The Drink Ina Garten Made On Her First Barefoot Contessa Episode
2002 was a year of auspicious television debuts. As IMDb records, "American Idol," "The Bachelor," and "Dr. Phil" all launched in this fateful year, redefining a new age of reality television. Then, on November 30th, a truly wholesome icon graced our screens: the "Barefoot Contessa," aka Ina Garten.
The patron saint of the sophisticated hostess, Ina came onto the scene with an elegant yet laid-back sensibility that instantly charmed millions of viewers. Even the inaugural episode, "The Mediterranean Feast," presented a clearly defined look at Ina's approach to food.
Consisting of a Mediterranean spread of grilled lamb, tabbouleh, and hummus, the dinner was inspired by a meal she encountered while camping in Provence (via Food Network.) How very Ina, combining the rustic experience of camping with Provence's romantic and luxurious locale.
During a reflection on 20 years of the "Barefoot Contessa," Ina shared a clip from this first episode on Instagram. In it, she whips up a chilled drink to accompany the aforementioned Mediterranean meal. Teasing herself for nervously fast-talking through the segment, Ina noted that it was "the perfect drink for this Labor Day weekend."
It does beg the question: What beverage did the queen of entertaining serve alongside this expertly curated dinner?
Ina's lemonade is a timeless drink
Ina's refreshment du jour was the tart and classic glass of lemonade. She begins by assuring viewers that her lemonade shares little in common with your mom's store-bought lemonade of yesteryear. Her signature lemonade features 1 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, ¾ cup of superfine sugar, 1 cup of ice, and 4 cups of water, all blended to create a frosty glass of citrus perfection.
Ina quickly absolves the viewer of the future sin of superfine sugar substitution, claiming regular sugar will work just as well. She caps the blending process with her signature catchphrase, "How easy is that?"
Longtime Ina fans won't be surprised to learn that she suggested a boozy amendment to the recipe. Ina notes that those who might require a "little something special" can add a generous splash of vodka to the mix. That's right. In her soothing, dulcet tones, Ina encourages us to turn our everyday lemonade into a cocktail. Just fabulous.
And lest you were confused about whether Ina was one of those people who like a little something special, she clears the air right before serving up her dinner: "I'm definitely putting vodka in mine."