Tuesday, November 27, 2007
"BAM! - We're kicking you out another notch!"
Food Network has cancelled Emeril Live. I've read lots of blog postings about it, and they range from "Good riddance!" to "Food Network that I know and love is coming to an end..." I have to admit that I fall somewhat towards the latter than the former. I wondered what was going on when they shifted him from 8:00 schedule (prime time) to 7:00 (not so prime time). It wasn't a surprise to learn they'd cancelled it.
My primary reasons for watching FN (or HGTV for that matter) is for instruction and inspiration. I want to learn more, and I want to be inspired. I watched EL faithfully for several years, and found Emeril (who hails from Fall River, MA - where I was born) delightful. I learned a lot from watching him, and my favorite two things were, "Where I come from, this don't come seasoned..." and "If you don't have cream, use half-and-half, if you don't have half-and-half, use milk..." Translated, one taught me that proper seasoning is essential, and the other taught me that lots of cooking (but not baking) is using what you have on hand, which appeals to me.
As I got more experience cooking, I found EL to be more entertaining than cooking. He was totally fun to watch, but I didn't get much in the way of instruction or inspiration from him. I switched his Essence of Emeril show, which I found to be much more instructive and inspirational than EL. However, it comes on in the middle of the day, which is not conducive to the average work schedule.
Some of the bloggers said things like, "(Emeril) isn't chef enough to go on Iron Chef America." That's just plain bull. Emeril is recognized as a gifted chef, and ICA is more for the (relatively) unknown chefs to show their mettle. It's not the place for him. I do believe that when they had their infamous Rachael Ray vs. Giada DeLaurentis match, it was to show that Rachel could really cook, and that Giada went to school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
The bloggers are also bashing the existing chefs on FN, especially Rachael, Giada, Sandra Lee, and Ingrid Hoffman (Simply Delicioso). These are the ladies of the three-quarter sleeve, v-neck shirts that FN is so fond of. I had my RR period, too, but then she stopped inspiring me. Her recipes started to look way too similar. I don't mind Giada, but I do find that her recipes seem fairly repetitive.
Sandra Lee (Semi-Homemade) writes the kind of cookbooks that I give my non-cooking friends. They rave about how easy her stuff is. I like her approach, but I'm beyond opening cans. As far as Ingrid Hoffman, she lost me when she jiggled during her show promos. She was definitely selling something, but it wasn't what I was buying, so I've never watched her show.
I'm not into Paula Deen - she's charming, she's gracious, she's funny, but I just can't put a pound of butter into everything I cook and eat. I'm not wild about her sons' show, either.
I've watched almost all three seasons of Food Network Star, and I was bored by the winner of the first season, Party Time with the Hearty Boys. I like Guy Fieri, winner of the second season, but not his "Big Bite" show. I kinda like his "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" show, but mostly when it's in Northern California. I voted for Amy Finley in the third season, but the one time I watched her show, I turned it off after about 10 minutes. Now, I know that the first season of any show needs improvement, but I was just bored. I'll tune back once it's a seasoned show (pun intended), if it lasts that long.
I love Alton Brown, and would see him in a heartbeat. He's immensely informative and entertaining. I don't use his recipes, though - they're just way too involved. (No, I don't want to build a derrick to fry my turkey, thank you very much.)
Right now, I'm inspired by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. I watched her make some Tomato Basil Elephant Ears, and I made them for Thanksgiving. My guests inhaled them. I made some modifications, using prepared sundried tomato and basil pestos, but they were unbelievably easy and a good time was had by all.
I'm also inspired by Michael Chiarello. His way of entertaining seems so effortless, but you can see that he knows his chops, so to speak. I love watching him whenever I can, but he's hard to find, too. Again, not good for a 9 to 5 working schedule.
I love Mario Batali, but I understand his shows were cancelled as well. I would eat anything that he cooked on ICA. He's an incredibly gifted chef. I used to enjoy Molto Mario - he made things look so simple.
It seems to me that FN is catering to the lowest common denominator - those who can't cook and don't want to learn how to really do it. This, of course, explains the current heyday of RR and Sandra Lee. I don't have an issue with that, per se. I'm just beyond opening cans, and want to learn and be inspired.
I guess in the ratings world, that's too much to ask.
They say that PBS has some good cooking shows.
I know they have America's Test Kitchen. I subscribed to their magazine, Cooks Illustrated. I loved that magazine, because it had wonderful tips and recipes. I stopped subscribing because I read the whole bi-monthly magazine in thirty minutes, and while that's enough time to cook a meal, it's too brief a time to enjoy a magazine. They bugged me constantly to try their new magazine, Cook's Country, which was just a watered-down version of Cooks Illustrated. No, thanks. I did watch America's Test Kitchen a couple of times, and even though I'm from New England, it seemed to have an incredibly pretentious attitude.
I do see that they have Everyday Food - which is the only magazine that I still subscribe to (food or otherwise). It takes me longer than 30 minutes to get through it, and the recipes are very fascinating. I'll have to check them out.
