Shannon_Elise

I think all the talk about her being sexy (right!) was what did her in for me... but she brought that on herself, wearing a bikini in her audition video... yuck! ← I know - and if I'm not mistaken - she was wearing high heels in that bikini shot! Can anyone confirm that for me? u.e. ← You mean you don't cook in your bikini and high heels? How else do I explain the cookie sheet burn I have on my tummy (running in the house from laying out). Since I don't have cable, I don't think I will be asking my parents to TiVo Guy's new show. I've become supremely content and spoiled by PBS's people who actually are chefs first, "stars" second (or never at all). Shannon

I'm definitely going to take a lot of pictures, but no one can make fun of my 35 mm dinosaur of a camera. I'm resisting digital as much as I can, but hell, even my camera phone takes great photos, so one of these days... I'll be in for the three days and two nights, I can't wait! Shannon

Shrimp Crackers My mother bought them once for me when we lived in Japan when I was a kid because I liked the pink package. 15 years later and I make trips all the time to the Japanese Market in Columbus for these things. They gross everyone else out, but I love them. Shannon

Like someone said before, I'm not sure if I replied to this in the past or not. Love: Bourdain - brash, truthful, and credible (a big thing in my book). Watching him turned me on to offal and the lovely, beautiful Fergus Henderson. Without Bourdain, I might never have tasted livers, sweetbreads, or other organs. Okay and so I have a huge crush too. He could feed me fermented shark fin anytime. Bayless - reminds me of the "White Rabbit" from Alice in Wonderland. I've learned more about mexican food from his PBS show than I ever thought possible. Now, without a knowledge of Spanish, I can go into a Mexican restaurant and recognize the names and know what the contents likely are of many of the dishes. Florence - for a purely aesthetic reason (although what he makes doesn't usually look half bad). And he had a couple of Thanksgiving recipes in an old issue of Gourmet that were pretty good. Chiarello- great tips (though I'm scared to put a pinch of Vitamin C in my pesto). And I love when he does a "cook off" with Jan (from New Orleans). He is enthusiastic without being annoying. Kimball - and the rest of the "From America's Test Kitchen" gang. So nerdy, at times too nerdy, makes me feel cool - plus I'm a science nerd at heart. Which brings me to... Brown - Alton's schtick can go a little to far sometimes, but I loved "Bill Nye, the Science Guy" growing up and his show is like an extension of that. That said, I don't like his cookbooks too much, but I love the culinary history of a dish in his show and any time Shirley Corriher shows up on screen in an awesome moment. I'm indifferent about: Rachael Ray - without her show, my sister might never have started cooking from scratch and my niece and nephew might not have wanted to help out in the kitchen. She made many of the things previously thought of by my sister as "too difficult" easier. Granted, she is not my cup of tea (or shot of Jaeger), but she has her audience and I respect that. Giada - I can take her or leave her. Can't stand her cookbooks. Paula - entertaining, but can get on my nerves. I don't think I've ever made a single one of her recipes and I have no desire to visit The Lady and Sons. Dislikes: Ina- pretentious, her fake laugh gets on my nerves. And her amount of butter, sugar and sour cream rivals that of Paula Deen - and she has nowhere near the likability. Emeril - I have some of the same things to say about him as Rachael. He's getting people to try things they might not otherwise try...but even my sister go sick of his schtick. Sandra Lee- Who makes (okay opens the bottle of Prego and adds jarred minced garlic) tomato sauce in a white Juicy Couture velour jump suit? She's an assembler, not a cook. Covering a store bought angel food cake in whipped topping and canned mandarin oranges does not a dessert make. But sometimes I sit and watch, it's like a train wreck you can't look away from. Plus she looks like a reject from "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Shannon (I just realized that all the ones I like are males, I think this means I need to find a single chef to hook up with. Wait, wait, I do like Martha Stewart, but then again, that is a chick with some balls).

I'm 23, live by myself, and own over 200 cookbooks. Most of what I cook though ends up at the office (a newspaper lunch room + food = no need to eat leftovers). I love the French Laundry Cookbook and have made a lot from it (Yabba Dabba Do, the short ribs, the "Strawberry Short Cake" and all the stocks and the all-purpose red wine marinade). The only book I would say that is utterly useless to me? The Big Book of Tofu. Nuf' said. Shannon

