Food TV

Last night was a new episode of Iron Chef America. Once again the Iron Chef in question was Cat Cora. I am glad of it, as I really like her style, but I wonder when will someone pick our newest Iron Chef. It seems like people only choose Chef Cora or Bobby Flay to battle in Kitchen Stadium. If I were the chairman I would start choosing opponents myself, just to inject a little variety in the show.

Battle Ham was indeed a good battle pitting Chef Cora against Chef Hillson, seeing who can make the better array of dishes featuring Ham. Thank goodness neither of them decided to try a dessert with the Secret ingredient. Several of the dishes did peature pureed ham in some way though, which puts me in mind of the ham baby foods I have given my son. Therefore it seemed kind of icky to me. The challenger made a twice baked souffle that actually looked pretty good, and a ham carpaccio with fresh pasta. The interactive way that he had the judges break the yolk to mix with the ham and pasta was really inspired, as we all know that the ICA judges love interactive food. My personal favorite though was a ham & cheese concoction that was like a sandwich, but instead of bread was wrapped in a puff pastry and baked…. mmmmmmmm…

Chef Cora prepared five exciting dishes as well, including the obligatory Seuss inspired dish. Instead of Green Eggs and Ham however, she did a Green Ham and Eggs, with a lovely poached egg with a piece of hamsteak upon it covered in a green sauce that looked like blended grass but apparently tasted pretty darn good.

So, who won? I guess you’ll have to tune in to find out. Battle Ham is showing on the Food Network again March 6th at 9pm.

We have officially entered into Let’s Talk Turkey Month on the Food Network. How can I tell you ask? Well besides the endless ad’s on the Network itself proclaiming it as such, every show I have watched in the last week has featured turkey. From Throwdown with Bobby Flay, who challenged a 20 year Butterball “call girl”, to Iron Chef America, where Too Hot Tamales challenged … Bobby Flay.

Thanksgiving is a Flay heavy time of year it seems to me. I like him and all, but good lord, his grinning mug was on virtually everything I saw. And Rachael … I loooooove Rachael, but good lord how many different thirty or maybe 60 minute Thanksgiving meals are there really? And are we going to see each and every one of them every single year?

I am really enjoying them though, even though I make fun. The Food Network All Star Thanksgiving Feast is always fun to watch, although I was disappointed at the absence of my favorite … say it with me now friends … Alton Brown!!! On the plus side we have the re-play of the very same Feast we have seen every year since 2005. I have seen people say that that particular feast was slightly awkward and weird, but you have to love Emeril hand feeding Paula Deen his Bruschetta… It was strange and slightly erotic in a really twisted kind of way. I love every minute of it.

I have been torturing my family with all of the random Good Eats episodes that have been on this month, featuring the things I will be serving in our home on Thanksgiving. Stuff It is a funny episode where Alton finally breaks down and admits that stuffing is perhaps, maybe, possibly, if done properly, not evil. And that is the stuffing I will be using for Thanksgiving, although not with mushrooms … cause Ick. Romancing the Bird features the finer points of brining the turkey, and The Bulb of the Night is humorous, as well as educational. Because who doesn’t love garlic, and we’ve all burned it, or overpowered a recipe at least once. Not anymore friends!!!

The new Iron Chef, Michael Symon, will be starring in an all new Thanksgiving Iron Chef America!!! Although, so far this week we have seen Battle Turkey, with Bobby Flay, and Battle Cranberry, which featured 2 Iron Chefs each competing with a special guest star. Giada DiLaurentiis and Rachael Ray guest starred in that episode, and it was an absolute BLAST!!! I am really looking forward to seeing Iron Chef Symon’s first battle, it should prove to be exciting!!!

OK, now I’m off to go to bed so that I can get up early and prepare this delicious recipe for my hubby in the morning!!!

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Last night was the season finale of Next Iron Chef. Now I know I didn’t update y’all on parts 4 and 5, I just couldn’t find it in me to re-cap it all. So in short… In part 4 the Chefs were asked to prepare a first class meal for a new airline in Munich. Chef’s Besh and Symon both fared pretty well, with chef Besh’s only criticism being that his Watermelon Consomme should have been crystal clear, rather than just clarified… Chef Symon was declared the winner of the challenge, leaving Chef’s Sanchez and Cosentino out in the cold. In the end Chef Sanchez was sent packing, and can I just say HOORAY!!!
Part 5 brought the top three Chef’s to Paris where they had to use the ingredients they could find in Paris, to create and All-American Feast. They were to feed 20 people at the American Embassy, including Host Alton Brown, all three judges, and the American Ambassador to France, along with several top Chefs and culinary type people. All three impressed, although in the end Chef Cosentino didn’t impress quite enough and he too, was sent on his way … looks like my early prediction was wrong indeed…

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