exotic steamed dumplings

And last but not least – the amazing cheese stuffed mushrooms

Even the carnivorous Emma wanted to try some, and I was delighted to decline. Go eat meat if you want, that just means more veggies for me!

First of all, I find that Billy inspires that hopeful part in me – the same part of me which is in complete denial over the fact that I barely own enough kitchen tools or equipment to actually prepare a complete meal and leave my guests alive to tell the tale – and truly makes me believe I possess (hidden) super-culinary powers. Chef Billy takes in your poor, your weak and your tired recipes, and breathes new life into them with an easy, breezy patch, elevating your eats to perfection. Whether your Alfredo sauce is lumpy and bumpy or your blueberry pie has got the blues or your homemade pizza dough is looking a little deflated, Billy’s got you covered.

Second of all – and this may not be a politically correct reason for fandom, but nonetheless – this chef is drop-dead cute, as you can see in this video, where Billy comes to the rescue of a strawberry shortcake recipe:

But there is a limit, after all, and when dining out becomes a habit, you need to start taking some precautions, especially when working out isn’t your favorite hobby. That’s why People Jam’s Andrea Beaman and her advice on How To Order Dessert became one of my golden rules, because with that I learned how to convince my guilty friend to indulge herself after the low-carb-lettuce, and try out the dessert, taking the tension away from our table.

The rule is simple: order one healthy dessert, and an unhealthy-but-oh-so-yummy one. Berries and cheesecake, pears and tiramisu, apples and caramel pudding or cherries and chocolate mousse, it’s your pick. The important thing: make sure that those calories just provide you with a sweet memory.