Ep 9. Mary Poppins Show

In Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics season 15 episode 9, titled "Mary Poppins Show", Ina Garten pays tribute to the classic family movie, Mary Poppins, by recreating some of the dishes featured in the film.

The episode starts with Ina making a delicious crème brûlée, known to be Mary Poppins' favorite dessert. She shares her tips and tricks for getting that perfect, crunchy caramelized sugar topping while keeping the custard perfectly smooth and creamy.

Next, she prepares a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, just like the ones that Mary Poppins prepares for the Banks children in the movie. Ina uses a special ingredient to make her soup extra creamy and adds some fresh herbs to give it a little bit of extra flavor. She then demonstrates how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, with gooey melted cheese and crispy bread.

Ina then moves on to the main course: roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. This dish is inspired by the scene in Mary Poppins where the Banks family's kitchen is taken over by a flock of chimney sweeps, who prepare a grand feast. Ina shows us how easy it is to make a delicious roast beef with a crispy crust and a rare, juicy interior. She also demonstrates how to make the perfect Yorkshire pudding, which is a traditional British side dish that goes perfectly with roast beef.

For dessert, Ina makes a cherry streusel tart. This dessert pays homage to the scene in Mary Poppins where the chimney sweeps dance with the Banks children on the rooftops of London, and a fruit vendor hands out bags of cherries to the onlookers. Ina takes these cherries and turns them into a delicious tart with a crunchy streusel topping and a flaky pastry crust.

Throughout the episode, Ina shares tips and tricks for making each dish as delicious and foolproof as possible. She emphasizes the importance of using high-quality ingredients, like grass-fed beef and fresh, in-season produce. She also demonstrates how to cook each dish to perfection, whether it's by using a meat thermometer to check the roast beef's internal temperature or carefully monitoring the custard as it bakes in the oven.

Overall, this episode of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics is a delightful homage to the classic film, Mary Poppins. Ina Garten's recipes are easy to follow and make, and the finished dishes are sure to impress your family and friends. If you're a fan of the movie or just looking for some delicious new recipes to try, this episode is definitely worth a watch!