Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten

Summary

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Episode: Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Release Date: November 30, 2024
Host/Author: Lemonada Media

---

Introduction

In this special episode of Wiser Than Me™, Julia Louis-Dreyfus joins Ina Garten on her own podcast, Be My Guest with Ina Garten. The episode seamlessly blends humor, heartfelt conversations, and culinary adventures, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into the lives and careers of two iconic women.

Julia’s Invitation to Ina’s Podcast

Julia Louis-Dreyfus began the episode by expressing her admiration for Ina Garten, highlighting their mutual love for each other. She shared, “It was such a delightful day for real. There was no faking it. It was just like total bliss being with her” (06:14). Julia was thrilled to accept Ina’s invitation to be a guest, marking a significant crossover between two beloved podcasts.

Culinary Collaboration: Making Chocolate Cake

The heart of the episode revolves around Julia and Ina's shared experience in the kitchen. Ina kicks off the session by inviting Julia to bake a chocolate cake with her. As Julia humorously remarks, “If you don't show me, I'm gonna kill you” (20:21), showcasing their playful rapport.

Step-by-Step Baking Process

1. Preparing the Cake:

   • Ingredients and Mixing: Ina meticulously outlines the ingredients, emphasizing the importance of sifting for consistency. “Actually, you know why I like sifting is because when you sift it, it's every cup is exactly like every other cup” (23:01).
   • Baking: The duo pours the batter into prepared pans and discusses the nuances of achieving the perfect bake.

2. Frosting and Decoration:

   • Creating the Frosting: Ina demonstrates her frosting technique, incorporating strong coffee into the mixture. Julia engages actively, eager to master the craft, despite initial mishaps.
   • Icing the Cake: Ina provides hands-on instructions, while Julia navigates the challenges of cake decorating. Her determination shines through when she states, “I'm here to take over” (25:33), blending humor with genuine effort.
   • Final Touches: The collaboration culminates in beautifully iced cakes, symbolizing the successful melding of their talents.

Insights into Julia’s Career

Interspersed with their culinary endeavors, Julia shares profound insights into her illustrious career:

• Early Beginnings and SNL Experience: Julia reflects on her tenure at Saturday Night Live, stating, “I learned what I didn't want. I didn't want a tense work environment. I didn't want to be unhappy” (12:04). This pivotal period led her to seek more fulfilling roles, ultimately culminating in her iconic performance on Seinfeld.

• Seinfeld and Beyond: Discussing her role as Elaine, Julia reminisces, “I would say that sharing a laugh with someone is like another kind of language. It's a very... great way to live life” (13:08). Her transition from comedy to dramatic roles showcases her versatility and depth as an actress.

• Veep and Recent Projects: In portraying Vice President Selina Meyer in Veep, Julia explores the complexities of power and humility. She describes the character as “in a position of power, but she's not quite there yet” (16:32), highlighting the show's satirical take on politics.

• Balancing Career and Family: Julia candidly discusses the challenges of juggling her burgeoning career with motherhood. “It was a very challenging, but also fabulous because I was becoming very famous at this time” (15:10), she shares, emphasizing the support system provided by her family.

Reflections on the Wiser Than Me™ Podcast

Transitioning from her professional journey, Julia delves into the essence of her podcast, Wiser Than Me™:

• Learning from Older Women: Julia underscores the profound wisdom gleaned from interviewing older women. “The big takeaway for me is that all of the women, including yourself, there's a common thread, and the common thread is complete comfort in their own skin” (17:26). This authenticity fosters genuine connections and invaluable insights.

• Authenticity vs. Performance: Contrasting her podcasting experience with acting, Julia notes, “It's not a performance. I mean, I know it is, but it doesn't feel like one at all” (08:34). This distinction allows for more intimate and sincere conversations, enriching her understanding of aging and wisdom.

Personal Anecdotes and Family Stories

The episode also offers a window into Julia’s personal life:

• Childhood Memories: Julia shares a humorous childhood story, “When I was really little, I was trying to make my mom laugh, and I stuck raisins up my nose and she laughed just like that” (11:09). Such anecdotes humanize her, revealing the playful spirit that has characterized her life and career.

