For Ina Garten some foods can soothe the soul. I love remembered flavors, she says. In fact, she firmly believes that almost any dark mood can be lightened by a crispy roast chicken, a baked-from-scratch cookie, or a well-mixed cocktail. If I m truly, deeply miserable, a whiskey sour always does it, she says with a laugh. It s my crankiest happy place. Of course, nothing banishes the blues like a slice of chocolate cake either. Ina, known to most as the Barefoot Contessa, has included a cocoa-rich, birthday-worthy confection in every one of her dozen books, including her latest,
Modern Comfort Food, which is a deep dive into the idea of cooking and eating as solace and joy.