Angela Alaimo

Michael, I wrote to PBS/Cooking Under Fire. And to prove it, here's the note: << I can't believe it! THREE WEEKS go by and not only have we missed the Terrine Episode you are touting on your web site, what are the chances of us ever seeing it? I am unable to comprehend why you would imagine that people who contribute during your tedious Pledge Drives wouldn't find this program to their liking. You seem to be of the impression all the Donors care to watch is old shows of dead people singing (I'm sorry, Ella, but you have to admit, dead is dead). We considered watching one of the shows you pre-empted Cooking Under Fire with, but shut it off in protest. Please understand, due to the dumbing-down and turn towards idiocy of a certain cable channel that purports to be about food, PBS is now the only real choice for those of us who enjoy programs regarding food and cooking. When you are so cavelier about your food programs, tossing them aside in order to put on something else, you are alienating a large group of intelligent, creative, and sometimes even well-off citizenry. And whether we donate or not, our tax dollars are just as leafy green and bankable as anyone else's. Angela R. Alaimo << Dang. I think I misspelled a word. The print was around #1.5 size font and almost unreadable, so forgive me.

You know, I think I'll do just that. PBS/Channel 13 has become so retarded lately that I am at the point where I no longer get my hopes up too high when it comes to actually being able to watch something I want and at the time I expect. Should I tell the children Yannick got the axe/pan? Or hope Ch. 13 deigns to allow us peons to see it later? I'll tell them. Thanks. Angela

Did anyone suffer the way we did last night? We ran over to the TV to watch the show, and it wasn't on! A check of the website informed us it won't be on for the Next TWO Weeks! This is NYC's channel 13--I thought perhaps it was Pledge Time, but to tell the truth, it seems every time I turn the station on they are begging for money. I am tempted to phone in and say, "Well, if you hadn't taken the show away, I might have made a donation.", and hang up. So now the question is, do those of us who watch Ch. 13 miss the next two episodes, or will our station pick up where it left off? Angela

The children were sorry to see Russell go, but after he set the stove on fire and let someone else (Ming) put it out, and was working on a pile of filth at his station it wasn't hard to see why he had to go. We are cheering for Katy, as she's from Kentucky and she seems ready and able to open a can of whup-ass whenever necessary. Did everyone notice Yannick's sunglasses were gone? And Katsuji managed to keep his big mouth shut. He might make it thru another episode. Angela

Gosh, I almost licked the computer screen when I got to the pig picture! My, oh my. I am going to have to go here--it's not all that far from us. Wish it was about two miles away, obviously. Angela

He's teaching Asia in K-1 currently, so unless he went and came back, I'd say the answer is no. Coming from a background in psychology, I spend a lot of time observing people and how they act. In my group there's a wide berth of personalities -- lots of bright eyed kids who want to work with TK and DB and all the rest; kids who always have to mention that they worked in a classical french restaurant since they were 14 (yet can't tourne worth a fudge); and the kids who only seem to know how to say "yes, chef! no, chef! I'm sorry, chef". It's all a matter of time before they get "broken", and the real test is whether they keep going even after they realize what they're getting into. ← Thanks, turkeybone. I'd always wondered what he was doing, without resorting to hunting him down on the Internet like some kind of stalker. The one time I was there I did meet Chef Coppedge, and he gave us still-warm brioch for a snackie. My son's cooking class, who I went with, were in awe.

My copy is incredibly Unpristine, but I like it that way. Hey, did Chef Pardus ever realise his dream and go teach in California? Angela

I've heard they're letting all kinds into that place these days.

Well, the jackets are quite spiffy and make the three of you look like incredibly intimidating, wooden, great white lummoxes....lummoxi? At least there is a program on prime time that has actual cooking on it, as opposed to how to wrap a Tootsie Roll or make a Philly cheese steak from Steak Um or how many hot dogs Al Roker can eat since he got his stomach stapled. PS: Duke sucks. Angela

The thing to do is play the Rachel Ray Drinking Game! Any time she calls out one of the numerous phrases we have identified as overdone and oft-repeated, you drink! Hey, it would certainly dull the pain somewhat. And if you include all the wild hand gestures she makes, you'd be a happy camper by the third commercial break. Angela

You know what? The last paragraph of Making of a Chef makes me cry every single damn time I read it. Makes me feel like a sap and I really don't care if anyone else understands or not, because I get it. So I am glad you got the chance and your books were published, because I enjoy them immensely. And you should know there was a Chef Coppedge incident the one time I went up to the CIA with my son's cooking class, and it was all your fault. Angela

If Michael wins he should have the boys from American Chopper build him a commemorative bike to go with the leather pants. PS: Michael, you actually wear leather chaps when riding the bike, so don't confuse the two. Angela

And so the act of putting the already-prepped food in a box yourself, rather than picking up a box someone else has already put the already-prepped food into, makes the customer "feel good"? As if they've actually done something? This is amazing. Where do I sign up to open my own franchise? Angela