• Father’s Art Collection: Delving into her family heritage, Julia discusses her late father's eclectic art collection. “My father was an art collector and he amassed quite a collection of... outsider art” (18:43). The collection’s eventual bequest to the Harlem Children's Zone reflects her family's philanthropic legacy.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a delightful display of the cakes they baked together, symbolizing the harmony between Julia and Ina. Julia exclaims, “This frosting is yummy. To the 10th power” (30:33), encapsulating the joy and satisfaction derived from their collaboration.

Overall, this episode of Wiser Than Me™ not only highlights Julia Louis-Dreyfus's multifaceted career and personal experiences but also celebrates the wisdom and camaraderie that come with age and friendship. Through laughter, shared stories, and culinary creativity, Julia and Ina offer listeners an enriching and entertaining experience.

---

Notable Quotes

• Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Hosting the Podcast:

  “It's not a performance. I mean, I know it is, but it doesn't feel like one at all.” (08:34)

• Ina Garten on Comedic vs. Dramatic Roles:

  “I hate a movie that's just all doable one thing. Hate it.” (13:43)

• Julia on Finding Fun in Work:

  “If you find it, don't let go of it. Keep it going.” (14:34)

• Discussion on Authentic Connections:

  “The big takeaway for me is that all of the women, including yourself, there's a common thread, and the common thread is complete comfort in their own skin.” (17:26)

• Humorous Baking Banter:

  Julia: “I gotta eat this. Oh my God. We need a picture of this.” (30:26)
  Ina: “You're ruining my cake.” (25:36)

These quotes encapsulate the essence of the conversations, blending professional insights with personal anecdotes and humor.

Transcript

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Hi there, it's me, Julia Louis Dreyfus. We're back for season three of Wiser Than Me. We're ready to bring you even more wisdom from the magnificent old women I have had the pleasure of talking to this season. And get a load of this. We've added some fun new items to our Wiser Than Me merch collection. Along with our classic tote bag and kitchen tea towel. We're introducing a new Wiser Than Me branded hardcover notebook and an exclusive partnership with Lingua Franca, a New York City based luxury and sustainable clothing brand. You got to check out the gorgeous hand embroidered sweatshirts, cashmere sweaters for you and your dog with wiser than me phrases. Yeah, cashmere for your dog. I did say that. Browse the whole collection and start shopping today by visiting wiserthanmeeshop.com.

[Ina Garten]

Lemonade.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Hello there, it's Julia. As you know, we love Ina Garten here at Wiser Than Me. I mean, I love her, you love her. I mean, who doesn't love her? Face it, who does not love Ina Garten? And did you know that Ina's got a podcast now? It's appropriately named Be My Guest with Ina Garten because on each episode a friend of hers RSVPs to go out to her house in the Hamptons for a day to cook and hang out in her gold gorgeous kitchen and home. And in some of the episodes, there's a surprise visit from her lovely husband Jeffrey too. And I had the thrill of being invited this season and we're gonna play it for you in just a second. But I really, I have to tell you, it was such a delightful day for real. There was no faking it. It was just like total bliss being with her. And now I know how to frost a cake correctly. And I know what kind of kitchen countertops I'm going to get for my kitchen. So win, win. Doesn't get better than that. Head on over to be my Guest with Ina Garten wherever you get your podcast to hear some other guests who RSVP'd yes too. But before doing that, let's listen to my episode with Ina.

[Ina Garten]

I'm Ina Garten. I love to invite interesting people to my house for good food, great conversation and lots of fun.

[Narrator]

The incredible 11 time Emmy Award winning actor, comedian and produce Julia Louis Dreyfus is coming to the barn. We're sharing a French omelet.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Can I have the big hat?

[Narrator]

Talking life, love and laughs.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's like endorphins you can taste.

[Narrator]

Then we're fooling around with frosting.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Don't make me laugh. You're ruining my cake.

[Narrator]

Making an amazing chocolate cake. And I better watch out.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Looks good. I'm here to take over.

[Ina Garten]

Be my guest.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What?

[Ina Garten]

Julia's moved in. My guess is Julia Louis Dreyfus. I mean, who doesn't love her? So I know she likes eggs and I know she likes bacon. So I'm gonna make her my French country omelet. And it starts with four slices of bacon that I've cooked until crisp. I'm just gonna take them out and put them on a plate. And then what I'm gonna do, and a little bit of fat that's left. I'm gonna cook some potatoes. I mean, who wouldn't like that? Eggs, potatoes, bacon. Yum. This actually comes from a recipe from a bistro in Paris that I love. Okay. Lots of salt and pepper, and that's gonna cook for about eight to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender. And while they cook, let me tell you about my insanely talented and beloved.

