Fed Up: Top Chef Does it Again

I've been avoiding discussing Top Chef for one simple reason. I am simply fed up with the show. After last season's bullying disaster, and the later allegations of how certain people were edited to look innocent in said disaster, I was ready to leave the watching to people with much stronger stomachs.

But something interesting happened with this season. The chefs were actually talented. Sure there was the usual preening and chest puffing we have come to expect from reality shows. But, these people seemed to have the goods to back it up. And I got interested. But, then the show ruined it all.

Let's back up a little. Last season, we saw some ham handed editing that was meant to make Elia seem innocent in what has now become known as "clipper-gate". Unedited footage showed Elia - hair still intact- was on the floor laughing as Marcel struggled away from Cliff and locked himself in the bathroom to sleep unmolested. After that horror show, Elia and company happily go about shaving their heads as though they had not just tried to hold down a sleeping man and forcibly shave his head. They merrily went on their way as though Marcel deserved what happened and the only real problem was that the judges didn't find it as funny as they did. While I blame the contestants for their bullying mob mentality, I have to blame the show for its insistence on trying to mitigate Elia's involvement.

Now is this something that we should blame the producers of the show for? Or should the blame fall on Bravo's shoulders? I'm not sure but the show is suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. Is it a competitive cooking show, or is it simply a reality show? It seems that after almost three seasons, we should know by now. More importantly, THEY should know by now.

Let's have a look this season. The first episode left me frustrated because there are no clear rules or guidelines available for how the chefs and their dishes are judged. Should Howie have been disqualified for not completing the challenge? Well, according to that episode, no. According to that episode the part that he DID complete was better tasting than Clay's complete submission.

However, if we look at season 1. Dave was sent home because he didn't complete the challenge even though what he DID complete was judged better than Tiffany's complete entry. Now it can be argued that in the case of Dave and Tiffany they were much further along and therefore Dave's omission was the bigger blow. However, we have Collichio telling Dave that he could have put anything on a plate and called it a third dish and he would have won. Which then becomes confused in season 2 when Clay is told that he would have been better off leaving the chops off the plate and presenting an incomplete entry. Which leaves me as an audience member wondering what the actual rules are and what weight is given to each part of the judgement criteria.

But looking more at this season, I am seeing even more problems from the conflict between competitive cooking show and reality show. Lets look at Micah. From general internet comments she seems to have been a much disliked contestant. But upon reviewing the footage I can't find a reason why except for her being given the "evil edit". In my opinion she seemed confident in her abilities even if she was emotional enough to make season one's Dave seem even keeled. But there was much debate over her supposed snobbishness towards American cuisine.

This perceived snobbishness comes from the "Family Favorites" episode. First there was the reaction to recreating an American classic in a healthy way. Right off the bat most of the chefs are unhappy with the challenge. Lia claims to be out of her element because she is not used to creating healthy food. Hung says "All those dishes look disgusting to me."

Micah claims to have never eaten fried chicken or chicken a la king (which I can give her that, I've never had chicken a la king either and I've lived in America my entire life) and chooses meat loaf and mashed potatoes because she figures it will be easy to improve upon- which it doesn't take a great chef to know thats true. Now a lot of people called "bullshit" on this since we later found out that Micah is originally from Massachusetts.

But, I have to say, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I've never thought of fried chicken as being a staple of a Massachusetts diet. If Micah had been from a southern state I would be more inclined to call "shenanigans" on that but in this case, I'm inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt. Micah goes on to say her "reaction to American comfort food is bleh".

So, at first I thought maybe it was this comment that caused so much upset over her alleged snobbishness. But then I remembered Hung saying American comfort food was "disgusting" and figured that was definitely a worse put down than "bleh". So it had to be something else.

And then we get to the comment that launched a thousand hate responses to Micah. "I know that Americans like to put ketchup on, so instead we did a roasted tomato, red and yellow pepper sauce- it's underneath." Still, it wasn't this comment specifically that labeled her as anti-American. It was actually Chef Portale's misquoting her comment with his "I don't like the way she said 'us Americans" that launched so much hate towards Micah. Which is not what she actually said. I mean its right there in the footage, but his misquote and accusation of an attitude is what people paid attention to. For me, the worst thing Micah did in the entire episode was not making a good meatloaf (because there is just no excuse for that). But the show allowed Portale to perpetuate the "Micah hates America" attitude without anyone ever correcting him on what she actually said.