Hi Liz, I read the article in the paper yesterday, and I don't understand something--you mix up the food there and then take it home to cook? Is it just an entree, are there sides? Ok, more than one thing I don't understand. It seems that if this is popular enough, I'd open one rather than use one. Angela

I had some once because I didn't know what they were. They weren't particularly good or bad. Probably the only reason I would eat them again is that's all there was left on the face of the earth to eat. Angela

Some extremely fresh, crispy, perfectly-baked......Cheez-Its! Sooo good, I think I'll have a few more. Some things are just like that. Angela

I was dragged to one of these parties by my sister-in-law, and to tell the truth, I liked the stuff better than the other party attendees. I truly believe they were there merely to spend money, and it could have been a rusty hub cap party, as long as they could get some more stuff to add to their pile. I felt as if I were the only one there who really liked to cook, because I like to eat, not because that means I can buy lots of gadgets. SIL has bought tons of their items, and pretty much never uses any of it. I wanted a cookie press and so bought it from PC, as I was tryingto be a good party girl. It didn't work, was crap, really, and so I gave it to SIL to add to her pile of un used PC stuff. So I reckon if I could get the stuff without having to go to the party, I would be more amenable. Of course, everyone's mileage may vary, as it would depend upon whom you are partying with! Angela

One of my boys and I are thinking of taking a stopwatch and timing how long it actually takes to say, peel a carrot, chop some celery, a few potatoes, and on and on, and see how much time you are actually saving by eating garbage. I made some biscotti today (OMG!) and the hardest, most time-consuming part was waiting for the butter to come to room-temperature, because I sort of forgot about that...sort of...just a little. When it comes to food, I think the US needs a little less Technology and a lot more Love. Angela

Daddy A--I've got good news! I spoke to SIL this earlier this evening and she said she loved my roasted brussels sprouts. I think we've got something of a breakthrough here, and my Christmas dinner will be ok. It will be wonderful just for the fact that my oldest boy will be home from university and we will cook together. I found a story in Fine Cooking about dry-aging a prime rib, and he'll probably want to do that. He's a serious carnivore. Angela

Hathor--I was once was the groom of a race horse named Plutarch--I will drizzle your Cheerious anytime. The three (or four) of us can't be wrong, eh? Angela

The axiom of Live to Eat or Eat to Live applies in this circumstance. Those who Live to Eat Just Say No to mediocrity, and will do what's necessary to do so. I (unfortunately) live in an area that fancies itself very High Falootin'--from what I can tell of the changes that have happened in the local Grocery to accomodate these dilettantes means there is less room on the shelf, etc. for what I am looking for. There's lots more of them than there are of me. Thankfully, and let us all say an often and regular prayer for my boy, my Butcher, Joe Belle, who is in a chain grocery store yet runs a real butcher shop where the boys and girls are wearing bloodied aprons and the ground meat is is fresh daily and I give thanks that I get this kind of service from a creepy grocery store. Huzzah! What I am saying, in order to remain on-topic--Yes, the Dumbing Down continues, but love and support the places you can find that are Above and Beyond. I have seen the Internet go from Intellectual to Ignorant, and back to at least wanting a measure of Intellectual again. Keep the Faith. Angela

Forgive me but...What do you think would happen if I made a cream of mushroom soup and drizzled a little white truffle oil over each serving? I have some, btw. Angela

make it fresh and don't compromise. did he like your homemade creamed spinach? ← Yes, he did. He said it tasted "really spinachy", unlike the boxed version. Angela ← well there ya go. as i said, my broccoli casserole with real live cheese sauce was a big hit with the campbell's soup crowd. my simple sausage stuffing is a big hit with the stove top crowd too. so familiar foods done from scratch do work. ← Hey, you just reminded me! They all *love* the stuffing I make (actually it's dressing, cooked separately), and request it every year. I have to agree, it's the best I've ever tasted. Another little snackie to make for Christmas came to mind yesterday--gougeres. I could just say they're fluffy cheese balls and that should get them to at least have a bite, eh? Angela

make it fresh and don't compromise. did he like your homemade creamed spinach? ← Yes, he did. He said it tasted "really spinachy", unlike the boxed version. Angela

Thank you all for your insights. You have to know, however, that these are all my husband's relatives--which means I have no idea what they would call Comfort Food. And when I ask what they would like, I either get "Oh, anything you make is good!", or no reply at all. Saturday broke some new ground, though! I made the Les Halles beef bourguignon (and Tater Tots ), and asked DH, "Would you like me to make some creamed spinich?" He says, "Do we have a box of it in the freezer?" I sez, "I was going to make it with real spinach and real cream." Silence. "Oh, ok." Now his mom has often made creamed spinach for holiday meals, and since he told me my creamed spinach tasted a lot different than any he's ever had before, it seems that we revealed Mom was using the frozen stuff. Of course, this creats a new dilemma--creamed spinach would fit the criteria of comfort/traditional/appropriate, but do you make it fresh, or from a box? We enjoyed our brined turkey last night. The boys are now happy. PS: I like the idea of getting them likkered up the best. LOL. And Robyn, cheese goes with everything! Angela