Thanks to American chemist and botanist George Washington Carver, we've found plenty of uses for the peanut, from dynamite to insecticides to axle grease, peanuts have become a necessity in society. However, many southern territories have taken a liking to simply boiling the crop and eating them as is and Georgia has claimed the crown for the now highly-popularized snack. The history of the boiled peanut dates back to the Civil War when Confederate soldiers lacked the necessary food supplies to feed a mass amount of people. So, what's the next best thing to hold over an entire platoon? None other than boiled peanuts of course.
Boiled peanuts take on an entirely different eating experience than the usually roasted peanuts many have become accustomed to. The outer shell becomes soft to the touch and the nut itself takes on the texture of a legume. While traditionally boiled in seasoned water with spices and enjoyed with a soft drink or beer, some hardcore boiled peanut aficionados have gone as far as to boil their peanuts in beer or add peanuts in their Cokes.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.