17 replies to this topic

[annabelle]

Food Network has launched the second season of "Sweet Genius" on Thursdays at 10:00 EST, 9:00 CST.

If you haven't seen this show last year, you are in for a treat! Please give it a try. It's weird and wonderful.

Enjoy!

[annabelle]

No takers?

First round of three, the ingredients are: strawberry toaster pastries and pepitas. The inspiration? A goldfish.

Candy is the second round and cake is the third.


edit: My mistake on the third round, I had thought it was chocolate.

Edited by annabelle, 15 March 2012 - 07:46 PM.

[gfweb]

I'm not a dessert person. Does he ever use cheese?

[minas6907]

There have been a few occasions that cheese has been the theme ingredient. I actually have been really liking the show. Honestly, I do think the "sweet genius" thing is over done, to me that title barely makes sense, in addition to being somehow reminded of the turtle man from that master of disguise movie every time I see Ron, what the chefs come up with is very interesting. Its kind of cool having a 'chopped' type of show for pastry chefs. I always look forward to the final chocolate round, you can see some amazing skills and occasional bonbon from the contestants, been recording them all, nice show.

[minas6907]

I'm watching it right now, very pleased that the second round is based around candy.

[Tri2Cook]

I'll have to check out the second season. I was undecided on the first season. I like the idea of a Chopped-esque dessert show but something about it just wasn't exciting me as much as I hoped it would.

[merstar]

Ron Ben Israel gives me the creeps, although I like watching what the contestants create within such ridiculous parameters. This article from last November sums it up nicely - There are also some great reader comments:
http://blogs.sfweekl...tty_much_th.php

[Zeemanb]

WOW! Is Ron chipper this season or what? The way they have apparently attempted to make him less sinister has made him MORE sinister! And I like it!

I don't like the way they have eliminated the female robot voice that announces and describes the additional ingredients...."Secret ingredient...water. Water is a liquid, and it is consumed by both animals and people. It is very wet and will always seek its lowest point".

Love this show.

[annabelle]

Aha! I knew something was missing from this season. Ron is one e-vil dude, isn't he?

I'm awaiting some hapless douchebag of a cocky cook to microwave him a cake so we can watch Ron turn him into a mouse.

I love this show.

[Tri2Cook]

I don't like the way they have eliminated the female robot voice that announces and describes the additional ingredients...."Secret ingredient...water. Water is a liquid, and it is consumed by both animals and people. It is very wet and will always seek its lowest point".

It sounded exactly like the challenge-describing voice from "Minute to Win It" to me.

I'm awaiting some hapless douchebag of a cocky cook to microwave him a cake so we can watch Ron turn him into a mouse.

That already happened in season 1... he was skeptical but admitted enjoying learning something new (to him).

Micro-cake, as long as hold time isn't a factor (and if it is, that defeats the whole point anyway), can actually be nice when done well.
Sincerely,

your friendly neighborhood hapless douchebag.

[annabelle]

Listen, you hapless douchebag...

I remember that microwave cake from last season and thought it was interesting, but dude! Not on Ron's show on tv! I knew Ron was going to drop the axe on him as soon as he sneered "You microwaved me a cake?!

My favorite cring-worthy episode from last season was the guy who hacked up a Bonzai tree to garnish his dessert. I watched through my fingers as Ron told him he was disrespectful.

This show would be improved by trap-doors in the floor after the verdict is rendered.

Edited by annabelle, 16 March 2012 - 06:32 PM.

[Kim Shook]

He completely creeps me out. I can't even watch the commercials. Though, Mr. Kim says it's good to see the MC from The Weakest Link finally got another gig.

[Tri2Cook]

Listen, you hapless douchebag...

I remember that microwave cake from last season and thought it was interesting, but dude! Not on Ron's show on tv! I knew Ron was going to drop the axe on him as soon as he sneered "You microwaved me a cake?!

My favorite cring-worthy episode from last season was the guy who hacked up a Bonzai tree to garnish his dessert. I watched through my fingers as Ron told him he was disrespectful.

This show would be improved by trap-doors in the floor after the verdict is rendered.

I agree, bad idea under the circumstances. Particularly when the challenge was titled "baked". The "I'll marinate the jelly beans in the hot sauce, chop up the bonzai tree and sprinkle it all on a pie during the frozen dessert challenge" guy almost caused me to not watch further episodes. I was thinking "if this is the caliber of contestants...".

[Jaymes]

First round of three, the ingredients are: strawberry toaster pastries and pepitas.

I've watched several episodes and do find it entertaining. In this episode, I particularly liked the fact that these high-falutin' professional pastry chefs were undone by the most plebeian of truths: you have to toast those poptarts, dude; and (in another episode), I told you for a reason that redhots turn into unchewable rocks when frozen.

But the bottom line for me is that I don't feel emotionally attached to the show, so it's easy to skip if I'm busy. I just personally prefer the cooking contest shows where the same cheftestants return until one finally prevails. For me, anyway, getting to know them, and to root for or against them, is emotionally satisfying, and most of the fun.

Edited by Jaymes, 17 March 2012 - 09:58 AM.

[annabelle]

It is amazing how many of the winners are either self-taught or work in their own shops and end up waxing the floor with the pros or my least favorite contestant from last season, the molecular biologist with the snarky attitude who got kicked to the curb by a homecook (I think).

I know this show is not to everyone's tastes and it is easy to skip. Plus, it's in heavy rotation so you can always watch it later!

I like it because it reminds me of the original Iron Chef Japanese version that I used to watch with my kids when we were vacationing at the shore. We'd spend days calling each other "Fukai-san!" (always with an exclaimation point, of course) and yelling "Allez cuisine!" when it was time to cook supper. Yeah, we're a little weird that way.

[ErinM]

He completely creeps me out. I can't even watch the commercials. Though, Mr. Kim says it's good to see the MC from The Weakest Link finally got another gig.

I always get the feeling he is try to channel Gene Wilder's and Johnny Depp's Willie Wonka character.


At the same time.

[Zeemanb]

He completely creeps me out. I can't even watch the commercials. Though, Mr. Kim says it's good to see the MC from The Weakest Link finally got another gig.

I always get the feeling he is try to channel Gene Wilder's and Johnny Depp's Willie Wonka character.


At the same time.

My wife goes "So I guess we know who's going to get the lead in the next Human Centipede film". I guess she'd have a point if pure mirth was the main ingredient in THAT franchise.

[gfweb]

Mini-me.

Uber-creepy in a gentle way.