Food TV

Food TV Addict

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!

I love Paula Dean now too! She's like the Southern version of Two Fat Ladies, with every recipe containing butter, mayonnaise or lard-- or all three! Did you see her wedding, complete with her gay sons in drag? A hoot!
For another big hoot, check out Ciao Italia-- it's not on Food TV, but on WLIW, Channel 21, when they are not doing one of their endless fundraisers. The host, MaryAnn Esposito steamrolls over the cuisine of Italy, region by region, mangling the Italian tongue in the process... and she bears a striking resemblance to Hapi Phace!
I do like Alton Brown a lot-- the garlic episode with his unseen (except for a very white hand with huge ring) vampire guest brought tears to my eyes.
Iron Chef is just plain madness.

It was the food network that got my appitite back after my illness. I salivated at every dish I saw on tv. And now I'm healthy, fat and can turn out a hot dish when needed. And I love Paula Dean. She reminds me of all the great southern ladies who cooked for me as a child. I think Hattie Hathaway should have her own show on that network. I know she can cook it up with the best of them. Yum!

Food TV .... its just wonderful pornography for foodie sloths (like myself!).
I love that woman Paula too... I think that Alton Browns show are really informative, just useful... can't sit through Iron Chef...