Consumed: Bowled Over

Alexander Stadler suffers no shortage of passions. There are the cheeky little books he writes and illustrates (Beverly Billingsly Takes the Cake is due out this month), his textile designs for Comme des Garçons, even a new line of charm bracelets that mix dog-and-dame must-haves — a bone, a pump, a cat — sold at Knit Wit. But what’s the Graduate Hospital resident’s eye falling upon most fondly these days? A set of “aesthetically perfect” mixing bowls designed by chef hottie Nigella ­Lawson. Is it the bowls he loves, though, or the sensuous British cook who created them? That’s where it all gets a little fuzzy.

How did your obsession begin?
With my enormous crush on Nigella Lawson. I became transfixed when I watched her on the Style Channel.

When was that?
Two years ago. I’m a happily gay man but found myself with this wild crush on her. She does this thing where she licks her fingers when she’s eating … and she’s curvy and gorgeous, and she snacks in the middle of the night.

And her bowls?
They’re a set of four stacking mixing bowls. They come in a vanilla ice-cream color or an amazing pale blue, which is what I have.

Does she sell them on TV?
No. But my brother was working at Foster’s Gourmet Cookware, and he pointed them out one day.

Because he knows you love her.
Right. They’re imbued with her personality. They have her sensuousness and love of fun.
 
So, they’re mixing bowls.
Yes, but the smallest is perfect for serving olives. And when you put in the fennel olives from Di Bruno’s with the little flecks of hot orange peppers — the orange and green in the blue bowl is incredibly beautiful.

What else makes them great?
They’re egg-shaped rather than round, so when you’re making batter or whipping up eggs for an omelet, the bowl pours in a gorgeous way. Because it’s oval, it sits in the crook of your arm perfectly. It has a very wonderful, womanly, human feeling to it.

What are your favorite dishes to make with the bowls?
Cookies, omelets, and I also use them for anadama.

Is that some kind of ­­Southern thing?
New England, actually. It’s cornmeal-and-molasses bread. Legend has it someone ate it once and said, “Ana, damn! That’s good bread!”

The set of four Nigella Lawson mixing bowls is $70 at Foster’s Gourmet Cookware in the Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch streets; 215-925-0950.