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Cocina Savant
http://cocinasavant.blogspot.com/
Weekly pictures, recipes, and thoughts from a husband and wife who love books and cooking for each other.

@ Elsinger. Geoduck pride for life!!

Ah, Shakey's. Motto: 'It's terrible, but it's cheap and there's lots!'

The kids get pizza, the adults get beer. So many memories...

I've seen some recaps mentioning that Carla should have won. She may have had a harder dish and did a decent job of replicating (like figuring out the sauce, etc.). But the near exact replication that Stefan did is exactly what the challenge was about. I'm glad Erin reflected that in her recap.

Carla has been really bad in more than a few challenges. If she wasn't so crazy (and thus give good soundbites), I think she'd have been out.

I'm not sure why they made such a big deal out of Hosea being from a seafood restaurant. If it seemed as if anyone came from a seafood restaurant it really should have been Jamie since she repeatedly made dishes incorporating seafood. I suppose it was to manufacture some sort of drama.

@cooksultant...it was the only episode i've ever immediately watched again with the 11pm re-air....Me too!

i was ecstatic to see very early in the episode that a guest chef would actually show some interest in advancing the skills of the contestants. as the show continued on, it quickly became my favorite for this very reason. the more the guest teaches the group, the more we, as viewers, learn from their collective experience. and it was the only episode i've ever immediately watched again with the 11pm re-air.

and "on the line" is an absolute must have. the editors and authors should be commended for their creativity in how it was put together.

Oh, and I liked the one shot that was edited so that, to me at least, it looked like Toby Young was saying something and Tom was looking down at his plate like, "Oh God, here we go...."

Ugh, so tired of Leah's moping. I think that she should have been booted over Jamie. Jamie knew exactly what she did wrong and how she could have fixed it given more time. Leah just had no idea how to make that sauce (though it WAS a complicated dish).

Eric Ripert is always great, he just seems to have fun. (Check out the toaster-oven cooking on his website if you haven't.) Tonight's challenge was a REAL challenge, testing both palette and technique. Not some contrived time-based rush.

I think Jaime's insulting attitude to Ripert is why she went home. She was trash talking the guest judge!
As for Leah, I hope to see her go next week.

I thought last night's episode was one of the best this season or any other season. By requiring the chef's to recreate a dish after one tasting really tests their palate and their skill. It's evident that some of the chef's were not thinking--really...lunch with Eric Ripert and not think it is leading to a challenge....perhaps it is time to go home. I loved Carla tonight..makes me even more annoyed that I didn't switch Jamie for her before the start of the episode last night...she is really coming into her own. I really hoped that Leah's FAIL on the fish filleting would be the impetus to send her home, but clearly Jamie's dish was inedible. Hopefully next week. I am thinking it could be Carla and Stephan at the end. Glad Fabio had a good evening....wonder about next week tho.

@annabanannas
I, too, was not a fan of Jamie throughout the better part of the show. I can't tell you how glad I was that scallops weren't one of the six dishes presented during the dinner.

Concerning Toby,
Most people didn't like him from the beginning, I didn't really mind him because I didn't think Gale added all that much to the show either. In the last episode I thought he was clearly getting on everyone's nerves. I think what it comes down to is that he comes up with these mean spirited comments, yet has no cooking chops himself. Padma may make a comment but it's typically benign and she defers to those with more knowledge than her. Toby is no more valuable than a heckler at a comedy club.

I received "On the Line" for Christmas and it is truly a great book that is half behind the scenes interworkings kind of stuff, the other half recipes.

Barring any kind of catastrophic event I have to believe Leah will be gone in the next couple of episodes.

I loved this episode! Almost no product placements, a great judge, and an interesting challenge. Good recap too.

My only complaint is that I could have used a lot less Toby. Seeing the other judges react to him made me extremely curious to hear what Tom is going to have to say about it after the season is over and he's free to talk.

I was so sad to see Jamie go!

I don't care what ya'll think. I want Stefan to win...and I want him to cook dinner for me.