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'Parks and Rec' actress Jenny Slate on why she doesn't 'get' scones: 'I've never had one that was better than a muffin'

Jenny Slate calls making Saturday morning pancakes for her toddler daughter a,
Jenny Slate calls making Sunday morning pancakes for her toddler daughter a, "darling tradition." (Photo: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers)

Because food connects us all, Yahoo Life is serving up a heaping plateful of table talk with people who are passionate about what's on their menu in Deglazed, a series about food.

Jenny Slate is arguably one of the funniest women in the world. She's spent time on set at Parks and Recreation, appearing in the 2018 Marvel film Venom and working as a voice actress in films like The Lorax, Zootopia and The Secret Life of Pets, but this powerhouse comedian and actress shares that her perfect day begins with a simple breakfast.

"I'm a savory breakfast person for the most part," says Slate. "Although I love making sweet things, like pancakes and banana bread — there is usually a banana bread on our countertop, and I always put chocolate chips in because I think it's worth it."

"I like to make scrambled eggs with something spicy in them, and that's what I usually start my day with," she says. "With an English muffin, I think that's really nice."

Even though Slate prefers a savory spicy breakfast, her talents for making sweet treats haven't gone to waste, and have, in fact, carried on a family tradition. "We always had special breakfasts on the weekends growing up — my dad would make special eggs," she recalls. "For my daughter, I love to make pancakes on a Sunday morning — I think that is such a darling tradition."

While Slate's daughter is too young to join her in the kitchen just yet, Slate shares a hope that one day she'll enjoy cooking and creating meals for others just as much as the rest of the family.

"She's not old enough to cook yet. She's almost 16 months old," says Slate. "I love to cook, my husband loves to cook, I grew up in a family that cooked a lot and I think it is so sweet to make things for people that you love. I hope she's into it — but no pressure."

When she's not cooking dinner at home, the 40-year-old actress shares that an afternoon at the local farmer's market is her go-to activity for a fun afternoon takeout meal. "There's nothing like a wonderful farmer's market," she says. "That's it. That's like my favorite thing"

"Half the year we live in Los Angeles, and the farmer's markets there are absolutely wonderful," she adds. "I really love on Saturdays, going to the farmer's market around 10:30 or 11 and finding things for lunch there — spreading it all out on the table, that's really cute and fun."

However, there's one thing Slate will certainly not be grabbing on her next farmer's market run.

"I don't really like scones," she says. "I don't get what that's about. They're really dry and I've never had one that was better than a muffin."

Slate, who spoke to Yahoo Life on behalf of her Partnership for Creamier Ice Cream campaign with Tillamook says Tillamook makes, "the creamiest ice cream [she's] ever had."

"It is so so good," she says. "Right now their cookies and cream flavor is one of my favorite foods."

Beyond a mission for creamier ice cream, Slate says it's the company's ideals that made her feel good about the partnership. "They're farmer-owned … they're doing the work that needs to be done in terms of what you hope corporations are doing, they're doing the work for our planet and the living things on it," says Slate. "That just makes me feel good."

Of course, trying new ice cream flavors was a highlight for this frozen confection lover as well. "I got to try a lot of the flavors that I haven't tried before," she says. "Because I never really go outside of my normal flavor … I was very very thrilled."

This summer, Slate is reviving Marcel the Shell, the beloved children's short film and book series she co-created, wrote, produced and voiced. A new full-length film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On will hit theatres on June 24. The surprisingly heartwarming character has been a part of Slate's portfolio since 2010 and she couldn't be happier to be bringing him to life once again. "For the people who have seen it … the response has been so personal and positive," she says, "and I just hope that it continues."

In the new film, Marcel looks to connect with his family, something Slate does through her passion for time spent in the kitchen. "Cooking usually does change my mood," she says. "That's why I do it a lot."

"At the end of day, I love to have a beer or pour myself a glass of wine and try out a new simple recipe," she explains. "Feeding myself, feeding the people that I love — it is something that just brings me back to what is important to me. It's a simple act of care and generosity that I think goes a long way."

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