So says the PBS fundraisers. I wouldn't disagree - although I really don't like tax money funding the channel - but they have dropped the ball, particularly at the local PBS station, KACV.
As many of you know, I enjoy collecting recipes and watching most Food Network programming. One Saturday a few months ago, I noticed a show on PBS called America's Test Kitchen, immediately followed by another program called Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen. (Official website)
I immediately fell in love with both shows. They appealed to the food geek in me, ala Alton Brown and his Good Eats show, plus the recipes were not complicated and were usually improvements on classic, every day dishes. They also do blind taste tests on various ingredients as well as review useful kitchen appliances. The host, Christopher Kimball, is likeable and entertaining and doesn't take himself too seriously. I also enjoy the recipe adaptations by several of the female contributors.(They don't show cleavage like some of the female Food Network show hosts nor or they as attractive, but they're cute and seem more "real" than does Giada De Laurentiis. They're certainly not anywhere near as annoying as Rachael Ray. That said, Claire Robinson and Nigella Lawson and a couple other female FN show hosts could boil water every week and I'd watch. Hey, I may appreciate good cooking, but if there's also a pretty face involved...that's a bonus, like finding two yolks in an egg)
I was a little annoyed last week when they showed only one of the Test Kitchen shows and I was hoping that wouldn't be permanent. The programming before the cooking shows consists of cartoons and sewing/quilting/crafting shows. That's fine, I'm glad - if I have to pay for it - that there are programs that appeal to everyone, but I didn't want anything to preempt my shows. After my new-found favorite shows are how-to and home improvement shows, another with a guy who makes crude, new things with crude, old tools followed by a boring car show or two and then Lawrence Welk reruns to round off the afternoon. Yuk.
No, I want my America's Test Kitchen shows, at least one of 'em!!!
Instead, they aired a rerun of Back to the Table with Chef Bud, apoorly done cooking show with an Amarillo area chef. Now, I watched his first two shows because they had been heavily promoted and I wanted to see if it was any good.
It wasn't. Judge for yourself.
It's not horrible...but it's not good, either. Part of the fault with my finding fault is that I'm used to the professional production of FN shows and the likeable hosts. Since we can't smell or taste the food they're cooking, personality plays a huge part in a cooking show's appeal. Maybe the show will get better with future episodes, and I'm sure Chef Bud is a good cook, but it lacks that certain "something", like not enough sage in Thanksgiving dressing or a rib-eye steak without salt. IOW, bland. The visuals aren't all that good, either.
I want my America's Test Kitchen shows back!
As many of you know, I enjoy collecting recipes and watching most Food Network programming. One Saturday a few months ago, I noticed a show on PBS called America's Test Kitchen, immediately followed by another program called Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen. (Official website)
I immediately fell in love with both shows. They appealed to the food geek in me, ala Alton Brown and his Good Eats show, plus the recipes were not complicated and were usually improvements on classic, every day dishes. They also do blind taste tests on various ingredients as well as review useful kitchen appliances. The host, Christopher Kimball, is likeable and entertaining and doesn't take himself too seriously. I also enjoy the recipe adaptations by several of the female contributors.(They don't show cleavage like some of the female Food Network show hosts nor or they as attractive, but they're cute and seem more "real" than does Giada De Laurentiis. They're certainly not anywhere near as annoying as Rachael Ray. That said, Claire Robinson and Nigella Lawson and a couple other female FN show hosts could boil water every week and I'd watch. Hey, I may appreciate good cooking, but if there's also a pretty face involved...that's a bonus, like finding two yolks in an egg)
I was a little annoyed last week when they showed only one of the Test Kitchen shows and I was hoping that wouldn't be permanent. The programming before the cooking shows consists of cartoons and sewing/quilting/crafting shows. That's fine, I'm glad - if I have to pay for it - that there are programs that appeal to everyone, but I didn't want anything to preempt my shows. After my new-found favorite shows are how-to and home improvement shows, another with a guy who makes crude, new things with crude, old tools followed by a boring car show or two and then Lawrence Welk reruns to round off the afternoon. Yuk.
No, I want my America's Test Kitchen shows, at least one of 'em!!!
Instead, they aired a rerun of Back to the Table with Chef Bud, a
It wasn't. Judge for yourself.
It's not horrible...but it's not good, either. Part of the fault with my finding fault is that I'm used to the professional production of FN shows and the likeable hosts. Since we can't smell or taste the food they're cooking, personality plays a huge part in a cooking show's appeal. Maybe the show will get better with future episodes, and I'm sure Chef Bud is a good cook, but it lacks that certain "something", like not enough sage in Thanksgiving dressing or a rib-eye steak without salt. IOW, bland. The visuals aren't all that good, either.
I want my America's Test Kitchen shows back!
3 comments:
I've started watching some of the cooking shows every once in a while. Too many of them fix stuff that would make my family would turn up their noses if I offered it to them. I'm not real adventurous when it comes to the kitchen or ordering in a restaurant. Guess that comes from growing up in a meat and potatoes world. Wonder what the most "out-there" thing that Mother ever cooked? Do you remember the New England dinner stuff she used to can in the summers? It had cabbage, turnips, carrots and potatoes, I think. I remember how good it was, but I doubt if Dad ever ate any. I would give anything to have some of her pickled peaches. I wish I were half the cook she was.
I hope your cooking show comes back on. Share your good recipes with me, okay?
That's my main gripe w/ many hows, sis - that they prepare things in which I have no interest. Even Good Eats got carried away now 'n then with certain dishes, but the world doesn't revolve around me and my tastes and appetite.
I got to thinking about mom's cooking earlier and esp. her pickled beets. I always thought they were yucky looking even w/out trying them, but one time some of the juice must have gotten on a deviled egg and I discovered I loved the taste.
Anyway, I've seen a couple of recipes lately for pickled eggs using the juice from pickled beets - they're the most lovely shade of maroon and just sound delicious.
I also miss her pickled okra, another thing I didn't know I liked until trying one while she and Eleanor were scarfing them down one night while drinking those frozen margaritas out of a bucket.
Honestly, I don't remember that cabbage thing you mentioned. I'm sure I turned up my nose at it then, but am sure I'd love it now, sounds lovely.
I'd love to have a garden, but I can't even keep the fruit on my trees or grapes on the vines because of neighborhood thieves. I can't even have a tomato plant on my front porch, either.
I'm going to do a post about my favorite recipe sites here soon. I was going to do a rant about food bloggers talking about stuff other than food - some just blather on way too much, but I got to thinking about what I do....-grin-
Anyway- I've got dozens of recipe sites to review, so it will prob. be a while before I can work it up.
Thanks f/ posting!
"hows" = shows. Typing way too fast.
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