[Narrator]

Guest, Julia Louis Dreyfus. The incredible actor, comedian, and producer is one of the greatest performers in TV history, winning 11 Emmys. Born in New York, she divided her time living with her stepfather and mom, a writer, and her French entrepreneur and philanthropist father. Julia studied theater at Northwestern, where she met her husband, fellow comedian Brad hall. At just 21, she was discovered by SNL, the youngest member in history. There she met Larry David, and three years later, she joined him and Jerry Seinfeld to play the beloved character Elaine in Seinfeld, where she won her first Emmy and went on to win a Golden Globe and five Screen Actors Awards. She won her second Emmy for her hit TV series the New Adventures of Old Christine, while picking up a star on the Hollywood Walk of fame. In 2012, the political satire Veep hit our screens, where she played Vice President Selena Mayer, a role she won six consecutive Emmys for. It's no wonder she has received the coveted Mark Twain Prize for American humor. Her range also extends to incredible dramatic roles in movies such as Enough Said, you Hurt My Feelings, and Tuesday. She lives in California with her husband Brad, and two sons. I have met Julia virtually on her hugely successful podcast, Wiser Than Me, and I can't wait to meet her in person.

[Ina Garten]

She just does it all, doesn't she? She's got comedic roles and dramatic roles and streaming and movies. She's the real deal. She's amazing. Okay, the potatoes are cooked. Nothing like the smell of bacon and potatoes I'm just gonna put the potatoes on the plate. And now I'm gonna get the eggs ready. So I've got five eggs. I'm just gonna beat them. Three tablespoons of milk, lots of salt and pepper. So I'm gonna put a little butter in the pan, just let it melt. Okay. Eggs go in just like that. So next I'm gonna put the potatoes and bacon in, but I want to mix them up. And then a little bit of chives always looks good. Add a little onion flavor to it. I mean, that looks pretty good, doesn't it? Okay, I'm just going to put this in the oven. 350 degrees for 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. And I'll be ready when Julia gets here. Okay.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I am so excited because I'm in the Hamptons and I've been invited to Ina Carton's house to help her make a chocolate cake. She needs my help, guys. She needs my help. Alrighty. So how much are they asking for this place?

[Ina Garten]

Mm, mm, mm.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What if she isn't here? Wouldn't that be hilarious? Are you guys punking me? Did she not show? Is this not Ina's house? I swear to God, if this is some sort of joke. It's funny. Ina. Okay, well, I'm cooking in here no matter whose house it is.

[Ina Garten]

Ooh. How good does that look? It smells just as good. I understand Julia's as big a fan of salt as I am, so I think good French sea salt would be perfect on it. Two plates and I'm all set for Julia.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Ina. Ina.

[Ina Garten]

Julia.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Ina. You're here.

[Ina Garten]

Of course I'm here. Where else would I bake?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I thought, great, maybe you were punking me.

[Ina Garten]

I would never punk you. Come on in.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, my goodness.

[Ina Garten]

I'm so happy to see you.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

So wait a minute. Before anything happens, I brought you something.

[Ina Garten]

You brought me something?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I did. It's a little hostess gift.

[Ina Garten]

Oh, I love this Hostess blood orange marmalade. Yes. I can't wait to eat this.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

We planted our first blood orange tree.

[Ina Garten]

Yes.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And this is the fruit from the very.

[Ina Garten]

Thank you so much.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

First season.

[Ina Garten]

Thank you. Of course.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, I love you. Enjoy.

[Ina Garten]

Thank you. I can't wait. Well, I've made you an omelet of French. Well, finally you did something with bacon and potato. Something nice and light for breakfast. Perfect. No, seriously, is this a large enough piece?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Can I have the big hat?

[Ina Garten]

You like salt, right? Yeah, I mean, just everything.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You want to just pour the salt on the plate?

[Ina Garten]

That's extreme.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And I'll eat the salt. Oh, you did give me the bigger piece.

