For me, FN jumped the shark when they started showing Emeril five/six times a day. I used to like Emeril, but seeing him constantly made me loose interest in him and the channel in general. I still like Good Eats and Barefoot Contessa, the rest I no longer watch (HATE the food challenges). I miss: Molto Mario, How to Boil Water with the French guy, original Iron Chef, Two Fat Ladies, Grilli'n an Chill'n (Flay and Jack McDavid). I even miss Mario Eats Italy!
I have a love/hate relationship with fish. With the health benefits of fish, I am eating more of it than ever. Unfortunately, the two types of fish I really do not like are about all the restaurants are serving these days: salmon and really rare tuna! It is the texture I do not like. I am also not crazy about battered, deep-fried fish, either.
Fish I like (list too long to state, here are some favorites): walleye, perch, halibut, barramundi, tilapia, cod, swordfish, bluefish, trout, any shellfish
I grew up in the '70s and carried a Peanuts lunch box until I reached 4th grade and became too 'cool' for a box and started taking the classic brown bag. Mom always packed a sandwich (PB&J or lunchmeat with cheese), a piece of whole fruit, and a 'treat,' usually homemade cookies or you really 'scored' if the treat was a pudding cup (remember when they were metal with a pull-top?) or a Twinkie or King Don. Don't remember using the Thermos much. Bought milk, 3 cents for white milk, 5 cents for chocolate. What did you have?
I love sandwiches, all kinds, any time of day. I think the world's most perfect sandwich is the BLT - crunchy, salty, sweet - sheer heaven between two slices of bread, especially made with my home-grown tomatoes!
I also like:
PB&J
Grilled ham and cheese on really good, hearty bread
Liverwurst with LOTS of ice berg lettuce (unfoturnately not as often as I would like)
Really good French Dip with au jus
Favorite restaurant sandwich is the Leonardo Di Veggie at Bruggers.
What is yours?
When I was in high school, I used to love Taco Bell's enchirito with the three olive slices on top. The one's occasionally offered today are just not the same.
What discontinued food items do you miss?
I would LOVE to make the garlic butter served at Lebonese restaurants. It seems to be just raw garlic, maybe with just a hint of oil? It is really silky and smooth with the texture of soft, whipped butter. It is not bitter and since the color is almost white, I don't think the garlic is roasted. I would really appreciate if someone can share a recipe! Not only is it heaven with warm bread, but would make a killer rub for meat.
I got into home canning about 5 years ago. It took a couple years but I have mastered dilly beans. I keep trying cucumber pickles but so far no luck, still too mushy. However, I can make killer, no-processed-sugar berry jams that friends and family request for the holidays. I love lemon marmelade - especially on toasted english muffins, and would love to make my own but have not found a recipe.
Sadly, my knives - my friends, my stalwart companions - have been honed by me and professionally sharpened to the point of no return.
I am looking for 3 basic knives, at least an 8" (preferrable 10") chef knife, a 6-8" utility knife, and paring knife. I am willing to spend some money for quality knifes! Any recommedations?
This is the onset of my favorite time of year -- fall! I have thoughts of brussel sprouts (Ina Garten's roasted brussel sprouts recipe is killer) and about a 100 varieties of winter squash!
Daytime highs in the 70's, nightime highs in the 50's. Just got back Vegas and the temp was 105! For a northener from the Great Lake State, that was a bit extreme for me!
With Labor Day barbeques right around the corner, if given a choice, what would take, a hot dog or hamburger?
I choose the hot dog, if natural casing (in Detroit, only Kowalski or Alexander Hornung will do), slightly charred, topped with yellow mustard and diced onion. Otherwise, I will take the hamburger!
I will watch for a while to see how the show goes. I think she just needs to get a little more experience and settle down. My only complaint, like most here, is the crud. Needs to find a better word!
Sorry, didn't mean to imply MI had the first pasties in the US, just around 1840, right before the gold rush in California but after the rush in Georgia, when the miners first brought them MI!
I agree all the suggestions sound good to me! However, I don't know too many kids who like eggplant or feta! Unfortunately, I don't know too many older adults (70s-80s) who do either.
What about a vinegar-based cole slaw/veggie salad and a mayo based potato salad? Or cole slaw/veggie salad and simple deviled eggs (mayo, mustard, that all)?
I miss my Dad's spaghetti sauce and bbq chicken marinade. He always shooed everyone from the kitchen when he made is sauces, Mom knows the ingredients (she had to buy them) but we have never been able to reproduce the amounts.
My grandma made a fabulous Nut Bread that we would have toasted every Christmas morning. She was know for her Nut Bread. I came across her recipe box years after she died. Sure enough, there was the Nut Bread recipe! Image my surprise when I found out that Gram's famous 'secret' Nut Bread recipe came from the back of the Calumet Baking Powder can!!!!
Ahhh --- pasties! I went to college in Houghton, MI in the Upper Peninsula and if it wasn't for pasties, I think I would have starved! In the 1800's, Cornish miners immigrated to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to work the copper mines, and brought the pasty with them. It is still area's most recognizable and most beloved food.
Pasty dough is a bit denser than traditional pie dough, the ratio of flour to fat is higher. If you don't feel like making them yourself, you can order them at www.pasty.com. The pasties are made by local senior citizens (some in their 80's and 90's) as a way to stay active, and boy are they good!
