Anyone watching the Batali/Paltrow show on PBS?
I had the chance to check out "On the Road Again" with Mario Batali and crew last Sunday. I think I'm instantly hooked! Here are some thoughts on this week's episode...
- The best dish were the blood sausage and lamb chops over the open flame.
- Batali really seams to know what he's doing with Spanish food, and seems to know Spain pretty well....Did he live there as a kid or something?
- What's the deal with Gwenyth's dietary habits? Isn't she Macro or something? the episode shows her cooking meat, but not eating any....
- Mark Bittman and Claudia really seem to hit it off...looks like he's kind of sweet on her....romance developing?
Any thoughts, seriouseaters?
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25 Comments:
I didn't realize it was on yet. I've been looking forward to a new Mario, so I'm excited. Thanks!
beth1 at 10:46AM on 09/30/08
I enjoyed it, but wouldn't say I'm hooked. Spain is breathtakingly beautiful, as are Gwyneth and Claudia. Batali and Bittman seem a little infatuated with themselves. I couldn't get over Mario eating basically raw partridge breast (Gwyneth insisted that hers be grilled well done, so I guess she eats meat), to please the celebrity chef and later admitted to food poisoning and a very long night. The rice dish looked delicious. Claudia was really impressed with watching the whole process for making Manchego cheese and Mark acted like, seen it, done it. ate it, boring!!! If I happened across it again, I would definitely watch. I love good travel and cooking shows and all of the participants are interesting, intelligent (well, I don't know about eating basically raw partridge) people that I like. No romance JudgeFudge. She is too young & beautiful and I'm sure she is used to the flirtations of DOM.
PerkyMac at 10:53AM on 09/30/08
We wanted to like this show but we had one big problem. The monotone voice over telling the viewers what was happening all the time. It was very annoying and if the show was on radio might be fine but we could see what was going on.
chazmo at 11:04AM on 09/30/08
I have some home movies of me eating Lobster in Maine for a week.
I wonder if I could get a PBS special.
Jerzee does Maine.
Rated E for EAT.
There is a particularly poignant moment where I decide who in the tank is going to live or die. This goes back to my roman roots before we became christians and just fed them to lions.
JerzeeTomato at 11:20AM on 09/30/08
@Jerzee ~ would Jerzee does Maine be like Debbie does Dallas?
I'm confused about the lions. Are you saying that Romans fed lobsters to lions before they were fed Christians? I'll bet the lobsters tasted better, even without drawn butter. I never knew lions ate crustaceans.
I could eat lobster for a week. May I join you on your next trip to New England? ;-)
PerkyMac at 11:41AM on 09/30/08
I have not seen the show, but caught Mario and Gwenyth on Oprah promoting it. It was fun and light, and might have tempted me to watch, BUT....while on Oprah, Mario made Paella. I know there are many many versions, and I am all for shortcuts and improvising to get the gist of a classic dish on the table fast, but so many things were wrong about this paella. Shrimp in and cooking BEFORE the rice? Cook the rice for about twenty minutes? I thought maybe the demo was just a little wacky, but the recipe on Oprahs site was exactly as they did it on the show. I don't know...
Cary at 12:55PM on 09/30/08
Given Gwenyth's reaction to the partridge, I'd say she's probably an all organic eater. I read an interview with her where she talked about cooking mostly vegetables at home and tending to her own garden.
I can't imagine what this show would be like w/ out Claudia and Gwenyth. I agree w/ PerkyMac: the men seem to be posturing their knowledge left and right and that doesn't make for a very audience friendly travel show.
liwinegirl at 1:29PM on 09/30/08
I read an interview with Gwyneth in a Cosmo or something about the show, and apparently she's being more flexible in her diet for the show. Personally, I think Gwyneth is one of the most overrated thespians out there--I find her flat and boring--and therefore haven't watched any of the show. But it sounds like maybe I should.
buffy at 8:10PM on 09/30/08
Totally insufferable. Bittman is unpleasant enough on his own... add the "hey wow I'm friends with celebrities and we're gonna do expensive things" factor and it's hard to make it past the five minute mark.
Luther at 10:43AM on 10/01/08
I watched it with high hopes and a pre-existing distaste for Paltrow. I thought she and Batali were awfully pompous, though I liked the Claudia/Bittman segments quite a bit (especially the Manchego part). Claudia is the highlight of the show. In general, too much talking and posturing.
salty_sticky at 10:51AM on 10/01/08
Totally agree with everyone here. As beautiful and well-shot as the show is, it's like watching Mario and Bittman's televised mid-life crisis. Claudia is the only enjoyable part.
I'm blogging about the show over on Delish.com: http://www.delish.com/cooking-shows/cooking-blogs/spanish-food/
Lisa23 at 12:23PM on 10/01/08
IMHO, Mario does best when he's in HIS kitchen [kitchen/set] @ FN. I know that the Molto Mario episodes will soon be old enough to need a shave, but I always found that observing his methods was very useful, and his info @ the history of regional Italian foods was wonderful. Putting him on the road - either the Mario-Does-Cities series [FN], the one-off Christmas thing he did w/ Giada [FN], or this thing w/ Gwenyth (Gwyneth?) - he just doesn't seem to have the same focus. At least Giada could pull things back on track w/ her commentary. I realize they're in exotic Spain, but to my way of thinking it might as well be Guy Fieri doing a follow-up to "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives." And don't even mention RRay!!
