I was a fruitcake hater until the day I was given one of these-
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1919,154167-236194,00.html
This is the quintessential fruitcake of the south, and is similar to the one popularized by The Colin Street Bakery in Texas. It ain't cheap to make, but if one does not skimp on quality ingredients, it is an fruitcake epiphany!
I think RR typifies everything that is wrong with the Food Network today - she initially was hired because of her personality, not for her cooking expertise, she has been over-exposed, over-killed, and over-cutsied. The network execs see their audiance as those who are home all day, cannot avoid having the TV on, and having a lukewarm feeling toward food in general. If something works, stand back, 'cause that's what fills the airwaves for the next 10 years.
Instead of The Food Network, it should be called, "The Iron Chef Network" - will someone please shoot it and end this misery! I don't think it is possible that the current bunch of decision makers at TFN can save it from certain death - either, they need to depart en masse and be replaced, or go off the air by default of re-runs.
Bourdain was right.
As an avocational breadbaker, I'm offended each time I see the display of "artisanal" breads in our local supermarket - frankly, I have enough respect for the term that I would never call myself an artisan baker, although I would say that I attempt to bake "artisan" type breads.
But I have a way we can register our annoyance of the supermarket's corporate license - our local perpatrator market uses those silly cards that you must have in order to receive their "specials" (not the artisan stuff, of course), I think I'll call and add "Doctor" to my name on the card - that way, when the checkout clerk says, "Thank you Dr. Smith", I can say, "Well, I'm not really a Doctor, but as long as you guys can call your bread, "artisan", I'll call myself Doctor."
Management WILL hear about it!
At the risk of offending Mr Forrest, I remember from my experiments as a novice cheesemaker that cottage cheese IS NOT simply farmer's cheese before the whey is removed. Real cottage cheese is damn hard to make, as I remember, while farmer's cheese, as Fankhauser shows, is relatively easy. (how come Fankhauser doesn't mention that in the process of making his farmer's cheese, you've also made cottage cheese?)
A name is a name is a name - kind'a like calling Folger's, coffee.
The very best actors are playing themselves! If Ramsey is not, he’s one of the best true actors on TV. My vote is for a true asshole!
How come the American talkshow hosts seem to enjoy being "funny" and talk all kind of nonsense and act stupid when they invite Ramsay over to their show? I just watched 2 different talkshows via SE and they were pretty unbearable - the hosts i mean. Gordon Ramsay was genuinely interested in the cooking and they weren't.
She's annoying, her voice is fingernails on the chalkboard thing but one thing I'll say she has enthusiasm which most of the FN "chefs" don't have. One that I really like is Giada DiLaurentiis. She enjoys what she does and seems to make those dishes look easy! As far as the recipes goes, I troll for those on FN's website.
heres the thing...hate or love RR(or any of the "horrendous" FN stars...) not all of us can be gourmet chefs every night of the week and if it means that I have to use a few "30 minute" recipes instead of taking the fam to mcdonalds every night then I'm gonna pick the Rachael Special...and she must be doing something right or so many people wouldnt spend their time complaining about her when they could be whipping up some duck confit and chocolate souffle for dinner tonight...sheesh give it a rest....
I don't think "cooking101" is a good way to describe her show at ALL. Her cooking isn't a gateway into anything more complicated, it's shortcuts for people with limited time, end of story. I guess she does serve her purpose, as I'm sure there are people out there who need to think they're giving their family a good "home-cooked" meal without actually doing any work, but other than that I don't find any redeeming value in her show.
I don't consider myself a really talented cook, or a food snob (in most respects), but I agree with dbcurrie, anyone could go into their freezer and dump whatever's in it over pasta. It's sad that FN is moving away from teaching and inspiring people to cook and enjoy great food...
And her voice is like nails on a blackboard. If I hear her say "EVOO, kids" and then giggle one more time, I might actually throw something this time.
Costco's has a remarkably tasty fruitcake available during the holidays. It is filled with pecans and cherries and other non-dayglo fruits. It reminds me of the kinds of fruitcakes I see for sale at Saks during the holidays for $50 but at Costco it is only $12.
Bouchon also has a delightful fruitcake like loaf. I think it is also seasonal. No problem with bad fruit overcoming the cake there, of course.
I don't like her dismissive attitude towards baking. You don't bake? Learn!! If she took a baking course, it could endear her to some of her detractors.
Regarding the cakes at the Collin St. Bakery, they make one that only has apricots and pecans. I guess it still qualifies as a fruitcake. Check it out.
http://www.collinstreet.com/pages/apricot_pecan_cake
I don't like fruitcake, even when it's homemade by a talented cook (like my mother; she made it as part of her Christmas baking binge for several years).
I know I'm not alone. I once heard the Chieftains sing something called "Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake." You can google the lyrics easily.
It wasn't until I was grown that I figured out why I hated it so: it's mostly the day-glo fruit - which is composed principally of bitter, leathery CITRON. That, plus the fact that there is far too little cake. Oh, and the raw taste of whiskey or brandy, not calculated to appeal to a child's tastebuds.
And yet I love pannettone, which is a nice challah-type bread spangled with the same day-glo fruit. But not nearly so much, and no whiskey.
If the Corsicana Fruitcake is anything like the "quintessential fruitcake of the South" that brooke29 links to - no wonder it's a thriving business. No citron!!
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