pisang goreng's Profile
Intensive weekend cooking classes?
I've always wanted to go Ramekins in Sonoma. Has anyone tried this place? http://www.ramekins.com/
Last Restaurant Standing- Final couples **SPOILERS**
Yes, didn't Tim make something like only THREE of his goat cheese puddings?
Everyone had two hours' warning. It would have taken FOH 5 minutes to sit down with the chefs and nail down exactly what was celiac-friendly and what was not. All the FOH people seemed to take the email from Raymond much more seriously than the chefs did. The chefs didn't seem to want to hear it or deal with it.
Mexico One Plate at a Time
Haven't seen that show but it sounds like it's a good way of integrating the kids.
I meant to add earlier that Claudine Pepin is much better than she used to be. Before she was very sensitive to the slightest comment from Jacques. Now she's more comfortable on camera and less sensitive.
Mexico One Plate at a Time
I'm sorry to have to agree with you. Yes, his daughter does ..... irritate me (and Mr. PG). I feel the same way about Jacques Pepin's daughter Claudine and sometimes Lidia Bastianich's daughter too. I have seen them both become whiny when even slightly corrected by their chef-parent and it's embarrassing to watch, frankly. Bayless's daughter, Lainie, doesn't quite do that but she's just a little bit too "ON" and the show is about Rick's FOOD, not her.
I think it's always the case that one thinks their kids are much cuter than others think they are and that may be why the kids don't translate so well onto their parents' shows. Paula Deen's sons also come to mind....
Last Restaurant Standing- Final couples **SPOILERS**
Ten vegetarian/vegans was beyond ridiculous. It just would not happen in real life. It was unfair to give only one restaurant that kind of challenge. OTOH, couldn't Tim have thrown together a vegetarian pasta or a really great salad? They had two hours to come up with ideas. How could the only extra veg in the kitchen have been cabbage, especially now that we know how high his food costs were? And couldn't he have sent someone to the store to get more vegetables when he heard 10 vegetarians were coming? Still, it was unfair compared to what the other restaurants got.
Last Restaurant Standing- Final couples **SPOILERS**
All I can think is that there must be something really good about James's food. It does appear as if it has come down to the two best cooks/chefs in the competition. I think Russell's and James's food has been the best from the beginning.
Russell and Michelle have an edge because they work very well together and she's better (smarter) at FOH than Ali is. Poor Ali looks completely flummoxed most of the time.
As for elimination last night, Mr. PG and I think Tim shot himself in the foot by admitting to Raymond that he would not go into business with himself! Lindsie tried to dig him out of it but honestly, he looked like he'd given up before he opened his mouth to speak.
Jamie Oliver's G20 menu
The first time I ever heard of samphire was watching Posh Nosh on PBS. As Minty Marchmont says, "Embarrass any tough roots from the samphire. Then bamboozle till it's al dente with that certain je ne sais quoi."
http://www.richard-e-grant.com/Filmography/Miscellaneous/PoshNoshVideoClips-4.html
Last Restaurant Standing 3/31
Actually, James is the chef on The Gallery team. Last night FOH guy, Alasdair (or Alli, as they were calling him at the judge's table), was in the hospital because of his heart condition. And I agree with you about James's food. Inspector Sara has raved over his food in the past and I think that Raymond is impressed with him as well. The problem is they're too young and can't think their way out of a box. In fact, they usually succeed in thinking themselves INTO a box. I think James's food is the only thing that has saved them.
Here is a link to their bios: http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/302/alasdair_james.jsp. (Good lord, it says James is 24 and has a 10-year-old daughter!)
Great comments by Bourdain on various TV food shows
Another Sandra Lee reference to the Kwanza cake. Yikes!!! The stuff of FTV legend.
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Yep, and the video is still on their Web site. with this line underneath it: “Semi-Homemade makes a most amazingly beautiful cake for Kwanza.“ Proof Food Network has no shame showing the rape of a perfectly innocent angel food cake like that.
Last Restaurant Standing- British Airways [spoilers]
Thank GOD, Chris and his wife were sent packing! She was charming but he was a disaster. That Mexican buffet last week was painfully embarrassing to watch. All Chris ever wanted to do was find the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way of doing things, which is not Raymond's way. I think Raymond was just being nice last night when he told them that they did listen to his advice, because Chris certainly never did. He was just clueless.
I think you're right that Raymond is intrigued by the idea of good Asian food, but I can't get over a Chinese guy who can't cook RICE! This was the second time his rice was bad. His parents must be so ashamed. lol. Also, his food just doesn't seem to be very good. I don't think I've ever heard anyone compliment one of his dishes.
I was surprised that nothing was said (or shown in the edited version) at the judge's table about inspector Sarah being ignored on the plane by two of the teams. How could they forget to set a judge's table -- or anyone's, for that matter -- in such a small space?
I've been rooting for the Gallery guys but they keep disappointing. James does kick ass in the kitchen but his buddy Alisdair is a wreck. I also like Helen and her hubby (the Nel's team). They really seem like lovely people. They're so helpful to whatever team they are on and seem truly happy when others do well. I think Tim & Lindsie (True Provenance) have a good chance. His 20 years of restaurant experience shows.
The Food Network
I get the feeling Alton (who I still like) and Bobby Flay (who I've never cared for) are doing what they can (i.e. tap dancing) to keep their jobs. They will probably be the next "old talent" to go. A decade ago I watched FoodTV all the time, but now the only thing I'm interested in on the network are new episodes of Good Eats, which are few and far between.