Funny - in researching what shows were on PBS, I found an article that expressed much of what I've been trying to say. The author discusses cooking shows on PBS, and says, "These are ... shows aimed squarely at people who want to learn and cook at a higher level."
Hmmm ... right up my alley. Maybe I need to switch to PBS.
My primary reasons for watching FN (or HGTV for that matter) is for instruction and inspiration. I want to learn more, and I want to be inspired. I watched EL faithfully for several years, and found Emeril (who hails from Fall River, MA - where I was born) delightful. I learned a lot from watching him, and my favorite two things were, "Where I come from, this don't come seasoned..." and "If you don't have cream, use half-and-half, if you don't have half-and-half, use milk..." Translated, one taught me that proper seasoning is essential, and the other taught me that lots of cooking (but not baking) is using what you have on hand, which appeals to me.
As I got more experience cooking, I found EL to be more entertaining than cooking. He was totally fun to watch, but I didn't get much in the way of instruction or inspiration from him. I switched his Essence of Emeril show, which I found to be much more instructive and inspirational than EL. However, it comes on in the middle of the day, which is not conducive to the average work schedule.
Some of the bloggers said things like, "(Emeril) isn't chef enough to go on Iron Chef America." That's just plain bull. Emeril is recognized as a gifted chef, and ICA is more for the (relatively) unknown chefs to show their mettle. It's not the place for him. I do believe that when they had their infamous Rachael Ray vs. Giada DeLaurentis match, it was to show that Rachel could really cook, and that Giada went to school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
The bloggers are also bashing the existing chefs on FN, especially Rachael, Giada, Sandra Lee, and Ingrid Hoffman (Simply Delicioso). These are the ladies of the three-quarter sleeve, v-neck shirts that FN is so fond of. I had my RR period, too, but then she stopped inspiring me. Her recipes started to look way too similar. I don't mind Giada, but I do find that her recipes seem fairly repetitive.
Sandra Lee (Semi-Homemade) writes the kind of cookbooks that I give my non-cooking friends. They rave about how easy her stuff is. I like her approach, but I'm beyond opening cans. As far as Ingrid Hoffman, she lost me when she jiggled during her show promos. She was definitely selling something, but it wasn't what I was buying, so I've never watched her show.
I'm not into Paula Deen - she's charming, she's gracious, she's funny, but I just can't put a pound of butter into everything I cook and eat. I'm not wild about her sons' show, either.
I've watched almost all three seasons of Food Network Star, and I was bored by the winner of the first season, Party Time with the Hearty Boys. I like Guy Fieri, winner of the second season, but not his "Big Bite" show. I kinda like his "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" show, but mostly when it's in Northern California. I voted for Amy Finley in the third season, but the one time I watched her show, I turned it off after about 10 minutes. Now, I know that the first season of any show needs improvement, but I was just bored. I'll tune back once it's a seasoned show (pun intended), if it lasts that long.
I love Alton Brown, and would see him in a heartbeat. He's immensely informative and entertaining. I don't use his recipes, though - they're just way too involved. (No, I don't want to build a derrick to fry my turkey, thank you very much.)
Right now, I'm inspired by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. I watched her make some Tomato Basil Elephant Ears, and I made them for Thanksgiving. My guests inhaled them. I made some modifications, using prepared sundried tomato and basil pestos, but they were unbelievably easy and a good time was had by all.
I'm also inspired by Michael Chiarello. His way of entertaining seems so effortless, but you can see that he knows his chops, so to speak. I love watching him whenever I can, but he's hard to find, too. Again, not good for a 9 to 5 working schedule.
I love Mario Batali, but I understand his shows were cancelled as well. I would eat anything that he cooked on ICA. He's an incredibly gifted chef. I used to enjoy Molto Mario - he made things look so simple.
It seems to me that FN is catering to the lowest common denominator - those who can't cook and don't want to learn how to really do it. This, of course, explains the current heyday of RR and Sandra Lee. I don't have an issue with that, per se. I'm just beyond opening cans, and want to learn and be inspired.
I guess in the ratings world, that's too much to ask.
They say that PBS has some good cooking shows.
I know they have America's Test Kitchen. I subscribed to their magazine, Cooks Illustrated. I loved that magazine, because it had wonderful tips and recipes. I stopped subscribing because I read the whole bi-monthly magazine in thirty minutes, and while that's enough time to cook a meal, it's too brief a time to enjoy a magazine. They bugged me constantly to try their new magazine, Cook's Country, which was just a watered-down version of Cooks Illustrated. No, thanks. I did watch America's Test Kitchen a couple of times, and even though I'm from New England, it seemed to have an incredibly pretentious attitude.
I do see that they have Everyday Food - which is the only magazine that I still subscribe to (food or otherwise). It takes me longer than 30 minutes to get through it, and the recipes are very fascinating. I'll have to check them out.
Funny - in researching what shows were on PBS, I found an article that expressed much of what I've been trying to say. The author discusses cooking shows on PBS, and says, "These are ... shows aimed squarely at people who want to learn and cook at a higher level."
Hmmm ... right up my alley. Maybe I need to switch to PBS.
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