Ina Garten's new season of Be My Guest started on a high note, and I'm still thinking about it.
Ina Garten and Tina Fey have been two of the most influential women in my life. Ina is of course responsible for telling me that “store bought is fine” and that hosting can be a joyous, creative occasion instead of a stressful nightmare. Tina wrote and starred in my favorite TV show of all time, 30 Rock.
And 30 Rock is actually how the two met for the very first time, back in 2011. Ina had a small cameo on the show, where she shows up in a dream sequence to offer Tina’s character Liz Lemon some bruschetta and white wine. So it was very nice to see the two of them breaking bread all these later, where they talked about food, fame and more.
Considering that I’m such a huge fan of both of them, I figured that I wouldn’t really learn anything new on this show. But boy, was I wrong! Here are eight fun moments from the show, courtesy of Ina and Tina.
1. Tina Fey loves custard
Before Tina arrives, Ina mentions that she knows Tina has “loves old-fashioned custard.” To welcome Tina into her home, Ina makes some breakfast panna cotta. She tops this with some fresh berries and granola, which Tina quips “is practically medicine.”
2. Tina Fey has eaten an entire pizza on set
When Ina asks Tina about any crazy food items she’s had to eat on set, Tina brings up something she had to do for a scene in 30 Rock. Her character, Liz Lemon, brags that she can “shotgun a pizza” and proceeds to pick up an entire pizza, folds it half and eats it.
3. Ina Garten’s most bizarre selfie request from a fan
While they chat about being recognized in public, Tina says that a lot of people mistake her for Amy Poehler. Then Ina shared her most bizarre selfie request. She was on a plane when the pilot came to her seat and requested a selfie. He said that his wife would be mad if he didn’t get a picture with her!
4. Tina Fey’s daughters don’t think she’s funny
Ina asks if Tina’s daughters (Alice, 20, and Penelope, 14) like her shows and movies or if they just “roll their eyes” at them. Tina says that Ina is correct, they definitely don’t think she’s funny. She said that when she found out that Steve Carell’s kids don’t like watching him in The Office, it made her feel better.
5. Ina Garten’s helpful tip for using dried herbs
Tina shows Ina how to make classic Greek roasted potatoes. While she’s mixing together the sauce for the potatoes, she starts to add some dried oregano. Ina stops her to show her how she makes dried herbs really come to life—by first crushing them with her fingers to help release the aroma.
6. Tina Fey’s favorite Greek food
Tina’s mother, Zenobia, was born in Piraeus, Greece. Tina talked about how her favorite time of year was the big Greek Fest held at her church, which was full of delicious Greek foods. Tina’s favorite of them all was loukoumades, which she said is “basically a Greek donut.” She also said she really loves dandelion greens, which are a big part of Greek cuisine.
7. Ina Garten’s trick to make sure chicken browns
Ina makes creamy mustard chicken thighs to go with Tina’s potatoes. She tells Tina that it’s important to draw out as much moisture as possible so the skin browns and gets nice and crispy. She dabs all the chicken thighs with a paper towel before adding them to a cold cast-iron pan.
8. Ina Garten’s reason for adding garnishes
While mixing up her mustard sauce, Ina adds both Dijon and course mustard. The reason? So that guests can see the mustard seeds and know what flavor to expect. It’s such a good tip that when Tina’s roasted potatoes come out of the oven, she tops them with thinly sliced lemon pieces for the same reason.
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