There were other things in the episode that I also took issue with but I discussed that in that episode's entry.

Lets step away from Micah and look at my latest reason for being fed up. I have to say that from all the seasons so far, my favorite challenge is always the Restaurant Wars. It gives us as the audience the chance to really see how the chefs work together or not. And it gives the contestants the chance to really rise to the top or fall to the bottom of the heap. But my issue this time wasn't with any portrayal of the contestants or any issue with the lack of transparency in the judging. My issue is with the dismissive way the show sabotaged accomplished food writer and critic Andrea Strong.

Now, you can find a much better discussion of the sabotage here. But, I do think that it was completely wrong and more than a little disgusting that Ms. Strong was introduced as just a "food blogger" with no other information about her long food and restaurant background being given to either the audience or the contestants. Now, I am JUST a food blogger. I have no restaurant experience other than eating in them. I have no formal training as a chef- I've only cooked my entire life and love food. So, if it were me or someone with my background as a guest critic then the title would be a fair assessment. But, someone as accomplished as Strong should have been given the same suck up treatment they have given any other guest (Ted Allen, I'm looking at you) who has come to critique the performance of the contestants.

But what really ticks me off about the Andrea Strong situation is that there is no apology forthcoming from the show or the network about this oversight. Instead, Andrea was forced to defend herself and her credentials after the fact on the Top Chef website long after the hateful questioning of her background had already been posted. Hell, she wasn't even given the redemptive second episode treatment that Chris "yes, I'm a bitch but Madonna is my sister" Ciccone was given.

What's worse is that she wasn't really given any kind of voice in the episode. Instead, we have her lumped in with the ridiculously bitchy Chris Ciccone. To make her even more the bad guy, they (the judges) read unedited snippets from her notes aloud while still maintaining the dismissive "she's just a food blogger, what does she know" attitude- snippets that didn't even make it into the actual review she posted as the guest blogger for Top Chef. But as I said Keckler does a much better job of explaining why their treatment of her was so shabby.

And these are just a few of my complaints about this show. I like the competitive aspect of it and really wish more time was spent on the actual food. But, I hate the underhanded tricks being played on the audience and Top Chef's implied encouragement of its rabid fans to attack the people the show has intentionally shafted.

Speaking of shafted, I was really sorry to see Tre go. Shitty tattoo aside, I thought he really had the goods to be Top Chef. I also liked his attitude going in even if his own cockiness got the best of him.

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Andrea Strong
I discussed that in that episode's entry
here
snippets that didn't even make it into the actual review

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The Weekend Will Be Here Soon

Sorry about the random absence. I will be returning soon with more Top Chef commentary and some actual recipes. Right now my town is preparing for classes to start on the 16th. Which means that we have been overrun by clueless 18 year olds driving SUV's that cost more than my house.

Luckily, we got a new Tivo so Top Chef will be easier to discuss. Also, I have some pictures from Hubby's birthday to post along with some recipes.

Check back sometime this coming weekend.

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Comfort Foods Top Chef Style

Now, comfort foods are my thing. They are like giant hugs from your grandparents. They make you feel warm and safe. You know they give you comfort. So, I was intrigued by the concept of modernizing old classics.

I have to say that I am never sure about this show. I am never sure what the criteria are or how the rules fall. So, this episode was refreshing in that it was clearly about the dishes and not about whether the way it was made followed the rules of the challenge or whether or not an incomplete dish merits disqualification.

I did think it was odd that the judges took issue with the chicken a la King not being reminiscent of chicken a la king. Simply because they kept complaining about how literal the other approaches to the dishes were. Now if they took issue with its overall presentation and or flavor, I could understand.

Seriously, it looked like vomit.

Micah's meat loaf on the other hand looked beautiful but obviously tasted horrible.

It was really surprising because meat loaf is so easy to make taste good. And it seemed a good opportunity to reinvent a very easy and tasty dish. I don't understand her choice of ingredients. I hope the garlic mashed potatoes were at least good- but no one ever said.

Now about the chicken and dumplings:

That was a dish that I would love to try. For years I was a snob about boxed mashed potatoes. I had tried them once as a kid at a friends house and was completely grossed out by how they tasted. A few years back I tried some and was amazed by how good they tasted. So, that tells me that somewhere along the line the companies got better at making them taste like real potatoes.

Even if the potatoes were still as nasty as I remembered from childhood, the idea of using them to make a dough for dumplings just seems kind of genius to me. What better way to disguise that cardboard taste while also saving time?

