Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Ginger & vanilla has always sounded like a good combo to me.

pickled egg & red beets, chow-chow, barley cooked with herbs, carrots, onions & celery and a piece of cold meat loaf

I like to cook, and most of what I cook is simple and basic.

However, when it comes to watching food TV, I would rather watch people cooking food that I might never attempt. I liken it to enjoying reading books on foreign locales knowing full well that I will never visit. I enjoy learning about the culture and food of other places. Most of all, I enjoy watching shows that teach me something other than a recipe.

I like "Good Eats" because of it's tidbits of science and history. I liked "Molto Mario" for the the history and culture of Italy.

I also enjoyed "Chef du Jour" in all of it's low tech glory because of it's variety. And though I am no vegetarian, I loved "Pick of the Day" with Curtis Aikens because he would talk about how the veggies are grown, talk about different varieties and show you what to look for when shopping for produce, etc.

I even enjoy some of Jaime Oliver's shows, especially the one where he tours Italy.

Same goes for "The Two Fat Ladies" since their shows usually were themed on a tradition, holiday, etc. that gave you a peek into English culture.

It's probably why Saveur is the only foodmag that I buy, since it is really a travel/culture magazine at heart.

Steel Cut oatmeal cooked overnight in the crockpot with dried apples, apricots & raisins. Makes it a lot easier to get out of bed on a cold morning.