The only one who seemed - again, my opinion - to be able to pull off going somewhere to learn some "expert's" method or recipe, was Tyler Florence's show, "Tyler's Ultimate."
Robbo at 3:01PM on 10/01/08
In answer to JudgeFudge: Mario did live in Spain when he was in high school, according to the Food Network "chefography" on him.
minstrel at 6:20PM on 10/01/08
it's a little awkward, the faux-deprecation of "Bitty," Mario's ginormous ego, and the fact that mario is an enormous red-haired man in shorts, mark is an older guy, and claudia is young, hip and absolutely gorgeous.
still, as far as food programming goes these days, i think it's a must-watch...for all their abrasiveness (both are not tv personalities first and foremost), batali and bittman really do know their stuff and it really is all about food in a beautiful country.
the wine appraisal is waaaaay over my head, but i did try a tempranillo this week in response to hearing bittman dumb down the critique for us!
it was delicious.
z911empire at 11:40PM on 10/01/08
Gwenyth was on Oprah and said she dosen't eat 4 legged animals so that leaves birds, all of the food she eats is organic and sustainable. Personally, I like the show. I don't like it as much as No Reservations but I like it. Anytime I can live vicariously through someone eating and traveling, I'm in!
rockymountainmarta at 11:21AM on 10/02/08
This comment made me laugh:
"It's like watching Mario and Bittman's televised mid-life crisis."
Thank you, Lisa23.
Adam Roberts at 11:48AM on 10/02/08
I happen to like it. It's shot beautifully and I love the Bittman, Batali and Paltrow trio. Claudia, however, should be thrown to the wolves. She is not entertaining and I hate when she tries to "teach" Bittman spanish. It's probably the most uncomfortable and annoying thing ever televised. The food and the wine look delicious!
midgepingleton at 8:38PM on 10/03/08
i don't have a tv, so i watched bits of this on youtube and i have to repeat what i said about whatever martha: i'd rather pull my toenails out with pliers.
cybercita at 12:14PM on 10/04/08
this looked like a terrific idea. i watched part of the first episode, thought i was watching a pingpong match. mario and gweneth in a car, at a restaurant, mark and claudia in a car, at a restaurant, obligatory banter, so painful, turned it off, regretting the informative, entertaining mario cooking with guests has not translated into even one subsequent watchable series.
siebbus at 3:23PM on 10/04/08
This show would have been much better with just Mario by himself. If he needs a sidekick or travel partner, bring back ROONEY!!! Bittman totally ruins it for me.
jonfoxx at 6:07AM on 10/05/08
The very best FN food-on-the-road food shows have been those done by Alton Brown..."Feasting on Asphalt" and now just concluded "Feasting on Waves." The Caribbean one was fantastic, the food and locales exotic though hardly top drawer. Real people feeding real people eating regional goodies. Fantastic. As for "On the Road," all of the principals are overrated, though I agree with whoever said there were things to be learned from "Molto Mario."
expat39520 at 12:57PM on 10/06/08
RAW poultry and he choked it down just to stroke the chef? serves him right he got sick. I'll spit out bad food back on the plate at the table, pay for my wine, no tip and leave. BAD food is BAD food and no sauce can cover it up either, too much salt also is an all too common violation. And a weak show is a weak show only Rooney could save this one he has a personality. Take a cue, Hollywood personalities are nothing outside their pretend scripted world, they can't even make a decent movie anymore!
shipwreck at 2:26PM on 10/06/08
The show is like Ryan Seacest and Britney Spears on the road together. The egos out way the information.
dylpickle at 4:50AM on 10/09/08
Batali lived in Spain when he was in college. He lived with a Spanish family. Gwyneth doesn't eat anything with 4 legs. Those are her words.
Batali and Bittman have been friends for awhile. He was part of Bittman's Best Recipes in the World tv series. I love the show and record it on DVR every weekend and then I watch it - a day or so later - when everyone is gone from the house. It is one of my guilty pleasures.
I almost passed out when I saw that Empanada Gallego on the Galicia show. Mmmm...that looked amazingly good. I want to make that. I can't wait to buy the companion book.
RisaG at 9:58PM on 10/09/08
I am currently watching the show (just for the food and scenery really)....and I have to say "I love and understand all of your comments". Nice to see that others can see through the pretentiousness.
I also remember seeing that episode on Oprah where they cooked the paella..I was so mad. If you are going to try and teach people something at least try and do it right. Argh....makes me mad! Who in their right mind would cook the prawns before the rice. Dios Mio!
That being said Spain sure is amazing. I was a Nanny there when I was in my late teens and it was great. I just wish I appreciated food then like I do now. If anyone wants it, here is a recipe for the tortilla de patata (which I learned to make when I was there) http://rouxbe.com/recipes/77/text - this was my all time favorite thing to eat while I was there....so yummy!
dthomas at 1:51PM on 05/11/09