admire your marriage. What do you do to keep it strong?
First, I was very lucky to marry a wonderful guy! Years ago, I heard someone say that you should feel that you’re the most important person in his life, and that he feels that he’s the most important person in your life. That, and deep respect for each other—plus lots of laughs! That’s what works for us.