Barefoot Contessa

Ina is testing the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for two for a magazine article. Her husband Jeffrey is the chief taste tester and her friend Miguel is designing a table where the decoration doubles as dessert. On the menu are savory Palmiers - puff pastry with sundried tomato pesto - then golden Cornish Hens filled with Cornbread Stuffing, Mashed Turnips with delicious crispy shallots and sauteed Broccolini. Who says you need a crowd to have a party?

What do you give people who have everything? Ina's got the answer a holiday surprise. T.R. is setting the table, Michael is decorating the tree, and Ina is preparing a basket of goodies to eat throughout the holidays. There's Cranberry Harvest Muffins, Cherry, Almond, and Cinnamon Granola, melt-in-the-mouth Hazelnut Truffles and a steaming thermos of White Hot Chocolate laced with orange liqueur.

Ina's dear friend and garden designer Edwina VonGal is creating a fragrant kitchen herb box for Ina's garden. In return Ina makes her a delicious portable supper - Lobster Cobb rolls, rice salad and mini orange chocolate chunk cakes. There will be a box for a box exchange at nightfall on the porch.

One of Ina's friends has just moved houses, and to celebrate, Ina and her friend Allison Belmore are planning a settling in dinner. Their menu includes the most comforting dishes of all time – mac and cheese served with a baby arugula salad, plus peach and raspberry shortcakes filled with vanilla whipped cream.

Ina compiles her list of all time favourite desserts. First something easy but really elegant Summer Pudding bursting with ripe berries, a comforting old time favourite rum raisin rice pudding, an old classic key lime pie, a two way crème anglaise that can be a sauce or an ice cream and a delicious hot caramel sauce.

TR is having house guest's for the weekend and Ina is helping him stock up his fridge. In return he has promised to run a foody errand for her in NYC at Eli's tomato factory. While TR shops in NYC Ina stocks up his fridge with weekend meals including Chicken Pot Pie, Wheatberry salad and split pea soup and a tasty tomato sandwich for herself. 

A taste of the Hampton's–that's what Ina has planned for her friend Jack Pearson's weekend guests. While they are touring the local food sites–a wonderful vineyard, farm stand and cheese spot, Ina's whipping up a delicious Rare Roast Beef and Horseradish Sandwich, a Montauk Seafood Salad and Plum Raspberry Crumble--using only local produce. 

All season the volunteers have been manning the museums of the east Hampton Historical Society and now it's time to thank them with a delicious thank you lunch staged by Ina and two friends--trustee Frank Newbold and local shopkeeper Valerie Smith. Frank and Valerie get to set the scene while Ina cooks a fabulous lunch of Swordfish Steaks in Tomato Caper Sauce, Saffron and Zucchini Cous Cous followed by individual Chocolate Puddings. 

Ina's cooking a deepy flavoured Fillet of beef bourgignon, with a creamy cheese Zucchini Gratin and for dessert a plum tart with a wonderful crumb topping. She's packing it up and sending it up to the city where her young friend can heat it up and host a celebration party.

Catering an event is all about making wise menu choices. Ina helps her friend's daughter who is getting married to choose a delicious dessert for the rehearsal dinner. There are two desserts to choose from and two different table decorations constructed by Miguel. Its a delicious choice between Baba au Rhum and Il Flottante.

Running a store's no mean feat. Ina should know--she ran a deli for 20 years. When a local store manager asks her to help with a thank you meal for his staff, she says yes right away. It's a French inspired menu of Provencal soup with spoonfuls of pungent green pistou, seafood platters with two zesty sauces sauces and for dessert–coconut madeleines--tiny morsels of light as air sponge. The party will be held right in the middle of the shop and the staff just has to set the table. 

One of Ina's friends has just moved houses and everyone's been rallying round. To celebrate Ina and her friend Allison come up with the idea of a settling-in dinner. On the menu are some of the most comforting dishes of all time; Mac and Cheese served with a Baby Arugula Salad and Peach and Raspberry Shortcakes filled with Vanilla Whipped Cream.