Meeting Ina Garten: Cooking for Jeffrey

Would you believe it? I accidentally met Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa! I say accidentally because I had no idea that Costco was hosting her for a book signing at the Issaquah location. I walked into the store on a Friday afternoon and there she was signing her new cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey. I had the chance to tell her that we had a mutual friend, Patricia Wells. I had taken Patricia's week long cooking class in Paris and after finding we had so much in common (she called us Midwestern Girls), Patricia wrote an excerpt for my book on Paris.

I have been a fan for years (love her shortbread and roasted shrimp recipes) and I have had her show on in the background in my kitchen for hours as a cooking companion. We weren't making different meals, but we were kindred spirits just the same.

Thank you, Costco, for bringing Ina to the Pacific Northwest. Just next time, could you give a girl the heads up? I would've been crushed if I had missed her!