i love jamie oliver for all kinds of reasons, especially his simple but fantastic meals and his eye for styling and product design. he just shot a new show and has a bunch of promos out that speak to what he feels are the essential components of making his “30-minute meals” work. at first i was a little confused about jamie doing a show with this title, and then i watched these spots and it made sense. it’s not about quick meals, or at least it isn’t the point. it’s about how to cook efficiently and well. i couldn’t agree more what this show seems to be about, essentially, how to enjoy cooking and eating at home. the message in the videos i’ve included here are simple but really important; in a nutshell and in my words the keys are:
use the right tools… make cooking easier! sharp knives and big strainers make all the difference, we know that right? but sometimes it’s the small things. for instance, i learned last week how setting a simple timer for each step in a recipe makes following it less hectic. eyeing the clock on my oven meant having one more thing to think about even as i moved on to something else. i invested in a little portable timer on the weekend and i love it.
…add flavour… make your food tastier! a little everyday salad dressing made with oil, vinegar and mustard tastes so much better with dill; that tomato sauce is nice but marjoram will give it depth. this video convinced me to have pots of herbs around. aren’t you sick of seeing them wilt in your fridge too?
…make it pretty make dinner enjoyable! and this really isn’t about making things fancy, expensive and especially not trendy. it’s about celebrating the experience of eating whether alone or dining with others. every night is a good night to use that special platter. you just made an awesome dinner, you deserve to eat it in style, don’t you agree? i’ll stop before i talk you (or me) into opening that bottle of champagne tonight too. enjoy your dinner!