photo courtesy of Food52

I’m pretty sure that Jamie is in love with Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs of Food52 (and the New York Times)and I just have to be okay with that. When they ask him for something- anything– he delivers (in, like, two nanoseconds). If he were that responsive to me, we’d have a wall of built-ins for Parker’s toys and my purses and our spice cabinet would be alphabetized… But don’t peg me as the jealous wife! (I actually “met” Amanda before I knew Jamie, instantly falling under her narrative spell as I read her book, The Cook & Gardener: A Year of Recipes and Writings from the French Countryside. So there, honey.)

Anyway, it seems like the love is reciprocal. Over a year ago, when Jamie submitted his tried-and-true, ten-times-better-than-your-mamma-ever-made Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe, he was crowned a Food52 winner. Next, when their totally amazing Food52 Cookbook: 140 Winning Recipes From Exceptional Home Cooks was in the process of being published, they asked Jamie if they could include his recipe. (I think his response was something like, “Yes! When? How soon?!”)  

Now, Amanda, Merrill and Jamie are throwin’ down.

Well, really, Amanda and Merrill will judge as Jamie throws down against two home cooks and bloggers (yep, it takes two!) at the Bowery Whole Foods. The teams will face off, whipping up their Food52-winning recipes. Who will walk away the champ? Who will wield a whisk and cast-iron skillet of popping grease with the most grace and gusto??

Parker Lee and I know. And we’ll be sitting front row, trying to distract the competition with a princess wand and sparkly sippy cup.

Bowery Whole Foods, 95 East Houston, 4pm-5pm