[Ina Garten]

I did give you the bigger piece.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

So what's it like instead of playing a character, actually being yourself on Wiser than me?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, it's a different ballgame.

[Ina Garten]

It's totally different, isn't it?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

In what way?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Well, it's not a performance. I mean, I know it is, but it doesn't feel like one at all. And also, you know, we do the podcast over Zoom, and so there's something kind of relaxed about it as a result. One of them we did in person for a variety of reasons when we talked to Carol Burnett, but than that, everybody's on Zoom. And I think just because you get to be in your own house, you don't have to put on hair and makeup. Even though this is how we look.

[Ina Garten]

Normally, I always look like this. I get out of bed like this.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, absolutely. I mike myself first thing in the morning.

[Ina Garten]

That was great.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

But anyway, so it sort of engenders a kind of intimacy in conversation, which is what we're going for. Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

But also, I think it's interesting because when you're. Because you really connect with people.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do.

[Ina Garten]

And you do. You really do. And when you're playing a character, you're not really connecting with an audience. You're playing a character. So I think connecting with people is what we love to do, and it's just really satisfying.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. Although I agree with that. But the thing is, too, is that when you're playing a role, you're actually also connecting.

[Ina Garten]

Oh, you're connecting with the other characters.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. It's a different kind of. Yeah. But there has to be an authenticity in place as well, as a matter of fact. But anyway, so now, wait a minute. What is this?

[Ina Garten]

It's Belgian granite.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's Belgian granite. Okay, I need a list. I'm taking this with me.

[Ina Garten]

You'll have a hard time getting that into the. It's fine.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You'll be able to replace it after I'm gone. You'll figure it out.

[Ina Garten]

If it's missing, I'll know where it is.

[Narrator]

Coming up. Wisdom.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I didn't really succeed in any kind of way there, except to say, I learned by not succeeding.

[Narrator]

Wisecracks.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You know what you need in this kitchen?

[Ina Garten]

I know.

[Narrator]

Paper towels and chocolate cake.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Not fantastic.

[Ina Garten]

You know, people ask my friends, what's Ina really like? And my closest friend always said, well, she's exactly the way you think she is, but her language is Worse. Nice. What would your friends say about you?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Exactly what you just said.

[Ina Garten]

I kind of thought so.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ina Garten]

Right.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

Do you think that you were always meant to be a comedian, or is it just like, in your DNA?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I think it's in my DNA. Certainly in the culture of our family, you know, was just.

[Ina Garten]

Who was funny?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

My mother was funny. My grandmother was funny. My dad was very funny.

[Ina Garten]

Do you remember making them laugh when you were young?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Sure.

[Ina Garten]

What'd you do?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

When I was really little, I was trying to make my mom laugh, and I stuck raisins up my nose and she laughed just like that. It's so funny. And then she said, okay, take them out. And I inhaled them, and we had to go to the emergency room. But it was totally worth it because I got the lights.

[Ina Garten]

I had a very complicated childhood. What was your childhood like?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I mean, my parents were divorced, and I went back and forth between the two homes, but I was really raised by my mom and stepfather. But it was. This was back when divorce was like.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah, it was.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It wasn't a dime a dozen.

[Ina Garten]

And it was whispered.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It was whispered.

[Ina Garten]

They went to jail.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes. Divorced.

[Ina Garten]

They divorced. But you still had your mother and your stepfather to ground you.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes, I did.

[Ina Garten]

So in 1985.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes.

[Ina Garten]

When you weren't renewed at SNL, what did you learn from that experience? It must have.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Well, I went to SNL very young. I was 21, and I was there for three years. And I didn't really succeed in any kind of way there, except to say, I learned by not succeeding. And I learned what I didn't want. I didn't want a tense work environment. I didn't want to be unhappy. And I thought to myself, well, if I can't find work that's happy making, like the work I was doing in Chicago in theater, I don't think I'm going to do this because it's not right for me.

[Ina Garten]

I always think some of the worst things that ever happened turn out to be the best.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

That's right, because my final year on snl, Larry David was the writer there for one year. He was deeply miserable there.

[Ina Garten]

He was more miserable than you, and.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I was deeply miserable. And so we connected through our misery. And then a couple of years later, I heard from him about this show he was working on that was called the Seinfeld Chronicles.

[Ina Garten]

And the rest is history.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And the rest is history.

