For the Love of...: ...The Delicious Miss Dahl

When I first saw The Delicious Miss Dahl on Food Network, I was immediately suspicious they were trying to replace Nigella Lawson (what with the English accent and careless, almost haphazard cooking methods) while riding the Jamie Oliver wave of success.  However, after watching 30 minutes of Sophie Dahl, my jealousy of her Anthropologie-meets-vintage interior design and kitchenwares, grew into one serious girl crush.



To make this easier to digest here are the top 10 reasons why you too, should be crushing Sophie Dahl:


1. Former model, Dahl's show is aptly named.  She's been a regular and plus sized model- in other words, she's real, fantastic looking and your husband/boyfriend won't mind watching her show with you.

2. Have you seen her plates?  Box of recipes?  Flowers?  Her outfits?

3.  Granddaughter of Roald Dahl - a.k.a author of such titles as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Witches...

4.  According to her biography on Food Network, Dahl is a socialite.  Who doesn't want to be a socialite?

5. Dahl's episodes are focused around a feeling.  This is unique, as food hosts tend to focus their episodes around occasions or seasons.

6. Perfection is not required in the kitchen- anyone can make great food as long as you love eating it.  Dahl's technique and methods are far from perfect, making you feel much better about your own blunders in the kitchen.

7.  A new mother, Dahl can proudly put her name on the list of celebrities who have given their children unique names.  Her daughter's name is Lyra.

8. Jamie Cullum.

9. Her recipes are simple and easy, making her show accessible to a wide range of viewers.

10.  Dahl has that X factor- maybe it's the accent? Maybe it's the intermittent poetry excerpts?  Or her ability to captivate an audience despite her grasping at words and rambling?

Something tells me that the "The Delicious" series isn't the last thing we'll see of Sophie Dahl on the Food Network.  Would I go out and buy her cook book if I saw it on the bookshelf today?  Probably not, but I'd much rather watch her than Guy Fieri down ten unnaturally flourescent-looking items of fried food.

Next: ....Cheese Making Pt. 1