Hattie - I'm right there with you when it comes to Food TV - it's the main non-movie channel that I return to over and over again on my cable box. I agree with your reviews of Emeril and Bobby Flay - their recipes usually contain way too much testosterone for my tastes. I despise the cult of Emeril. It's strange to see older tapes of his show - he is much more subdued - and no live audience! Although I must say I did watch the Emeril Live episode with Pat Benetar!
My current fave is PAULA DEAN - a southern mom that makes recipes right out of Southern Living. Most of the dishes are ones I would never make myself, but it's fun to listen to her drawl on about her friends and family. One recipe on her show showed how to make fudge from a packet of Velveeta cheese! Truly entertaining.
I like Ina Garten but HATE the name of her show Barefoot Contessa. She's great because she's usually spilling ingredients onto her bosom from the mixing bowl. I will always have a soft spot for Martha even though she is the LAST person I'll use a recipe from. Have you been to foodtv.com? It's a great resource for any recipe from any show. You can even view the recipes on 3" by 5" index card format for your printer!
My other current fave is Good Eats with Alton Brown. He takes some getting used to but his show explains the science behind whatever food he is covering that day. I've learned many things from Good Eats - including the fact that raw garlic residue on your cutting board can cause salmonilla just as easily as raw meat! Nerdy fun!
I have a love-hate relationship with the Unwrapped show with Marc Summers. Knowing he is ultra-obsessive compulsive (the ex-host of Double Dare on Nickelodeon had an in-depth interview on a network news show confessing his "illness") makes him more appealing. But nine tenths of the factory foods they show in production end up in some kind of cement tumbler! Surprise!
And of course there's old episodes of Iron Chef. I hate the fact that Bobby Flay has wormed his way onto the newer episodes, though. French Iron Chef Sakai is my all-time favorite. He illustrates the fact that you don't have to be a camera-loving hysterical screamer to be a popular TV Chef.
One thing that I have a problem with is the advertising on Food TV. A lot of the foods advertised are factory foods - geared towards convenience and containing horrible preservatives. I understand they have to pay the bills, though. It's just that the corporate hydrogenated-oil / nutrasweet industry seems to be contrary to what is being taught on the channel.
Happy cooking!