[Ina Garten]

How does it feel to make people laugh?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's like endorphins you can taste.

[Ina Garten]

That's a good description.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I would say that sharing a laugh with someone is like another kind of language. It's a very. God, it's just a great way to live life.

[Ina Garten]

Just wonderful. Is it hard to play roles that are both dramatic and funny at the same time?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Well, first of all, doing. Playing a role that's both comedic and dramatic is where I live. I love it. So I.

[Ina Garten]

Because that's life.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

That's how we live. I hate a movie that's just all doable one thing. Hate it.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Exactly. I wouldn't describe one as being harder than the other. You know, I have to. I really enjoy doing dramatic work that has sort of maybe a comedic shell over it. Finding those roles is. Can sometimes be a challenge, but when I find them, I dive in headfirst.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah, that's great. Yeah. One of my favorite quotes of all time is, Oscar Wilde said, work is easy, fun is hard. I always run my business. If I'm having fun, everybody else will have fun too.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

And I think, am I right that you do the same thing?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, without question.

[Ina Garten]

People know what to do for work. They know how to do their jobs. But finding something that's fun to do, I think it's much harder, isn't it?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. But if you find it, don't let go of it.

[Ina Garten]

Exactly.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Keep it going.

[Ina Garten]

And you found it. I mean, it's just so magical and it has so much energy and positivity. It's just fabulous. Tell me about your recent movie, Tuesday.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's sort of an adult fairy tale. The story centers around a mother and a daughter, and the daughter's quite ill. And so it has a lot of pathos to it, but it's magical, but it's completely fanciful. So I think people might really enjoy it. I hope you'll like it.

[Ina Garten]

I'm sure I will. What was the toughest time in your career?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Well, getting employed. There was a period of time where I was after SNL. It was about a 1, 2 year period, 3 year period in which I was, you know, I was really pounding pavement. I nabbed a pilot, which is the first episode of a TV series, but then it didn't go to series. The other challenge for me in my career has been the juggling act, because while I was making Seinfeld, for example, I gave birth to both of my children. Super challenging, but also fabulous because I was becoming very famous at this time. And it really kept all of that in perspective. It did.

[Ina Garten]

Isn't that interesting? And did they put you behind the potted plant so they couldn't see that you were pregnant.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. Well, let's see. The first go round. Yes, I stood behind things. I carried boxes, et cetera. By the time I was pregnant the second time, nobody cared. And we just kept. It was like it wasn't happening. We just sort of. I walked in, I was out to hear, and no one said anything.

[Ina Garten]

In 2012, you created the character of Selena in Veep, who is both egomaniacal and kind of crazy and kind of delusional in some way, right? Totally delusional.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. She's in a position of power, but she's not quite there yet.

[Ina Garten]

That's so smart.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And so, you know, you think you've made it.

[Ina Garten]

No, you didn't. And nobody cares. Isn't that amazing?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

So I thought there was so much to be, so much material could be mined from that position.

[Ina Garten]

Starting with every time you walked into a room saying, did the president call 100%? Just love that line. And the answer is always no.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It was just the most exhilarating experience because there was a lot of improvisation and a lot of goofing around that got folded into the show. And it was all caps.

[Ina Garten]

Fun.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

All caps.

[Ina Garten]

Isn't that great?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

In your podcast, Wiser Than Me, you interview older women. What have you learned from them? That was interesting?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

The big takeaway for me is that all of the women, including yourself, there's a common thread, and the common thread is complete comfort in their own skin.

[Ina Garten]

Isn't that interesting?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And that is very freeing.

[Ina Garten]

And it's like rocket fuel. It really gives you freedom to do exactly what you want to do.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

That's right.

[Ina Garten]

But don't you think that a lot of your guests were that way when they were young? Actually, not necessarily. Yeah, No. I mean, like, Jane Fonda wouldn't say that.

[Narrator]

She would like that.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

No. I mean, Jane Fonda said, it's so hard to be young.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And I thought, yeah. Oh, my God, she's so smart. She's so right.

[Ina Garten]

I love that episode because in the middle of it, you ended up with a bomb cyclone and you got disconnected.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, got disconnected.

[Ina Garten]

And you handled that so beautifully. It was total Julia.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I was screaming at the universe.

It was so crazy.

