Every once in a while, I get out of the house and do something fun. True, there are people (friends, you know who you are) that say that this occurrence is usually less frequent than a blue moon hence my vague original statement… every once in a while.

Last night, I spent the night out with Jamie Oliver. Sort of. I’m pretty sure we’d be best mates if we ever met. See? I even said mates. Thus proving irrevocably that I am half-British and BFF-worthy.

Jamie was in town for a one night open-mike type of show down at Roy Thomson Hall and I made sure I had tickets. Six rows from the front. Pure awesomeness. Think of it as an extended unplugged session without a script, some audience participation (via questionnaire cards), and a really cool take home message — fresh food & inexpensive meals: it can be done.

Oh, and boxers or briefs… though that question was cleverly evaded and there was mention of plastic wrap and the like.

What really hit home with me was Jamie’s response to a question about impoverished families and the (in)affordability of fresh food relative to the processed kind.

His response? That he has yet to go into a home of lower socioeconomic means without a big screen TV, a cable/satellite subscription, kids with brand name labels on their feet or a mobile phone in hand for every member of the family. It’s not about the lack of means or wealth. It’s about the lack of priorities and the absence of education that could cause those shifts in priorities, especially with food.

Hello nail. Meet head.

Now excuse me while I go cook every single one of Jamie’s recipes in Jamie Oliver’s Food Escapes. And never mind the food, the photography in this book is drool-worthy. So chuffed (and that right there makes me officially British — minus the accent).

Happy Thursday!