Julia Louis-Dreyfus

well, I couldn't really order lunch because I was too full. But I assure you of one thing. I did not learn a lesson that day. I've always been a true and deep lover of sweets and desserts. In fact, One of my earliest memories is of these peanut butter cookies that my grandma Didi made for me, you know, the kind that have the fork imprint on them.

well, I couldn't really order lunch because I was too full. But I assure you of one thing. I did not learn a lesson that day. I've always been a true and deep lover of sweets and desserts. In fact, One of my earliest memories is of these peanut butter cookies that my grandma Didi made for me, you know, the kind that have the fork imprint on them.

I still have her handwritten index card with the cookie recipe engraved. Well, actually, I think I have it. I don't know where it is. My mom may have it. I don't know. But I love dessert so much. I don't know exactly why, other than it's so sweet and yummy. But God, why not? It's always been like that for me.

I still have her handwritten index card with the cookie recipe engraved. Well, actually, I think I have it. I don't know where it is. My mom may have it. I don't know. But I love dessert so much. I don't know exactly why, other than it's so sweet and yummy. But God, why not? It's always been like that for me.

And so, you know, when our kids were little, providing for them, obviously, this is some instinctual maternal thing. You just get this incredible joy out of your kids finishing a meal that you made for them, right? The most basic kind of nurturing. And I'm also very captive to ritual, as I think we all are to a certain extent.

And so, you know, when our kids were little, providing for them, obviously, this is some instinctual maternal thing. You just get this incredible joy out of your kids finishing a meal that you made for them, right? The most basic kind of nurturing. And I'm also very captive to ritual, as I think we all are to a certain extent.

So I put great store into birthdays and making sure that both of our kids always had memorable birthdays. And so when our first son, Henry, was little, you know, just a little toddler, I was so looking forward to baking him a birthday cake. And so I asked him what kind of cake he wanted. And I mean, honestly, he was little. He was barely even talking. What does he know about cakes?

So I put great store into birthdays and making sure that both of our kids always had memorable birthdays. And so when our first son, Henry, was little, you know, just a little toddler, I was so looking forward to baking him a birthday cake. And so I asked him what kind of cake he wanted. And I mean, honestly, he was little. He was barely even talking. What does he know about cakes?

But he was a fanciful kid. So when I said, what kind of cake do you want, hen? And he said, orange. And this was clearly the color orange. I don't think that he had any idea that a cake could even have an orange flavor. This was just about the look of it. You know, think about it. Just a giant orange cake. So... I set about looking for an orange cake that I could make for him. And I did.

But he was a fanciful kid. So when I said, what kind of cake do you want, hen? And he said, orange. And this was clearly the color orange. I don't think that he had any idea that a cake could even have an orange flavor. This was just about the look of it. You know, think about it. Just a giant orange cake. So... I set about looking for an orange cake that I could make for him. And I did.

I found a Bundt cake made with real oranges that I then jerry-rigged into a three-layer cake. And then I concocted this cream cheese frosting to go with it. And I shouldn't say this because, you know, it's not very, you know, farm-to-table cake. But I dyed the frosting orange, not a bright orange, more sort of a peachy salmon color so that it was aesthetically pleasing, you know.

I found a Bundt cake made with real oranges that I then jerry-rigged into a three-layer cake. And then I concocted this cream cheese frosting to go with it. And I shouldn't say this because, you know, it's not very, you know, farm-to-table cake. But I dyed the frosting orange, not a bright orange, more sort of a peachy salmon color so that it was aesthetically pleasing, you know.

And I covered it in mandarin oranges on top. It was gorgeous. And it was a huge hit with Henry. And I've been making that cake on his birthday ever since. And then my younger son, Charlie, he requested a key lime pie. So I made him this key lime pie. I ordered the key lime juice from just one place. These guys called the Manhattan Key Lime Juice Company.

And I covered it in mandarin oranges on top. It was gorgeous. And it was a huge hit with Henry. And I've been making that cake on his birthday ever since. And then my younger son, Charlie, he requested a key lime pie. So I made him this key lime pie. I ordered the key lime juice from just one place. These guys called the Manhattan Key Lime Juice Company.

And you can look it up because that's all they sell for real, key lime juice, nothing else, which is just so fabulously old school. I just love it. So I've been making that key lime pie for my Charlie for almost 25 years and the orange cake for Henry going on 30 years. Now I use fresh oranges from our own tree, so it's even better. For me, this is just the quintessence of a gesture of love.

And you can look it up because that's all they sell for real, key lime juice, nothing else, which is just so fabulously old school. I just love it. So I've been making that key lime pie for my Charlie for almost 25 years and the orange cake for Henry going on 30 years. Now I use fresh oranges from our own tree, so it's even better. For me, this is just the quintessence of a gesture of love.

It's such... A simple thing, you know, measuring, mixing, baking, but it does take focus and concentration and exactness. And even then it doesn't always go the way you want. You know, there's some luck and karma mixed into it too, but boy, it's just, it's so meaningful to me to make something sweet and poignantly delicious for the people that I love.

It's such... A simple thing, you know, measuring, mixing, baking, but it does take focus and concentration and exactness. And even then it doesn't always go the way you want. You know, there's some luck and karma mixed into it too, but boy, it's just, it's so meaningful to me to make something sweet and poignantly delicious for the people that I love.

And I plan on doing this for the rest of my life, this little thing, or it's actually kind of a big thing because it gives me such joy and pride. It's become a sacrament really now to me. So I guess cooking can take on a significance way beyond just being delicious and nutritious. And that's why I am so delighted today to get to talk to Ina Garten.

And I plan on doing this for the rest of my life, this little thing, or it's actually kind of a big thing because it gives me such joy and pride. It's become a sacrament really now to me. So I guess cooking can take on a significance way beyond just being delicious and nutritious. And that's why I am so delighted today to get to talk to Ina Garten.