I really wish his dish had won simply because he was so smart about how he came up with it.

I don't know if I want to discuss Hung's turning off of the oven. Well, yeah I do. It was a dick move. Because even if he was done, he knew that there were plenty of other chefs still trying to work with the equipment. And if he works in a restaurant, then he knows that the stoves and ovens aren't turned off until the place closes up for the day.

As for the winning dish. I'm glad Howie finally caught a break because he really hasn't been impressing me so far. His dish did look good and it was a good chance to redeem himself after the pork disaster of the cook out challenge.

I have to ask, has anyone ever actually eaten pork chops and applesauce as a dish? Like is it a midwestern thing or something? I remember it being a joke on the Brady Bunch, but I've never seen it served and I've never tried the two together. Howie's did look mighty tasty.

I love love love apples and can see how that slaw would probably be really tasty. I'd love to try the dish and since Bravo has the recipe online, I may give it a shot. But, my question is how do you lower the cholesterol in pork chops? Is it in the cut he chose? My understanding was that the cholesterol in pork is pretty much non-negotiable.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the next challenge. And I think as long as no one gets drunk and tries to forcibly shave the head of a fellow contestant, this is going to be a great season.

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More on Top Chef: Are You Freakin kidding Me?

Sandee's Lobster Disaster

I refuse to comment on what they called barbecue. I think doing so would re-ignite the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoy's. Because there is nothing more divisive than the definition of REAL barbecue. And, being from The South, I know better than to get into all of that. So, I'll just call this challenge grilling and move along.

I really think that Sandee did the lobster a disservice. There is nothing more succulently sweet than lobster that has been grilled perfectly. She had the perfect upscale ingredient and she didn't even showcase it. If she absolutely had to do the vanilla butter, why not a drawn vanilla flavored butter or even a vanilla butter cream sauce?

I know there are some people who are squeamish about the idea of vanilla with lobster. I've never had the pairing myself, but I do know that vanilla in and of itself is not sweet. It can have a kind of "layering" effect if used properly. I liken it to cinnamon or nutmeg or cumin. Its earthy more than sweet.

I also think that if she had grilled the lobster, the fig would not have been so overpowering (since it was also grilled- and there is nothing like grilling to create a common flavor profile). The lobster would have been able to hold its own along side the other ingredients. And if she had split the figs after grilling them, the lobster would be the actual showcase of the dish. Which should have been the point of her choosing lobster.

I don't know if that was or wasn't reason enough to send her home at this point in the rule book. I mean, the actual flavor at the judges' table should count for something. But, since no one said anything about her dish tasting good, I do know that it was a real disservice to the lobster not to really showcase it the way she easily could have.

I think that Sandee could have won that challenge with her ingredients. But, she obviously wasn't up to them.

Next Time: Don't tell me about comfort food. I know comfort food and sister, that aint comfort food.

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Top Chef: Back for a Third Season

I got hooked on the show in the first season. Watching Dave panic and break down was a thing of beauty. It was too bad that Colicchio obviously hated him though. Because when it came down to it I thought Dave took more chances than Harold and really could have been a contender in the top two. I think Harold's like-ability is what really won out in the end - that and Tiffany trying to take the credit for someone else's dish.

But, when season 2 came around I was afraid I would never watch the show again. It was no longer a show about cooking. It was like watching a documentary on bullying and how it starts small and builds until it blows up in some form of violence. I couldn't even watch the finale. I just didn't care anymore.

Well, now its time for season 3. I watched the first episode and even though it was really strange to see the spot where Versace was murdered, the episode was good. I think I am going to root for Tre even though he does have a really shitty tattoo. Seriously, did he draw that on with a sharpie? But, I like his attitude. He is there to cook but he also appreciates the food that others are making. I loved his response to Hung's geoduck sauce. There is confidence but not arrogance in Tre. I hope I am proven correct in my assessment.

As for Hung, I can see that he is talented but I think he has seen one to many reality shows. Its like he is trying to force himself in to the "bad guy" mold so that people remember him. What he doesn't realize is that people will remember him if he just shuts up and cooks.

Its really difficult to get a read on the other contestants. I felt bad for Clay but it was obvious that he was in over his head. Although I still think that Howie should have been disqualified for failing to actually complete the challenge, I don't have a problem with Clay being sent home. I just think both of them should have, Howie by disqualification and Clay for his poor dish. But, then that would be more along the lines of an actual competition and not so much a reality show.

