Occasionally, cooking feels delightfully feminine for me. That might be because most often, I'm stirring a hot pot in some sweaty yoga pants with my hair twisted into a knot and a dish rag tossed over my shoulder. So on the odd evening that I'm having friends over, I really like to buy into the whole homemaker thing. Well, sort of-- that mostly just means I'll wear real clothes and not take off my makeup. In my head, though, I've got the lipstick acumen of Betty Draper, the cheerful sass of Mrs. Cunningham and the brownstone of Claire Huxtable.... and the voice of Audra McDonald (sorry neighbors).
It's on those days when a great cooking playlist makes all of the difference. Over the past few weeks, I've cultivated a really fun, girls only playlist that'll help anyone get through the stress of having guests and making them lamb shanks. It stretches from Lena Horne to Taylor Swift and is extra fun if you've had a glass or two of Bordeaux by the time Stevie Nicks comes on. Happy cooking!