I believe the inlaws are just trying wield some power and have some sort of control over you (which it sounds like they do). Personnally, I wouldn't give in to their demands and make whatever you want. If you don't break this power-trip, they will control you forever, and in other aspects of your life where your husband is concerned.
If you are uncomfortable with this, try making something along the lines of what they have served you in the past, then gradually break the vicious cycle.
Flavored coffee creamer
eggs
Skim milk
Condiments (mustard, soy sauce, pickles, etc.)
Beer
Like most, here is my list. Funny how some things are making a BIG comeback!
Wine coolers (used to love the Bartles and James commercials)
Any dip, soup, chili, etc in a bread bowl (especially Knorr's spinach dip)
Buffalo wings
Really small portions on really big plates at restaurants
Seasoned steak fries
Bisbee, I'm glad you posted this!!! As I read through the lunchbox thread (and having NO idea that it would evoke such memories) I thought about Wednesdays, the day that my 'lunchbox' Mom would let me buy lunch. Wednesday was pizza day. The dedicated lunch ladies in my school district made everything from scratch, including the incredible pizza. They served it with spinach, to make sure the dietary rules were adhered to. Anyway, the pizza was FABULOUS and I can still recall with anticipation, the deep-dish, homemade slices that were to come. The lunch ladies also made the best oatmeal/peanutbutter cookies. The cookies were so popular, people in the community would place orders for them on the day they were made! Imagine my surprise when I tasted the dorm food my first year at college, I expected it to be like the Lunch Ladies, NOT!! By the way, the Lunch Ladies made a killer salibury steak and mashed potatoes.
"Secrets" were what we were hoping for and I think she missed two great opportunities. In the first show, she could have shown how to drop the eggs in the poaching water, which is critical, taking a few minutes to speak about the movement of the eggs in the water, (keeping the camera on the eggs) actually timing them, and then watching her remove them. Breaking to a commercial and coming back to all those perfectly poached eggs annoyed me. On the recent show, she has an "already de-boned' leg of lamb when she could easily have taken the time to 'teach' the home cook how to do it. Also, I don't know if anyone noticed, but she said she was putting the lamb in the oven for 20 minutes and then she took it out after 20 minutes and turned it over and put it back in the oven. The next time we see the lamb it is perfectly cooked and is being sliced, but god knows how long it was actually in the oven. I agree that Bob and Susie are absolutely clueless about the needs of their public, and all one has to do is take a look at the new crop of " Next Network Food Star" ..OMG . where and how do they find these people? Couldn't they find anyone else to appear on Rachel Ray's show?
If we were looking for entertainment, we wouldn't be watching the food network. Why don't they get it? They aren't actors....they are regular people who cook. Personally, I don't think any of them are star quality. Being on the food network is like being "a flash in the pan." None of them have lasting power. You're in....and then your're out. Not so on PBS
@chiffonade - Yup, chiff, 'tis true; Sandy was a judge. Methinks she finagled a spot on the panel to give herself credibility.
Can't believe Jennifer got the boot. I thought it would be Aaron. I was a tad annoyed by the little stunt he pulled, telling the judges that his son ran away before the comp started - lame and majorly manipulative. Brotha lost points with me at least. Nipa needed to go, how can you be a chef or cook and not want to handle fish?
Anyone who thinks that performing for a camera is easy has never tried to do it themselves. It takes time and practice to become comfortable. Cut her some slack.
Note to FN: You should immediately fire the stylist and the set decorator. Both looked cheap and cheesy. Put her in a proper kitchen with a chef's coat and watch her comfort level rise.
I enjoyed the show and put it on my DVR to record list. But I'd like to see a few things change, should she make it past the first few weeks.
What I liked: 1. She's a real chef! 2. Good recipe. 3. She actually made something that took more than 30 minutes (this is where the network has really upset me - with their 30 minutes or less outlook) 4. She actually taught me something (Food Network isn't too big on teaching us these days)
What I didn't like: 1. Too much arm movement 2. A little less "superstah" would be nice
I like to see a real chef doing something I admire and teaching me something about food. I wish the Food Network had more talented chefs and fewer personalities. I won't watch most of their shows anymore and I don't like their marketing perspective.
Y'know, there's a reason why I love watching Ming Tsai and Jacque Pepin on WLIW over the weekends:
THEY SHUT UP once in a while and let you focus on what they're doing.
Just sayin'.
And Food Network has gone downhill even faster than I suspected it would. I mean, I never thought I would MISS Jamie Oliver. The Rachel Ray Overkill is even making me miss EMERIL.
@Liz - what a great observation. It's like someone at TVFN woke up late because their alarm didn't go off and their first thought was, "OMG! I have to make a new show today!"
@guttergour - ITA - Burrell kicks the crap out of the non-chef, cooking-wannabes on TVFN.
Also - to her prepping many dishes at once - I do this all the time! Especially for a party - I can have four things going at once. Two of them might be hands off like something in the oven or something cooking a long time on the stove but it's unrealistic to think people cook one course at a time. Burrell prepared two courses and the most efficient way to do this is to consider the steps and amount of time required for all tasks in both recipes then figure out how each task can be accomplished in a timely manner to have everything ready when needed.
I'll take Annie over Rachel and Sandra any day of the week. A 4 hour bolognese beats 30 minute meals or semi-homemade. Instead of drooling over Giada's cleavage, i'd rather drool over poached eggs over grilled asparagus. Burrell kicks the "crap" out of the non-chef chefs on the FN.
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