I can say right now though that Joey just needs to shut up. I can already tell how much I am going to hate him just from his assy behavior in the first episode. Micah was trying to help Clay who seemed extremely nervous, and Clay seemed appreciative of the help. But, Joey is bitching at the camera that she better not tell him what to do because he will tell her off? Why would he even care what she said to Clay?

Anyway, I plan to watch this show until I become disillusioned and bitter just like in season 2. Once that happens I will have to depend on Keckler's Recaps on Television Without Pity to get me through. And since she is now including drink recipes in her recaps, I have a feeling that getting through the season just got a whole lot easier.

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Keckler's Recaps
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Food Blogs. Now With Fancy Rollover Previews

So, I was nominated for a Blogger's Choice Award. I personally am satisfied with the nomination, because I don't expect to actually win. I've seen my competition. And there is really no contest between my scribbles and the actual food bloggers out there. But it did get me thinking. I started to wonder who I would nominate for this particular award (If I were ever the type of person to nominate anyone for anything).

I read food blogs. I read them because I love food and I love people who love food. I love reading about food experiments and all of the possible outcomes. So, I thought why not write about the food blogs that I really love?

These blogs are in no particular order. They are just the ones that I really visit the most.

• Grub Report: I stumbled upon this one while frequenting a non food-related website, Television without Pity. I am pretty sure that the first post that really got me hooked was this one about sandwiches. Keckler doesn't post very often to Grub Report, but you can always get a food fix from her recaps of Top Chef.
• Je Mange la Ville: I came across this site by accident. I was more than a little frustrated. See, I had just attempted (and botched) my first attempt at lamb chops. I had overcooked them and the texture just wasn't right. So I just did a google search for lamb recipes. I found This site. I have been going back ever since.
• Jennifer's Art and Practice of Cooking Recipes: This site loads kind of funky for me. I'm not sure if there are layout issues or if it just does not like Macintosh browsers. But it is worth scrolling through. The idea of a sweet potato burrito is just to intriguing to ignore. I actually only found out about this site from my comments sections.
• Milky Way Diner: Maybe its the whole Southern thing, but I love this site. I love the fanciness of the food. I am not fancy in any sense of the word. Give me some barbecue or any kind of sandwich, or just some bacon and I am in heaven. But, I always envy the ones who do it right. The ones whose pictures make the food look beautiful and easy. Kevin Bauer does this. And I envy him. But at the same time it gives me hope that I can get a little bit better.
• Pinoy Cook: A Flilipina's Food, Cooking and Recipes Blog: I can't say whether its the food or just the pictures that I love about this site. A lot of people like to look at pictures on the internet. Some people look for pictures of celebrities, some look for pictures of technology, and some look for pictures of a sexual nature. I look for pictures of food. And this site always gets my imagination going. Most of the photos are signed by Connie so I can honestly envy the blogger in question and not wonder if the images were taken from somewhere else or if the picture was staged by some pro shop.

There are so many more food sites that I visit, but these are the top ones. These are my go-to sites when I am wanting ideas or feeling like I don't know if cooking is really my thing. These sites inspire me to cook my own beautiful dishes even if my pictures don't turn out nearly as nice as these.

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Grub Report
Je Mange la Ville
Jennifer's Art and Practice of Cooking Recipes
Milky Way Diner
Pinoy Cook: A Flilipina's Food, Cooking and Recipes Blog
Television without Pity
recaps of Top Chef
this one about sandwiches

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Surprised? Completely.

I've been nominated in the Best Food Blog category of the Blogger's Choice Awards. Can you believe it? I sure can't. How exciting to actually be grouped with Bloggers I really admire.

I guess I should ask you guys to go out and vote for me. If you do participate in such things, a vote would be nice. But, just the idea that someone thinks I belong in the category is plenty for me.

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Best Food Blog category of the Blogger's Choice Awards

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Big Big Burrito

So, I went to Barbaritos and ordered what they call a "skinny with sour cream". There is nothing skinny about this burrito.

Its a spinach tortilla shell stuffed with rice, beans (your choice of black or pinto), chicken, cheese, lettuce tomato, black olives, and sour cream.

The great thing about Barberitos is the way they make it in front of you with fresh ingredients. You get a choice of chicken, beef, fish or tofu. I've tried the chicken and the beef. Tofu is next on my list. So far the chicken is way ahead of the beef. I'm not sure about the fish, but I am curious.