[Ina Garten]

But it became like a character in the show, and it was just brilliantly done.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I will say that in the second season of the show in which you are in, we have another technical snafu.

[Ina Garten]

And I'm sure you handled it the same way.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Well, anyway, let's just say the audience gets another taste of behind the scenes.

[Ina Garten]

You made a wonderful documentary that I adored. About your late father and his kind of wacky art collection, right?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. My father was an art collector and he amassed quite a collection of.

[Ina Garten]

Describe his art collection because it's wild, right?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

He was a sort of a mentor to a lot of the artists whose work he collected and was very interested in the sort of the outsider art world. He got to know people like Giacometti and Dubuffet and people like that. My father was French. French and American both. And so anyway, he just. And my father, I think of him as a sort of. He was a hoarder, but a hoarder of really nice things, whatever that is.

[Ina Garten]

And he collected what he loved.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And he collected what he loved.

[Ina Garten]

Collect what other people would love. He collect what he loved.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What he loved. Exactly.

[Ina Garten]

I love what he did with it.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What he did with it was.

[Ina Garten]

Can you describe that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes. He's set up his collection in such a way. And he has bequeathed the entire collection to the Harlem Children's Zone. It's most magnificent school. And so the whole idea is to raise the awareness about the collection. We are slowly selling it down to benefit the Harlem Children's Zone. And we've been. My father passed in 2006 and we've been. Since he's passed, we have been in fact doing exactly that. And fabulous. Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

So I understand you like chocolate cake. Would you like me to show you how to ice a chocolate cake?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

If you don't show me, I'm gonna kill you.

[Ina Garten]

But I'm definitely gonna show you. I give up.

[Narrator]

Coming up, competitive cake making. This is our first fight with incredible results.

[Ina Garten]

I can't talk to you. I gotta eat this.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And we're back. I'm Julia Louis Dreyfus and I'm with Ina Garten in her kitchen. And she's evidently going to show me how to do something.

[Ina Garten]

You like chocolate cake, right?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Love it.

[Ina Garten]

Ok. I picked the right thing. So I'm going to show you how to make a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream. Ok. And we're going to get it all over ourselves, I'm sure.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Now wait a minute. How did this happen?

[Ina Garten]

Well, I'm going to show you how I did it. The cake is really easy. First, I sifted together 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, 2 cups of sugar, 3/4 of a cup of good cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Then I put the dry ingredients into the bowl of my electric mixer. Next, the wet mix. I combine A half a cup of vegetable oil, a cup of buttermilk and two extra large eggs plus one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and mix them together. Then with a mixer on low, I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients plus a cup of freshly brewed.

[Narrator]

Hot coffee and mixed it all together.

[Ina Garten]

Then I poured the batter into two 8 inch pans that had been buttered, floured and lined with parchment into the oven 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Then I took them out to cool in their pans for 30 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Okay, so that's the cake.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

Now the frosting. Oh, boy.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

The best part.

[Ina Garten]

You're in charge. I am. How's that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Okay.

[Ina Garten]

Two sticks of butter. Unsalted butter?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

I don't know. You're not going to put that in yet?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Can I just drink it?

[Ina Garten]

No, you can do that. You can forget the icing. Okay. We're going to turn this on. Yeah, that's good. And then we're going to put in one egg yolk.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Should I do it?

[Ina Garten]

You should just do it. And if you don't want to use an egg yolk, you don't have to use an egg yolk.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

But I just.

[Ina Garten]

Better.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You told me.

[Ina Garten]

Too late. Exactly. Exactly. One teaspoon of vanilla.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes. One teaspoon of extract.

[Ina Garten]

And this is really strong coffee. It's a tablespoon of instant coffee grounds. Okay. And then slowly. This is one and a quarter cups of sifted confectioner sugar.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes.

[Ina Garten]

And just slowly. Just put it in. You're in charge.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I'm in charge.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Hope I don't screw it up.

[Ina Garten]

You won't screw it up. That's correct.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Am I going too fast?

[Ina Garten]

No, you're doing just fine. Okay. That's why it's sifted. So it's like it won't clump.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

How important do you think sifting is for real?

[Ina Garten]

Actually, you know why I like sifting is because when you sift it, it's every cup is exactly like every other cup.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

So it lightens it sometimes. You know, it can be really packed and sometimes it can be light.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes, yes.