My favorite meal in Vienna was at a Wurstelstand down the street from the Hapsburg palace. Standing up eating a great sausage with mustard, semmel, and a beer with a bunch of Viennese construction workers in overalls - all the food on glass plates and no plastic forks in sight - it was awesome (all the while the tourists were trying to pack themselves into Demel). And I also highly recommend visiting a heuringen, not only is the food usually pretty good, the atmosphere is great as well (think accordians and drunk musicians). I also ate at the Donauturm (sort of like Vienna's answer to the space needle). The food was good, not great, but the atmosphere was awesome (a soccer game was being played that night and we could see the stadium lit up). I want to go back again soon. In fact, I would love to live there. The city is just wonderful - visit Naschmarkt if you get the chance. Shannon

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks it has hints of cucumber in it. Kind of like cucumber-flavored bubble gum. I was hoping to like this, since I hate Red Bull. Maybe it'll taste better mixed with vodka (what doesn't?). Shannon

This has happened several times: I order and choose the bottle of wine and the server or wine steward presents the bottle to my date and gives them the pre-taste. Excuse me, I'm the one who ordered and chose it, I should be the one it is presented to for approval. I may be 23, and a female, but I'm not an idiot. Not such a problem now (single!) but still, if I go on a date and I pick the wine, let me have the freakin' cork on my side! There are several restaurants here in Columbus in which the tables are so tight together that you cannot have two people with their backs to eachother get up at the same time... and at those same places the noise is unbearable. Also, I have to watch out for cilantro in food (can't eat it, as much as I wish I could), and a server should know what are the herbs used in the dishes they are serving. The worst is when you ask a question only to get the blank "I don't know shit" stare. Has anyone ever corrected a server's pronunciation? There are so many times I've wanted to do that (Brew-shetta, and a fouled-up version of coq au vin, and a super weird version of kirsch). The "do you need change" also gets me when it is super-obvious (like someone said before, the $50 on a $20 bill). Once I was so frustrated I said, "The service wasn't that good." And this is just a personal pet peeve, but I hate the giant phallic pepper mills and the "would you like fresh cracked pepper." Doesn't the chef know how to season? And who adds pepper before tasting a dish? I know that some people like this, but I can't stand it. At one place here, they carry their giant mills in their back belt loops ( an odd arrangement that I find unsavory). Shannon

Another bagel sin: The Passion Fruit Bagel I was at Panera Bread and this was bought by my grandmother for me - thinking I might like it, I did not choose it. Well, I have a feeling that the person who came up with it doesn't have any idea what either a bagel or a passion fruit are supposed to taste like. It was a solid mass (no hole in the center) and had some sort of sweet, sticky mass exploding from the top. Shannon

Can't eat cilantro, which is a pain because there has been an influx of Mexican immigrants on the Westside of Columbus and the food at these taco carts is great - provided I can tell them to leave out the cilantro (and I don't speak Spanish). Onions, the raw and the cooked. Don't get me wrong. For others I cook withthem, but the sight of a slimy, cooked, diced piece of onion makes me gag. Otherwise, there isn't anything else that I won't try (and probably like). Now, off of egullet, I get "gasps" and "guffaws" when I say that I refuse to eat at the Olive Garden and that their food tastes like it has been frozen and refrozen four times. In central Ohio, that's heresy. It's not about what you wont eat here, its about where you wont eat. Shannon

I can get lost anywhere, so for me the closer the better since I will be making the trip by myself! Thanks for the info. As long as there is a gym (and preferably and indoor pool) at the hotel I will be fine. So it looks like the Best Western for me! I can't wait! Hanging around with a group whose idea of great food isn't Steak and Shake at 3 a.m. (although there is a time and place for that - but it is not everyday of the week). Shannon

Out of the three hotels, which one would be the closest and most convenient? I will be coming by myself and I don't know the area at all. Thanks! Shannon

Stephen's apology did endear him to me a little more. And I am among those who thought it was great that he showed up in a t-shirt and jeans (it looked much better on him than any of those too high on the neck suits). Of the group, who do you think does not have a career in the food industry? If this show was more popular, I would love to see Ken get his ass kicked on "The Surreal Life" by Danny Bonaduce or some other has-been. How about a surgical special on TLC where he gets the stick removed from...... Seems Stephen had that done after the show (at least partially). I hope that I get to eat at the restaurants opened one day by Harold and LeeAnn - really would have liked to seen what she could do in Vegas...but, like they ALL said, "It is what it is" Shannon

Right now I'm finishing up Mostly True: A Memoir of Family, Food and Baseball by Molly O'Neil. Then I get to interview her! I'm so excited. I've talked to Senators and recently had an exclusive with the mayor of Ohio's largest city, but I'm more intimidated by O'Neil than any politician! (I'm editor at a community paper in Columbus, Ohio). The book, while not all about food, is excellent. The description of a young, teenage Molly experimenting with cakes and filling so many fallen holes with icing (which subsequently make the cakes heavy as over ten pounds or so) are so vivid and wonderful. You can see her assembling "crab melts" with bologna. It is a truly wonderful and can definitely satisfy a foodie's want for great description and eloquence in discussing things we eat. I also recently finished "Salt: A World History" and am looking forward to picking up the new one on Cod. Shannon

If Fat Guy comes, would it be too nerdy to bring a copy of his book to have him sign? Shannon

I would love to join you guys! I'll be coming by myself. I need a break from the food-hell that is Columbus. We have a few good places, but considering we are/were a fastfood test market (one of the first in the nation to get the McGriddle)...It will be my early 24th birthday present to myself (August 7). Can't wait!