Overall, amazingly flavorful and enough for two meals.

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A Food Farewell: Goodbye Gilmore Girls

Last night, I watched the final episode of the Gilmore Girls. So sad. Sad because that show had become something of a foodie ritual for me. I got hooked on the show via the Television Without Pity recaps. I read the recaps of the first and second season while the third season aired. I caught up by watching the reruns on the Family Channel.

While I was immediately taken in by the charm of Lorelai Gilmore (played by the wonderful Lauren Graham), it was the food that kept me coming back. I've discussed the food of the Gilmore girls before. So, I won't rehash.

I said goodbye to the Gilmore Girls last night by choosing foods I think Lorelai would wholeheartedly approve of.

The Pizza:

The best pizza I have had to date has to be Transmetropolitan's. I ordered another meat pie (ham, meatballs, and bacon; we don't do the sausage though). Only this time I added black olives and mushrooms to half. Hubby does not approve of vegetables on pizza hence the compromise.

The Bread:

Transmetropolitan does not make bread sticks. Instead they offer focaccia slices with marinara. This really struck me as the type of appetizer Sookie would have on hand to serve in a pinch. They types of focaccia I've tried before were usually a lot more dense that this. It was very light and fluffy. It also had this awesomely crispy outside that was seasoned with olive oil and herbs.

The Chicken Nuggets (not pictured):

Yes. Chicken nuggets. Its in honor of Lorelai people. These weren't anything special, just some of the 99 cent ones you get from Wendy's. It was a toss up for me between chicken nuggets and tater tots. The nuggets won for two reasons. First, Wendy's was closer than Clocked which has the best tater tots bar none. I mean you can get them with pretty much anything you want on them. I generally just go for cheese. So, if I want tater tots, I go to Clocked. The other reason I went with the tater tots was I already had bread and pizza. The tater tots would have really put it over the top with the starch.

The Pop Tarts (not pictured because I loathe Pop Tarts)

Now, I know Pop Tarts are at the top of Lorelai's favorite foods list. While I love her affinity for pre-packaged processed foods (hello, beef-a-roni!), Pop Tarts is where I draw the line. Even as a kid I found them disgusting. It always reminded me of fake fruit encased in cardboard. Nasty.

You are probably asking yourself if I really ate all of this stuff. You will be happy, or possibly disgusted, to know that I did sample everything- you know, except the Pop Tarts, those things are disgusting. But the beauty of something like this is the left overs. I'm a huge fan of left overs. Besides it was a one time deal. It was my goodbye.

If you know the show, you are aware of the "Lorelai Paradox". Its Lorelai's explanation for how she and Rory (played by the beautiful and potentially talented Alexis Bledel) could eat like this all the time and still look like models. I've come to the conclusion that it isn't the "Lorelai Paradox" its the fact that its a television show and there's no way either of them ever ate something like this in the entire 7 year run of the series. I only sampled and woke up with a food hang over. Seriously, I woke up feeling completely full and still tired. I'm pretty sure the left overs will go over really well with my co-workers though.

So, thank you Gilmore Girls. Thanks for giving me that one hour a week to fantasize about a magical place called Stars Hollow filled with quirky and endearing characters. Thank you for Rory and Emily and Richard. Thank you for Lorelai Gilmore. I haven't always liked her and I loved having a television show that made me question my loyalty to its lead character.

Most of all thank you for the food.

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I've discussed the food of the Gilmore girls before
Television Without Pity
The best pizza I have had to date has to be Transmetropolitan's

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Fried Chicken

So, a while back I came across boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the grocery store. Well, I automatically started to wonder what such juicy cuts of meat would taste like if fried to a nice golden brown.

One word: NICE!

Its a pretty classic southern dinner. Normally, though I would have done green beans, we just didn't have any at the time. But, the corn was fresh and delicious. Obviously, we can't eat like this all the time, but damn it sure is nice when we do.

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Pizza Again- Transmetropolitan

So, I am totally on a quest to try the best pizza I can find in Athens. I meant to sample Depalma's but got sidetracked. Instead I tried Transmetropolitian, with delicious results.

This is a meat pie. It has meatballs, ham and bacon.

This pizza was divine. Wait, here's another picture.