[Ina Garten]

So you get the same amount of.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Right.

[Ina Garten]

Confection of sugar every time.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Or flour, for that matter.

[Ina Garten]

Or flour. Right, exactly. Actually, flour, I don't sip. Do you know what I do? I put a cup in and I lighten it and then I scoop it.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What does it mean, lighten it?

[Ina Garten]

Just fluff it up. Oh, you know, like fluffers.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Excuse you.

[Ina Garten]

Different kind of Fluffer.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

She doesn't know what she's saying.

[Ina Garten]

She has no idea.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Poor dear.

[Ina Garten]

Okay, you've been to the Hamptons before, right?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, when I was like three. For real?

[Ina Garten]

Really? You haven't been back since?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

The story goes that my mom took me down to the Hamptons. I was at the beach. She was talking to a friend. She looked over. I was butt naked, running around and talking to everybody. I'd taken all my clothes off. And this was, you know, 1960.

[Ina Garten]

Actually, I know that story because I've heard people talking about it.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Adorable naked little girl running around. Yeah, that was me.

[Ina Garten]

And then this is 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate melted, and we're good. That's the ice sink. Yep. You ready to ice a cake?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

Okay, I'm gonna show you.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

How does this sink work? Or is it a prop sink?

[Ina Garten]

No, it's a real sink.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You know what you need in this kitchen?

[Ina Garten]

I know.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Paper towels.

Have you heard of paper towels?

[Ina Garten]

It's a prop towel. Okay, next we're gonna ice the cake.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, let's do it.

[Ina Garten]

You ready to do that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah. Come on, let's go.

[Ina Garten]

And we're having a terrible time, as you can imagine.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's really one of the worst days of.

[Ina Garten]

So the first thing is you take the chocolate cake that we made before.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

And put it on the cake stand. And I put it on a rotating stand so we can turn it around while we ice it. How's that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I love it.

[Ina Garten]

So the trick to keeping the plate clean is I use parchment paper or wax paper and just put it underneath the cake. And then you don't have to clean up the plate after you make a mess with the icing. Just put it underneath there all the way around. Interesting.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Smart.

[Ina Garten]

So now you want to put some frosting on the middle. Do you want to make sure you have enough for the outside, too? That's perfect.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

No kidding. We can always make more. We've got our whole lives ahead of us.

[Ina Garten]

Isn't it great having a turntable? Oh, my God. I love it so much.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I think I need more frosting in here.

[Ina Garten]

I think you're doing okay, though.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Really? This is our first fight.

[Ina Garten]

That looks perfect.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Ok.

[Ina Garten]

Excuse me, but I think you really know what you're doing.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

You know what?

[Ina Garten]

What's good?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I'm here to take over.

[Ina Garten]

Ok. Ok. And the second one I'm going to put on upside down.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

Because you want the top to be really flat.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Right.

[Ina Garten]

Looks more professional. It's good and sticky.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What's your technique? For this moment, I do the sides first.

[Ina Garten]

First and then the top.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I want to watch you because you're here to teach me.

[Ina Garten]

So take the spatula and just do a thin layer. And the key is you don't go back and forth. If you go back and forth over the cake, what happens is crumbs just like this. Just smooth it in one direction and then we'll smooth the whole thing when we're done. But just get the icing on first.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I'm watching.

[Ina Garten]

You're watching. Okay. How do you decorate cakes? What do you like to do?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I'm not a. I mean, I certainly appreciate cake decorating, but usually when I'm making a cake, like if I make my son's orange cake, I decorate it with mandarin oranges on top.

[Ina Garten]

Love that. Yeah. So you know what it is?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, it just tells you what it is. It's a nice tasty thing to eat.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah, exactly.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

And then if it's a carrot cake, often I'll just really have really crumbly pecans. And just put that on the top. Yeah.

[Ina Garten]

Which is in the cake.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Exactly.

[Ina Garten]

Right. That's exactly what I do.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What about you? Is there anything else you do?

[Ina Garten]

No. I don't know. I'm pretty simple about decoration.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

What about flowers? You ever put flowers, actual flowers, on.

[Ina Garten]

A cake, For a wedding cake, maybe, but not a regular cake. I don't know why. And they can't be scented flowers. So I'm going to take the spatula, I'm going to put the rest of it on top and just smooth it out.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

May I?

