Why Ina Garten's Post About Corn Muffins Made Instagram Emotional
From extra-large cosmos to perfectly roasted chicken to Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, many things come to mind when we think of the Barefoot Contessa. But the words that best describe Ina Garten? Dinner party host. On more than one occasion, the Food Network star has discussed how her love of food and hosting go hand in hand, and why she may not cook as often as you think. "Cooking is a sharing thing; it's not about the cooking itself," she explained to the Food Network. "If I'm by myself, I'll have fruit, yogurt and granola, or get soup from somewhere nearby."
That said, living through a pandemic has been anything but easy for Garten. "I lost the reason why I cook," she shared in an interview with Sunday Today. "I would never cook for myself. I cook because I like to take care of people." Since the early days of lockdown in 2020, Garten has channeled most of her energy into posting frequently on Instagram. Whether she's sharing pantry-friendly recipes or adorable content with her husband Jeffrey, her social media channel has become a north star for her many followers (via The Atlantic). Recently, Garten shared a photo of some impeccable corn muffins, which provoked a particularly strong reaction from her fans, but not for the reason you might think.
The Barefoot Contessa is thrilled to finally have guests to make muffins for
Ina Garten took to Instagram to share a photo of her flawless corn muffins resting on top of a cake stand. While the photo itself is certainly picture-perfect, it was the caption that truly moved Garten's followers. "Wonderful morning having coffee and corn muffins with extraordinary new friends," the television personality wrote. "Very restorative after years of isolation. (Corn muffins weren't bad either!)"
Garten's followers related to the beloved cook in the comments section of her post. "Isn't it so nice to be with friends and family once again? We need each other so much," one user wrote, while another commented, "What a wonderful time Ina! Reunions are everything." One user shared what we were all thinking, saying, "I want to be invited!"
After more than two years of living in a pandemic, we are relieved that Garten finally got her hosting fix. In one of her blog posts, Garten shared a few of her tips and tricks for "entertaining outdoors." For one, the 74-year-old chef only hosts people from a single household at any given time to limit health risks. The Hamptons hostess also fills the table with flowers and candles to make the space feel intimate, even as guests are sitting far away from one another. If anyone could get creative and manage to make dinner parties happen during quarantine, it's the Barefoot Contessa!