Toppings are all well and good, but for me its the crust that makes or breaks a pizza. The crust on this pizza was absolutely perfect. It was crisp in the right places and springy in the right places. The flavor was better than Mellow Mushroom's and it wasn't so chewy that my jaw hurt after one slice. Interesting side note. We no longer have a Mellow Mushroom in Athens. The owners sold it to another person. But, I hear the new owner has kept the menu even though the restaurant is completely different.

Overall, I like the direction this whole pizza thing is going in. Of course this is only the second review. But, if things keep going like this, the pizza can only get better. I may have to try another pizza from Transmetropolitan, just to be sure it wasn't a fluke. Who am I kidding? I am going to try them again because their pizza is simply awesome. And then they have all these salads. I have to admit that I am a total salad person. I can eat anything on a salad.

Oh man. I'm turning into Homer Simpson as I write this. So, before my keyboard becomes covered in drool, I'll say goodbye.

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Food Pictures I Forgot to Post Earlier

I'm still getting back into the groove after going so long without a post. So, I thought I would warm up with some pictures that I never got around to posting.

These are from from this past Christmas. Hubby and I made the dinner. The only problem with making the dinner is forgetting to take pictures. So, the beautiful turkey he fried is not here. There is no picture of the greenbean casserole or the mashed potatoes.

Christmas Dinner Pictures

Mac and Cheese

Baked Ham

I know this next picture doesn't look as good as it should. But, I'm counting it as a "you had to be there" moment.

Pumpkin Tea Bread

This is one of those things that I would not have known about if I hadn't met my husband. My mother-in-law (if people could pick their mothers-in-law they would choose this woman) has made this particular desert for as long as hubby can remember, but I'd never heard of it before I met him. Its basically a cake made with spices and topped with a homemade butter cream frosting. If you have one dessert for Christmas, this is the one to have. Its perfect for a holiday morning with a nice cup of Community coffee. Its just as good for a little dessert after a holiday meal. Of course the best way to eat it is warm with the frosting melting into it like a glaze. This is actually a picture of a miniature one. I didn't have a big enough pan to bake all of it at once. So, half went into a loaf pan and the other half went into my mini-loaf pans.

Pecan Pie

I make at least one pecan pie every year. I have to. Its a classic holiday dessert.

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Yummy Yummy

Two sandwiches made with brie.

This is the first one:

This is a grilled chicken salad and brie sandwich. The chicken salad is made from rotisserie chicken and has two types of grapes in it. Something about the sweetness of the grapes with the crunchiness of the carrots and celery just makes this sandwich perfect on its own. Adding brie and grilling it to a nice golden brown elevates the level of perfection.

And then there is the old classic with a twist:

This a classic grilled cheese sandwich. The difference is that it is made with brie. I don't think you can get much better than a grilled cheese sandwich as quick easy comfort food. When you experiment with cheeses and other ingredients, you can find a whole new level of comfort. Since I love sharp cheeses in my grilled cheese sandwich, I left the rind on the cheese when I sliced it. The melty flavor of all that sweet and sharpness on the crispy buttery bread makes me drool just thinking about it.

I don't buy a lot of rich foods very often. Mainly, because they are very expensive, but also because they aren't that good for you in large quantities. I normally buy a small wedge and try to use it quickly. If I am doing a party, I will buy a round of it and bake it in puff pastry and whatever flavorings fit with the party's theme.

This time, I decided to try sandwiches. I love a good sandwich. I love a bad sandwich. I personally think a sandwich a perfect meal. And I also think brie is an awesome cheese. So why not make the perfect meal with an awesome cheese?

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Pardon My Hack-i-tude

I read blogs and websites all the time. It is a source of entertainment for me somewhat akin to reading books. So, when I came across this, I was reminded of something I'd read in MFK Fisher's How to Cook a Wolf. So of course I had to dig out my copy of The Art of Eating" to verify. This is where my hack-i-tude comes into play. The rest of this post belongs to MFK Fisher.

A biochemist once told me that every minute an egg is cooked makes it take three hours longer to digest. The thought of a stomach pumping and grinding and laboring for some nine hours over an average three-minute egg is a wearisome one, if true, and makes memories of picnics and their accompanying deviled eggs seem actively haunting.

The simplest way to eat an egg, if you refuse to swallow it raw, even in its fanciest high-tasting disguises, is to boil it. Rather it is NOT to boil it, for no more erroneous phrase ever existed than "to boil an egg."

There are several ways NOT to boil an egg so that it will be tender, thoroughly cooked, and yet almost as easily digested as if it were raw.