[Ina Garten]

Yep, you may. I insist, in fact. And then I'll show you how I'd like to pipe it.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Ooh, look at this. Icing the cake.

[Ina Garten]

That's it. See it? There's enough, isn't there? Okay, so how about turning on the hot tap water?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yes.

[Ina Garten]

I'm gonna show you what I do. Gonna warm up the spatula, and then we're gonna smooth it all out. Okay. Just a little bit. Just enough so that it's a little smoother. Lord have mercy.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

It's a miracle.

[Ina Garten]

And then just run your spatula around the edge and you have a nice square edge. How's that? And you get to lick that. Well, I'm gonna tell you what it's not.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Fantastic.

[Ina Garten]

Thank you. Okay, so you wanna pipe it. I have some icing in a piping bag just for you. So this is the way I learned how to do piping. Just on the board.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Okay.

[Ina Garten]

Just do it like that. And when you're. And when you're comfortable with it, we'll do it on the cake.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Okay. I think I have to have a heavier hand with it.

[Ina Garten]

Here, I'll show you what I do in order to do a shell. And you know what we can do, too? We can do it just stars. Would that be easier? Want to do that? Oh, sure.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

But I'd also like to learn this. Ok. Yeah. Ok. Well, that's easy peasy.

[Ina Garten]

That's easy. And the other one is like a shell. I'll show you what you do. You start here and you go up and down. And then up and down.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, oh, I see.

[Ina Garten]

How's that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

That's what this is.

[Ina Garten]

That's what that is.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Up and down, up.

[Ina Garten]

And then you stop and then start again. You're doing okay. You're doing okay.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I'm not doing okay. I'm not doing okay.

[Ina Garten]

So up and down and then stop. Lift the bag. Stop. That's why it takes time. It takes time to figure it out. Up and down. Look at that. Stop. Perfect.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, I see.

[Ina Garten]

Now you got it. Yeah, there's like a rhythm to it. Up and down and down.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yeah, I'm getting there.

[Ina Garten]

Yeah. See? Yeah. It took me like 40 years to get that, so I'd say in like, five minutes. You did pretty well.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I did pretty well. Okay, now, and am I doing it on these sides?

[Ina Garten]

I'll start. Yeah, I'll do it around the edge. You start here and you go up and down and then up and down.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, oh, I see.

[Ina Garten]

How's that?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

So you really lift it.

[Ina Garten]

Right, Right. You've got it. Look at that. Fabulous. Fabulous. There's like a rhythm to it. I mean, how good does this look?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Up and down. Oh, God.

[Ina Garten]

You got it. Are you gonna go home and start a cake decorating business in your spare time?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Oh, 100%. I've got all the paperwork drawn up. Don't make me laugh. You're ruining my cake.

[Ina Garten]

Okay, so I'm gonna show you what to do in order to take the paper out. Just run your knife along the bottom just like this and just pull it out.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

That is so clever.

[Ina Garten]

And now you have a clean plate. All right, here we go.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Yep.

[Ina Garten]

Big piece, little piece.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Enormous.

[Ina Garten]

Enormous. Does that look like chocolate?

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Classic beating heart.

[Ina Garten]

One for me, one for you.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Thank you.

[Ina Garten]

Cheers.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

Cheers. Here we go. Let's see what we think. First of all, the cake part is off the chain. Don't you think?

[Ina Garten]

It's great. And the icing.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

This frosting is yummy. To the 10th power.

[Ina Garten]

I can't talk to you.

[Julia Louis Dreyfus]

I gotta eat this. Oh my God. We need a picture of this. Does anybody have a camera? I'm just growing my career. I love it. We have just been canceled.

[Ina Garten]

If you love this episode of Be My Guest, the podcast with me, Ina Garten, please make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. It would mean so much to me. Thanks. Cheers.

[Lemonade Media]

Hey, wiser than me Listeners, we want to hear from you. By just answering a few questions on our listener survey, you can share feedback about show content you'd like to see in the future and help us think about what brands would serve you best. And even better. Once you've completed the survey, you can enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. The survey is short and sweet and will help us play ads you don't want to skip and keep bringing you content you love. Just go to lemonademedia.com survey lemonadea.com survey.