It's sad really. There used to be such good shows on FoodTV; now it's pretty much all crap. Thank God for PBS and that the likes of Jacques Pepin and Lidia Bastianich are still around doin' their thing.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
Thew, neither better nor worse. I just wondered what would possess Casey to say things with such vitriol in a public forum, i.e. put into question a peer's qualifications. It made me think of how people drunken dial their exes, only worse. The venom seemed out of character from what we have seen of Casey in the past.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
Third vote for "you remember it wrong." Watch it again; there will probably be reruns this weekend. It was Carla's idea to do the cheese tart, Casey suggested souffle. As noted above, when Casey suggested sous vide and Carla told her she'd never done it before, Casey should have said, "Well then this isn't the time for you to try it." Carla did not lie and has been nothing but gracious about this, asking people in interviews to please not blame Casey. Gracious cannot in any way be used to describe Casey's *poison* email.
I was excited when Carla got to work with Casey because I thought I would love to work with her too. After this email though, I wouldn't. Talk about throwing someone under the bus!
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
"When Eric Ripert and Jacques Pepin wax rhapsodic over a meal you've prepared, that's pretty damn good testimony as to the fact she's good at what she does."
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Exactly, especially when Carla made those meals on her own, without the "benefit" of Casey's suggestions and expertise.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
You mean like not being able to chop onions or choking in the Season 3 Finale?
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
Sorry, but Casey IS a nitwit for taking Carla down personally. Casey could have found other ways of defending herself, rather than suggest that Carla is LYING about her training. She could have blamed Bravo completely but instead she chose to attack Carla's integrity and skills. If Bravo made Casey look bad last night, she just made it worse for herself by her own words.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
Yes, I was a fan of Casey's and I was happy to see her back last night, until she started calling the shots. And now this bitch-o-gram tearing Carla down. Bad form, very bad form. Wait 'til the anger and the booze wears off, then respond.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
Casey said: "She is not even classically trained!"
I wonder if Casey has learned how to chop onions yet.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
I don't believe Casey either. I can't believe she questioned Carla's training/background. I wonder if Casey was drunk when she wrote that??
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
"What I do think is odd is that I just don't know where Casey had the audacity to start dictating ideas.."
Exactly. If what Casey says is true that Carla had no idea what to do, then possibly the editing made it look like Casey trying to run the show. But OTOH, why would she encourage Carla to use a technique (sous-vide) she had never used before -- IN THE FINALE? That to me is unforgiveable, especially since she choked in her own finale. She was there to support, not to direct Carla or to redeem her own poor showing in her finale.
TC Casey's Take On Finale and Carla
She's going to feel like a complete turd when she sees that Carla is begging people not to blame her: http://amuse-biatch.blogspot.com/2009/02/audacity-of-hootie-dont-blame-casey.html
I still think Case has a guilty conscience.
Top Chef Finale Pt. 2(spoilers)
"she was Carla's undoing, imho."
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I agree. While I also agree that it was Carla's fault ultimately, Casey should have Kept Her Mouth SHUT. She's been in the finals and she should have let Carla run the show instead of trying to take over. D*mmit!! When I heard Carla say regarding sous vide, "What's that? I've never done that before," I said to Mr. PG, "She just lost. She's toast." Carla was overpowered by Casey because she is too kind and doesn't have confidence in her own cooking (which I guess is why she doesn't deserve to be TC). I'll bet she will never let that happen again.
In the words of Kevin Kline's character, Otto, in A Fish Called Wanda: DISAPPOINTED!!
Top Chef - Prediction
"If he wins it'll be like Ilan's win all over again. Grrr....."
Word.
GO TEAM HOOTIE!!!!!!!!!
Top Chef Finale Part 1(spoilers)
Yes, true, I've known people like that too. Since my post I've read several interviews with Fabio posted on amuse-biatch in which he states that the editors made it seem like his mother is dying, when in reality she has to have surgery on her hand every six months (which sounds strange to me) and can no longer work. He also said that he sold his three(!) restaurants in Italy to come here.
In true Fabio fashion, he also said this:
"[Bravo:] Is she [his mom] proud of how far you got in the competition?
"[Fabio:] You know what? She doesn’t even know what’s going on. She know I’m on the show, but it’s hard to realize your son is on national TV because in Italy we don’t have these things. In Italy, if you are going on TV, it’s because you killed a whole family somewhere or you robbed a bank."
and
"[Bravo:] Do chefs make good lovers?
"[Fabio:] Chefs make great lovers, 'cause if you don’t please them while you’re having sex, you please them while you’re making dinner. I please them in both cases."
http://amuse-biatch.blogspot.com/
I *heart* him. lol
Top Chef Finale Part 1(spoilers)
I found it interesting that last night Stefan said Leah is a good chef during the QF. Also, in a Bravo interview posted on the blogs a few weeks ago after Jaime was eliminated, Stefan said he thought Jaime would be the one to beat in the finale. On the other hand, he acts like Carla doesn't exist.
Heat and Eat Reviews/Frozen Meals
Hey they calculate the Weight Watchers points. Cool.
Top Chef Finale Part 1(spoilers)
Did you see the people at her table doing the Hootie call last night? Priceless.
Top Chef Finale Part 1(spoilers)
I adore Fabio but is anyone else having trouble believing his “seeck MAma een Eetaly” and the “peees of poop car” stories? His restaurant in Moorpark looks pretty nice: http://www.cafefirenze.net/page.cfm?P=Photo%20Gallery.
