I absolutely adore Thanksgiving. It's the only holiday I insist on making myself.

My mother would never let me in the kitchen. I always wanted to cook, but I was never allowed to. Her view of the world was, "Cooking is my job, and studying is your job." I think, in retrospect, she didn't like the chaos. She was very orderly. It had to be her way.

I get up every day, do the best that I can do, and go home and have a good time.

They say that gardens look better when they are created by loving gardeners rather than by landscapers, because the garden is more tended to and cared for. The same thing goes for cooking. I only cook for people I love.

I've lived in the Hamptons since 1978, when I first bought my store Barefoot Contessa.

I measure everything, because I always think that if I've spent so much time making sure this recipe was exactly the way I want it, why would I want to throw things into a pot?

I time everything. I'm a scientist at heart.