Serious Eats
Fresh Food on TV: Weekday Edition
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended Show: If you need a recommendation of what to make this fall with the season's freshest ingredients, turn on Martha on Wednesday morning: polenta, roasted pumpkin, peppers, shepherd's pie... I say no more.
Monday (October 6)
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: "Cookin' It Old School." Guy discovers restaurants that put a piece of history on the table. 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
How'd That Get On My Plate?: "Wheat." Sunny visits Sheffels Wheat Farm in Wilbur Washington at the height of the wheat harvest and Left Hand Brewing Company in Longmont, Colorado to brew up a batch of wheat beer. 8:30 p.m. ET, Food Network
Tuesday (October 7)
Modern Marvels: "Bread." Bake it, roast it, slice it, toast it--it's a wonder that three simple ingredients, flour, water and salt, can be transformed into so many different shapes and tastes. From baguettes to pita, from corn bread to flour tortillas, every culture finds a way to make it and bake it. 8 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
Food Detectives: "Spicy Foods and Sleepless Nights." Ted Allen and his food techs determine if spicy foods impact sleep, if garlic really makes you smell, and how much of your daily water requirement is satisfied just from eating food. 9 p.m. ET, Food Network
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: "Paris." Andrew visits one of the most romantic cities in the world to learn about the science behind creating intense flavor in a tiny dessert and how snail caviar is made. 10 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
Wednesday (October 8)
The Martha Stewart Show: Everyday Food editors are featured, sharing such recipes as cheddar-topped shepherd's pie, peppers with cannellini beans and feta, braised short ribs and polenta, and roasted pumpkin with shallots and sage. 11 a.m. ET, NBC
Good Eats: "True Brew 2: Mr. Tea." Alton Brown takes his tea drinking seriously, and shares all the dirt on the world's number two beverage. (Water is #1). 8 p.m. ET, Food Network
My Life in Food: "Chef Jeff Henderson." This is a profile of the star of The Chef Jeff Project, which premieres next Sunday October 12. 11 p.m. ET, Food Network
Thursday (October 9)
Iconoclasts: "Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alice Waters." Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and chef Alice Waters share their philosophies of art, food, teaching and community with visits to New York's Baryshnikov Arts Center, the Edible Schoolyard Project in Berkeley, California and at a dinner at Waters's legendary restaurant Chez Panisse. (repeat) 5:50 p.m. ET, Sundance Channel
Ace of Cakes: "The Big Cake-owski." Duff creates a cake for the Lebowski-fest, a festival celebrating the Coen Brothers cult hit film, The Big Lebowski. Plus a stunning replica of the Hans Solo's Millennium Falcon. 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
Friday (October 10)
Titans of Taste: "Fast Food Kings." Learn the story of the visionaries behind Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy’s and McDonald’s and how their ingenuity completely changed the way Americans eat. (repeat) 10 p.m. ET, Food Network