One fairly good one is to drop the egg gently into simmering water, first running cold water over it so that it will not crack, and then let it stand there in the gentle heat for whatever time you wish. It will cook just as fast as if the water were hopping about in great bubbles, and it will be a better-treated egg, once opened.

Another way, which I think is the best one, is to cover the egg with cold water in a little pan. Heat it briskly, and as soon as it begins to bubble, the egg is done. It will be tenderer than when started in hot water, which of course makes the part nearest the shell cook immediately, instead of heating the whole thing gently.

I have never yet seen an egg crack when started in cool water, but some people automatically make a pin-hole in every egg they boil, to prevent possible leaks, lesions, and losses.

(If you still want hard-boiled eggs, after pondering the number of hours, or days, it would take to digest them according to the biochemist, start them in cold water, turn the heat off as soon as it begins to bubble, and let them stand in it until it is cold. They will be tender, and comparatively free from nightmares.) [This is not as good a system as it is cracked up t to be, to make a timid little pun. More often than not, I have found since I so optimistically wrote of it, the eggs do not peel properly. Half of the white comes off with the shell. Ho hum.]

If you think eggs boiled in their shells are fit food for the nursery, and refuse to admit any potential blessing in one delicately prepared, neatly spooned from its shell into a cup, sagely seasoned with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and a sizeable [sic] dollop of butter, all to be eaten with hot toast, then it is definitely not your dish.

Pretty awesome right?

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Breakfast Anyone?

Here's the thing. I like food. Of course I like food. I wouldn't have a website dedicated to it if I didn't. But, I like food more than a lot of people. I fantasize about food. I can be at work and suddenly think of a gyro drowning in feta and lamb. I can be working an hour after having eaten lunch and decide how wonderful it would be to get the Grit's staple (that's pinto beans, brown rice, whatever vegetables you want, and white cheddar and topped with onions).

But what's really weird about how much I like food is breakfast. As much as I love all kinds of food, I am very particular about the things I can eat for breakfast.

For instance, I cannot eat anything sweet for breakfast. I also cannot eat anything dairy. That means cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit are all out for me when it comes to breakfast. I'll tell you what I absolutely love for breakfast: dinner leftovers. My favorite breakfast in the world is shepherd's pie. I can't explain it. I have no idea what that's about. But, it sits right and lasts me the 5 and a half hours I have to go until lunch time.

I know there are people out there who eat pizza for breakfast. I am one of those people, but I prefer shepherd's pie. I can tell you that I also love comfort foods for breakfast. A big bowl of macaroni and cheese is absolutely awesome for breakfast. I say that because mac and cheese is the perfect comfort food. What better time to have a comfort food than first thing in the morning?

Think about it, you are ripped from sleep by the alarm. You have to get up and go to a job you hate. You have to pretend to like people you don't like for the sake of your job. You want some comfort in the morning. And as much as I love bacon and eggs, or maybe some cheese grits, those things take too long to make in the morning.

But, if you have some leftover shepherd's pie or some mac and cheese, or a piece of steak or chicken, it's all good in the morning.

For those of you completely grossed out by the idea of eating dinner for breakfast, hubby is right there with you. For some reason he thinks I have an iron stomach. Which is totally not true. I like what I like when I like it. I can't eat a bowl of cereal because the sweet and the milk make my stomach hurt if its first thing in the morning. I can't eat a donut or coffee cake or oatmeal because the sweetness sets my teeth on edge first thing in the morning.

But, give me a half a pork chop, a bowl of broccoli cheese and rice, or a piece of pizza and I am all good. The whole point of this is to tell you about my top favorite breakfast items.

-steak
-eggs
-pretty much any casserole
-sandwiches of almost any kind
-four pieces of toast with lots of butter no jelly
-fried tofu
-a biscuit with some type of meat and cheese on it

Dinner is totally versatile. I have to say I love breakfast foods for dinner. Like I love pancakes or french toast for dinner. I can eat bacon any time of day so that doesn't really count. I also love cereal or toast with butter and jelly. A slice of coffee cake with decaf tea is also pretty awesome, not to mention a bowl of fruit. As long as I've had some time to wake up and have something else on my stomach, I can eat the sweet stuff.

I used to think I was weird about that. But, the more I explain it to people, the more I realize we are not confined to that whole three meals a day thing. We as people do not have to eat what some people classify as breakfast for breakfast or dinner for dinner with lunch being whatever we can find.

