Tag: Food Network

After Station Identification……

We are kicking back tonight.

It’s funny, as Jim works day work during the summer and now we share the nights together with Kasia.

We have the Major League Network on so Jim watches baseball.It is on in the background as I am listening to a podcast with three chefs from my favorite and currently only Food Network show I love, which is Cutthroat Kitchen.Tomorrow night they are airing two new episodes back to back. I am really glad, because there has been a draught of the episodes on television.

I used to watch a lot of Food Network, but it seems to me that there are now shows on that channel where they have given everyone from the 1990’s television who is now “adult” a cooking show. Really? Sorry, but not my cup of tea. I am laughing, because after I wrote this, Antonia LaFasio, Jet Tila, and Richard Blais are discussing this very topic.They have farmed off a lot of the good shows, leaving me the Cooking Network to see Iron Chef and Food Network to see Alton Brown and Cutthroat Kitchen.

It’s funny, because I started with a subscription to Martha Stewart Living and outgrew that. I don’t know if I will be leaving Food Network for baseball on the television and in my other ear, a podcast called ” Starved for Attention”, by Richard Blais.

I have another year or two on my subscription. We’ll see.

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Lament for Iron Chef

I got into watching cooking on the Food Network watching the original Iron Chef television show about 10 years ago on the Food Network. It was good, albeit a little campy, but I learned a thing or two along the way. Even my godson Greg would come over and watch it with me once in a while.

Then the Food Network decided to make their version, entitled Iron Chef America. Well, I guess they felt they rode that concept like a dead horse, because it’s not on the air.


Tonight on the Cooking Channel, they are running some of the early shows. Since I like the series, I put it on. As the show went on, now I see they are pushing a new version of the show, calling it Iron Chef Gauntlet, with commentary provided by Alton Brown. 

I thought I missed the series, but I don’t know. New show, new rules. I’ll give it a shot. I will be surprised if it surpasses the prior version .

Stay tuned!

Joys of the last Jersey ‘Maters

  
Decided to treat myself and make a Cooper sharp on rye bread grilled cheese sandwich complete with garden Jersey tomatoes.

It is hard to believe that I first started writing about our tomato harvest with a blog post about a tomato sandwich which really rocked. Here I am a few months later, lamenting the upcoming end of the season with a grilled cheese and tomato on rye.

I often watch Food Network and know there are chefs like Eric Greenspan who make the signature dishes dealing with gourmet grill cheese. God bless ’em, getting people to pay big bucks for a designer sandwich.

Me? I am a transplanted Jersey girl. Once these tomatoes are gone, there are no flavor filled ones like these. I’ll be on the wagon until next summer.

FYI channel

I was a watcher of the Biography channel. It would stand to reason,as I was a history major in a galaxy far, far away.

As I type this I am watching the FYI network, formerly known as the Biography channel.My tolerance for this is pretty high, as it envelopes some food network type programming,some Home DIY programming, and once in a while, an occasional,believe it or not, actual biography.

I only have an hour and a half to go until the big Cowboys/Eagles game, so we are kicking back and the car is partially packed for our city trip a little later on tonight.Only thing left for me to watch is a show called ” Food Tech” and the guy is talking about Chinese food.

I guess they actually ran out of people to talk about on the Biography channel.

LOL.

A chill in the air

A nor’easter blew through the area, giving us a taste of the weather to come.We had to work our way through some damp, dreary rain.

I am home tonight.My workweek is done.Jim is out of the house.I am sitting down with a nice cup of hot chocolate.

Yes I know I have written a lot about coffee, but there is something about hot cocoa or chocolate when you are home, relaxing, or at least trying to relax, and have your flannels or sweats on. I have the Food Network on, and most of this early evening is mine.You find yourself channeling your mom, as you blow on the mug so you don’t burn your tongue.A little sip goes down your throat and it is delightful.

Now I am going to curl up with the Zusher and Kasia and it’ll be girls night,in front of the television.

As Martha Stewart would say…”It’s a good thing.”

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That Old Time Feeling…

In Philadelphia’s Reading terminal Market, there are tons of wonderful stalls and shops.

Some have Mennonite cooking(try the Rib joint close to the 13th and Arch St corner), a meat counter where
I can getsmoked bones for my girls fresh!,oriental delicacies,Pennsylvania General Store, Bassett Ice Cream,
Iovine’s Produce and the Sweet as Fudge candy shop.

Oh that candy shop!

Talk about feeling like you were 5 years old again, and there was such a thing as a .03 cent Klein bar,
**remember them**, Goldberg’s Peanut Chews, Zintner’s chocolates, the shops’ own made fudge, and above all,
my favorite combo of peppermint puff balls and Chick-o-Sticks. I was there this morning before work,
trying to do some weekend shopping and it is such a wonderful feeling to be taken back in time like that.
The lovely Mennonite girls take care of you, and Paul, the Mennonite owner, is a real Sweetheart.
even he so kindly broke the news to me that he was out of the larger Chick-o-sticks, albeit for a
shipment coming.

With all the Food Network shows on baking, I am going to see if I can incorporate some of my
Chick-o-sticks in a batter or two….

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Bring the weekend on NOW! LOL…

Next Iron Chef

The next Iron Chef, on Food Network, has rerun the whole last season today, in anticipation of tomorrow and the beginning of the new season.

I had rooted for Alex Guarneschelli, a New York chef and Food network personality last season, and unfortunately, she made it to the final four and got knocked out.

The new season is redemption: they are bringing back some of the participants from other seasons and giving it a second chance. I love this show because I think my closet ambition is to be a pretty good caliber cook. Not that I am, but I think by watching them, I can relate to the possibility of being able to cook. I relate to Alex, as she seems to spout out some of the witticism while cooking that reflects my ideas and philosophies.

Can’t wait for tomorrow night: consider me on Team Alex.

This Friday’s Five.

1. I am grateful that I had no ancestors on the Titanic. As I type this, PBS is airing a special on the making and the route of the Titanic and the effect on the families who lost people who went down on the ship. These poignant stories really make things you are worrying about take the right perspective.

2. I am thankful that I have a job that enables me to take a vacation day tomorrow so I can try to catch up on some sleep, hand with the fur girls, and then get down to the “Undisclosed Location”.

3. I am thankful for cookbooks and the Food Network Channel-how else would I know how to make Easter ham somehow pallatable over 4 nights of dinners,

4. I am grateful for all of my godchildren, but especially Frank, the youngest, who celebrates his 6th birthday on Sunday. He is my Sweetheart! We went over tonight to celebrate his birthday and he was happy that Kasia and Zush were standing by and he, for the first time, was able to pet both of them at the same time.

5. **yawn** I am grateful for the invention of the timer and sleep function. It puts me to sleep pretty well!

Off to the Undisclosed tomorrow- have a wonderful weekend!

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Food Network…C’mon Already…

I am a frustrated Iron Chef America viewer.

My addiction started after first finding the Iron Chef show on the Fine Living network, back in the day. The show originated in Japan, and was really kitschy, because the show was translated into English, so it was like you were watching a Godzilla themed cooking show.

I have always been playing catch up, since the show has been on forever, but the Food Network has decided to run reruns of diners, Drive-Ins & Dives..over, and over and over**ad nauseum**..This morning I have the station on and they are showing the promos for the Next Iron Chef. I am chomping at the bit at this, because they have some kick-ass chefs that are going to compete. All are professional chefs, and probably most have shows that are currently on the Food Network. One that I know of has made news for having the IRS go over his books, and this chef, whose initials are G.Z., is probably the most pompous ass of a chef shown on the station, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

**rubbing my hands in anticipation**

Let the games begin.