RANGER89'S BLOG

Ranger89

Cooking and the Food Network
Thursday, August 19, 2004

It started off simply enough. I was up late one night, attacked with another bout of insomnia, when I ran across the Food Channel. Correction Food Network . A channel, I discovered, dedicated entirely to food.

I had heard of it in passing. Mostly in conversation between my grandmother or great-aunt followed by an engrossing dialogue about Martha Stuart or the latest issue of Good Housekeeping. Consider the context in which I had learned about the channel, I had already decided that it was, obviously, not for me. I am no Martha Stuart. Lace doilies have no place in my home. Four course meals, silk window treatments imported from France, hand-knitted scarves, and wine tastings are foreign concepts to me. At least, that’s what I thought.

Finding nothing else on television, and desperate for anything to entertain my sleep deprived brain at two o’clock in the morning, I turned on Food Network. A Cook’s Tour was the program du jour that night. Needless to say, that was when the first sparks came to life. I was puzzled at first by the foul mouthed, chain smoking, New York chef who hosted the show. There he was in the middle of Cambodia, flies swarming around the him all the while he talked about demiglace and osetra caviar.

I blame the events that followed on that one show.

Naturally, seeing natives in dilapidated shacks whipping up delicious meals peaked my curiosity. As did the sudden revelation that not everyone who enjoyed cooking wore hand-sewn aprons and threw things together in spotless kitchens with matching dish wear.

So, I decided to do a little research into this whole cooking phenomenon. It seemed everyone was doing it. Men, women, young people, old people. Obviously, I had missed the bandwagon. Eager to catch up, and recently addicted to shows like Iron Chef and Good Eats , I wasn’t about to let the annoyingly peppy Rachel Ray out cook me!

It began with a soup or two, followed by a failed attempt at homemade pasta. I skirted around steak and chicken, slowly making my way into pies and pasties. At last, I worked my way up to baking, which proved to be a success as shown by the three tiered chocolate cake that disappeared in five minutes flat at my aunt’s birthday. Even as I write this, I have a loaf of bread rising on the stove just waiting to be popped into the oven.

Have I changed since I discovered The Network ? Yes and no. I do have a new found appreciation for four course meals. And I do find myself linger in the whole foods section of the grocery store a little longer than usual, but I don’t expect me to break out the knitting needle or pull out the thread basket to sew up that hem on my favorite skirt. I may spend a lot more time in the kitchen now days, but I haven’t turned into a Stepford Wife. I’m still a punk rock listening, Firefly watching, sci fi junkie. Don’t believe me? That’s alright. I know I haven’t lost it. What ever it is.

Why have I written this? To rub people’s noses into my new found cookdom? No. I’ve written this to encourage all of you others who were once perplexed by the whole cooking thing. To let you know that you too can tackle that recipe book that’s been sitting on your book shelve for the last three years collecting dust. To let you know it’s alright to embrace the cooking monster inside of you that’s been begging to get a hold of that potato ricer. I’m no expert in the kitchen, but I sure have a lot of fun getting my hands dirty.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think Emeril just came on.

COMMENTS

Friday, August 20, 2004 2:58 PM

SUENOS


Be sure to check out the recipe section in our own Firefly database! I'm convinced you can both be a Firefly fan and feed yourself well. My favorite is Tightpants Tequilla.

Cheers!

____________________________
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
~ Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

Friday, August 20, 2004 9:49 AM

RANGER89


~Read the book...it's even better than the show!~

I'm proud to say that I am the owner of both of Anthony's books, A Cook's Tour and Kitchen Confidential , and I love them! I also picked up one of his fiction novels recently. Good style, don't really like the plot, though.

I love Good Eats !! Alton has to be my favorite chef on the Food Network. (Sorry Tony.)

Harbatkin: That iguana episode was one of my favorites. I was laughing my ass off the whole time he was sitting there moaning about how awful the stuff was.

I haven't made Ravioli yet, but I have a recipe for it that I'm dying to try.

Friday, August 20, 2004 8:30 AM

BLEYDDYN


>>> followed by a failed attempt at homemade pasta. <<<

Mmmm, nothing beats a homemade ravioli, stuffed with whatever you like best, covered with homemade sauce!

Friday, August 20, 2004 5:59 AM

CAPTAINHARBATKIN


"A Cook's Tour....wow...Tony Boudrain is one odd dude, but fun to watch."

I detest Tony, somehow he just irritates me. So I watch the show religiously in hopes they'll re-run the episode where he had iguana tacos and was horror stricken by them. Or, perhaps some equally disgusting food. Hope springs eternal!

Friday, August 20, 2004 4:41 AM

STARHAND


You're in good company, Jewel Staite is a Food Network/Rachael Ray fan. Check out her June 20th Dear Roj blog at http://users.ev1.net/~alternity/tv/jewel_staite/Jewel.html

Cheers

Friday, August 20, 2004 4:33 AM

SHINYHAPPYKLIN


My husband's the cook in this family, and I didn't think I'd like Food Network, but it was Iron Chef that first won me over with the sheer strangeness of the ingredients and the concept. We used to get together to watch it and had an Iron Chef drinking game (take a shot every time Otoh said "Fukura-san?", etc.)

A Cook's Tour....wow...Tony Boudrain is one odd dude, but fun to watch. Read the book...it's even better than the show!

And my all time favorite...Good Eats! I LOVE Alton the way some on this board love Cappy...I think it's because he seriously reminds me of a high school teacher I had a crush on, combined with your favorite uncle...we often describe Alton to people as a combination of Mr.Wizard and Graham Kerr. I got to meet him recently, and you can see the pictures here: http://www.rudecatstudios.com/alton.html
(sorry if that doesn't work, wasn't sure how to post a link in this forum)


POST YOUR COMMENTS

You must log in to post comments.

YOUR OPTIONS

THIS MONTH'S ENTRIES

ARCHIVES

2005 February

2004 October

2004 August

OUR SPONSOR