Barefoot Contessa Season 19 Episode 1 Old New York

In the season 19 premiere of Barefoot Contessa titled "Old New York," Ina Garten takes her viewers down memory lane celebrating the city of New York inspired dishes. The episode kicks off with Ina reminiscing the good old days, and we get to see vintage photos of the city. She also mentions how much she loves the city's classic foods and that she is excited to put her spin on them.

The first dish she cooks up for us is a classic tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons. She says that she used to work in a soup kitchen in New York, where they would serve tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on Wednesdays, a tradition that she still likes to keep up. Ina uses San Marzano canned tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a splash of cream to create a flavorful and hearty soup. She then cuts her grilled cheese sandwich into bite-sized pieces making it a fun and unconventional crouton for the soup.

Next up, Ina makes a French classic dish, Sole Meunière. She shares that she ate it for the first time in New York City’s La Grenouille restaurant on her birthday and has been in love with the dish ever since. She lightly flours the sole with salt and pepper before pan-frying it in butter until it’s tender and crisp. She then prepares the sauce by cooking more butter in the same pan with lemon juice, adding capers, and finely chopped parsley. The sauce is drizzled over the fish for the perfect finishing touch. She serves the fish with roasted potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Ina then moves on to making a cocktail, and she decides to make a uniquely named drink called “The Old Pal.” She says that the drink is a throwback to the 1920s, and it's made of rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and a bitter orange liqueur - Campari. She shakes the ingredients with ice and pours it into a chilled martini glass, where she garnishes it with an orange twist. In true Ina Garten style, she also pairs the drink with some delicious snacks consisting of cheese straws, hot smoked salmon, and a whipped feta spread.

For dessert, Ina shares one of her all-time favorite desserts, New York-Style Coffee Cake. She remembers having it for the first time at the legendary New York bakery, William Greenberg Jr. Desserts. She uses sour cream instead of buttermilk, which makes the cake extra moist and fluffy. She tops the cake batter with a generous layer of a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and chopped pecans and bakes it until it's golden and fluffy. She then adds a sticky glaze on top, making it a perfect pairing for afternoon tea or as a treat in your lunch box.

As always, Ina's kitchen is filled with delicious ingredients, fresh produce, and her contagious affection for home cooking. Her simple recipes and tips make her audience feel like they are catching up with an old friend who is sharing her favorite dishes. The episode is a pure delight for anyone who loves food, New York-inspired cuisine, or is a hardcore Barefoot Contessa fan.