You know I try to be all nonchalant about this, but the only reason I have been able to accept my eating habits is MFK Fisher. If you have not read The Art of Eating, do so. It will make you realize how normal you are in your habits and your cravings. For instance, this quote from How to Cook a Wolf:

One of the stupidest things in an earnest but stupid school of culinary thought is that each of the three daily meals should be "balanced." [This still goes on in big-magazine advertising, but there seems less and less insistence on it in real life: baby-doctors and even gynecologists admit that most human bodies choose their own satisfactions, dietetically and otherwise]

My human body has chosen to eat shepherd's pie and pizza and mac and cheese for breakfast. What do you eat for breakfast? I want to know. I really want to know if its something outrageous. If you like calamari (which I should try it because damn that's some good eating) for breakfast, tell me. If you are traditional and like some eggs or some cereal, I want to know that too. I just like food. I love hearing that other people like food. So tell me what you eat and when.

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It's Pizza Time!

I have a confession to make. This was the first time I'd ever eaten pizza from the Mellow Mushroom. Sorry the image is so blurry. I was too hungry to wait for a good shot.

The pizza was pepperoni, mushroom, and ham. It was divine. They use spring water to make their crust. I have to say the crust was really only OK. The flavor was awesome and I really liked how crisp it was. What I didn't care for was how chewy it was. My jaw was kind of sore after eating two slices. But the pizza itself was amazing. We rarely get large pizzas anymore because the leftovers tend to linger after we've eaten our fill. But, this one gone by the next day.

I loved it overall and am now on a mission to try every one of their pizzas. My next pizza trial will be Depalma's. I love their food and have wanted to try their pizza for years. So, it's next on the list. And then there is my favorite Athens restaurant, Bischero. Unfortunately, their website is down so I can't provide the link. But trust me, its awesome.

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Pardon the Mess

As you can see, I haven't abandoned this site. I have simply been very very very busy. As my freelance writing "business" is starting to take off, I am also trying to get all of my sites redesigned. Right now the first page (this one) is all set. There are a few tweaks I need to make, but overall I am happy with the look of it. However, I still have a few template changes to make for the rest of the site. So if you click on one of the categories under "Today's Specials" or one of the individual entries under "A La Carte" don't get freaked out by the way the pages look.

Soon the whole site will be purty. And I may even start talking about actual food again. And boy have I missed talking about food.

Posted by Chasity at 2:05 PM | TrackBack (0)

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Gilmore Girls and Food

So, I was writing a post for my other blog about Tuesday's episode of the Gilmore Girls. Which is where the idea to search for a recipe for duck sausage came from by the way. Because they mentioned duck sausage rolls and YUM. Instant salivation on my part.

But, the post I was writing got me thinking about all the other times that particular show has made me fantasize about food. There was this episode where Sookie made a dark chocolate s'mores wedding cake, and for Rory's 21st birthday she had a chocolate praline crunch cake. Oh, and I can't forget about wasabi macaroni and cheese that she made for the kid party nor can I let go of the thought of blueberry shortcake, because blueberry = good stuff.

So, I started thinking about how the show makes me fantasize about foods I'd like to try and while I was writing that post, it occurred to me that it was probably better suited to this site. But, I am trying to confine this site to actual recipes that I want to try or have tried or articles about food or food writing. And then it occurred to me that I really need to ask you guys for help.

I mean I found the recipe for duck sausage. And when we are out of our Christmas debt, I plan to give it a try. But, I would absolutely adore anyone who could find and send me a recipe for either a dark chocolate s'mores cake or a chocolate praline crunch cake. I would love you so much, that I would send you a batch of home made cookies or something. I'm pretty sure I can figure out the mac and cheese as well as the blueberry shortcake. But, a dark chocolate s'mores cake? To quote Lorelai Gilmore "[she's] been reading my diary". Can you imagine such a divine creation?

The show drives my husband crazy. I have to watch it. I am addicted to it. I originally told him it was because of the writing and Lauren Graham- which was true at the time I first started watching it. But, as the show itself becomes more and more like a soap I find myself really watching it for the food. I wish Sookie were a real person because I would ask her to be my best friend.

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I have 2 words for you...

Duck Sausage. The very idea sets my taste buds atwitter. While I have never eaten such a delicious sounding treat, the recipe I found here makes me want to run out and buy all the ingredients. And, I don't even like tequila.

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In Memory of Richard Pryor

December 1, 1940 - December 10, 2005

May he finally be at peace.

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