I *heart* America's Test Kitchen on PBS
Yes, I know. Many of you have mixed feelings about Christopher Kimball, especially after his Groumet Magazine funeral reading.
But, I LOVE watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS and wish there were more shows like it. Hint, hint, Food Network. Take us into your test kitchen!
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13 Comments:
WickedGoodDinner, you're not implying that we actually want to learn something from our cooking programs, are you? What a concept!
Kimball and all his 'boring' stuff are actually opportunities to glean valuable cooking knowledge. Except for some of the programs on PBS, the rest is mostly showbiz...and please, enought culinary contests and competitions already.
gutreactions at 2:17PM on 10/24/09
i didn't hear about his funeral reading, but i do dig that show.
gastronomeg at 2:35PM on 10/24/09
I effing love America's Test Kitchen... and their cookbooks. Their cookbooks have never let me down because they explain why they choose the proportions and techniques - so if you want to tinker with a recipe, you already have a sense of what the results will be.
GirlFromJetCity at 3:46PM on 10/24/09
gastronomeg - must have been because I spelled "Gourmet" incorrectly...I clearly needed more coffee - LOL! Kimball published a controversial commentary on the downfall of Gourmet Magazine. One of the SE threads can be found here:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/did-the-internet-kill-gourmet-magazine-chris-kimball-op-ed.html
WickedGoodDinner at 3:51PM on 10/24/09
I watch the show occasionally. It is my second favorite cooking show, after Jacques Pepin.
I like the fact that the episodes are available on their website. Kimball's a doofus, but the two women that do the actual cooking are awesome.
I own several of their cookbooks, and I really look forward to receiving my Cook's Illustrated magazine in the mail every other month.
salpico at 4:33PM on 10/24/09
Kimball is a bit obnoxious, but the rest of the cast is great. I like Adam Ried's product reviews. I think that and the taste tests of the prepackaged foods are the best segments.
gingercookiewithlime at 7:35PM on 10/24/09
I've written some of the Kimball posts, but I wouldn't care so much if I didn't love the show. I don't have cable, ATK is the only show I really watch regularly related to food.
I love, love, love Bridget and Julia. Especially that wicked little gleam in Bridget's eye whenever she adds a bit more butter to something.
HeartofGlass at 7:39PM on 10/24/09
I have much respect for all of the research and testing they do for that show. I think it's the most informative cooking show around. Up there with Good Eats.
yayfood at 9:14PM on 10/24/09
I love this show! It's been on PBS for so long. I even loved watching it as a teenager; I've learned so much from it. I also love their magazine. All of the illustrated pictures of beautiful vegetables makes my heart swoon.
PumpkinBear at 9:33PM on 10/24/09
ATK (Create) and Good Eats (online) are my favorite English language cooking shows. The other day, I saw SE's Kenji Alt making poached salmon on ATK. :)
Cassaendra at 9:44PM on 10/24/09
Foodies should also keep an eye out for the Observer Food Monthly (part of the Guardian group). Great food mag, which gets experts to do blind evaluations of supermarket ingredients.
We also can watch hours of Come Dine With Me (for those in the states, it's a show where strangers take turns hosting dinner parties and rate each other). It's a good reminder because things go wrong all the time on the show. You're given impetus to check your ingredients, test your oven and generally pay attention.
NotAmerican at 3:36AM on 10/25/09
Love the show, love Kimball. You can sign up for the occasional "letter from Vermont" from him, which are promotions for books attached to the end of little essays about his town and his farm, and the hay rides, pot lucks, maple sugaring ventures he has, complete with slide shows. You could be cynical and say it's schtick, but he made a choice to intentionally live in a grounded community and participate in it's life because he values that, and the romantic image is just an extra advantage.
There's a web site for his farm, and they actually rent out the farmhouse they restored for Cook's Country:
http://www.twopigsfarm.com/
lemonfair at 6:33AM on 10/25/09
Just explored that rental a bit. It looks like you'd get to cook in the kitchen where Cook's Country is filmed. $1400 a week, sleeps 8. A bargain vacation, don't you think?
lemonfair at 6:44AM on 10/25/09