I believe the same principals apply to brain shrinkage in sorority chicks except that it must be a neon drink with an umbrella. Puerto Rico kicked ass. Unfortunately I had to watch it at my grandmother's house (I'm a poor 23 year old working as an editor at a community newspaper, I make precisely jack ergo no cable) and she was quite grossed out by the pig. I was drooling. The only truly icky thing in that episode was the ass shot of the girl at the counter on the beach when you saw her thong. Other than that, does anyone know where I can find Mofungo in Columbus, Ohio? All we have are fast-food test markets.

Another similartiy between Project Runway and Top Chef: Has anyone seen Stephen? -Tom C. Where's Andre? - Tim G. I just hope no one imagines a Tom/Stephen combo scenerio like Santino did with Andre and Tim!

I don't know if this has been covered in the Vegas forum, but has anyone had the pleasure (displeasure) of having Stephen as your Sommelier? I would love to just so I could see if he is truly that condecending to an actual paying customer. Why oh why did some of them have to fawn over Chowder-head? Granted, his money funds a lot of restaurants, but, does anyone take him seriously after "The Restaurant"? Count me in the group that doesn't understand why Dave is still there - between him and Miguel it is evident that Miguel has the makings of a top contender, while Dave has a great personality to the FOH customer - that doesn't mean he could command the respect of a kitchen. I'll still go with Harold. He can cook for me anytime...dinner and then breakfast. I can't decide about Tiffini. Sometimes I think she's great (her food and creativity) and sometimes I just want to bitch-slap her (her personality is grating). She does seem to have the makings of a Top Chef though and I wouldn't be mad if she won (I would be though if it went to Dave - I would be in tears...and so would he). I saw that next week they bust out the secret ingredient: cake mix. (At least secret from the judges! or an attempt to be secret). Sandra Lee should be a guest judge. Shannon edited for clarity.

Did anyone else notice the strings hanging off of Colin Cowie's fork as he speared a bite of "corn casserole"? Whilst Gael Greene was fawning over it, Cowie was lamenting the "tooth floss" bite he got. Didn't he "rise to fame" via Oprah or something like that? I'm convinced that "Gael Greene" is played by a different NYC Drag Queen each week and it's some kind of secret competition, but then again, no self-respecting drag queen would let their makeup look like its cracking off into said corn casserole. Why is Cat Cora becoming increasingly blonder with each new step down from her chef tower? Or am I imagining something? And what happened to the most obnoxious addition to this show, Sandra Lee? I won't say chef or cook Sandra Lee or even TV personality Sandra Lee (because, after all, you have to have a personality to be considered that ), but she could have had a "boob-off" with Cindy Margolis the other night. Although I doubt even drunken frat boys would have changed the channel at that prospect...then again... Shannon

thanks divalasvegas for pointing out the endearing "easy on the eyes" factor of Harold. At some points in the show, he's been a slight ass, but nothing compared to Stephen - who yes, is also growing on me (if only slightly). But then again, on Project Runway I was a Santino fan from the get go. Although I think if I encountered Stephen in a restaurant I would want to know when he was getting the stick removed from his ass - whereas with Santino, I'd want to know when he could design me a dress. I think Stephen must have gotten beat up a lot in high school - he's carrying around a lot of "I'm better than you and I'm going to go that extra mile to prove it." Harold, though, he so adorable. He can cook for me anytime. The one person that is not growing on me is that awful, awful host. Bet if I was boinkin' Billy Joel, I would have gotten that gig too. Oh well, mortals like me can only dream...wait...anything to do with Billy Joel is a nightmare and having to taste Andrea's food would have killed me. Bring back the Irish guy they kicked off in the beginning! (edited to say: I have not yet seen the April 19 show, its sitting on the TiVo waiting for me)

Better late than never. In searching for a review of this place in which to give my own, I came upon this thread. Up front I will say that I am not in Pennsylvania, but in Columbus, Ohio. We went to the Melting Pot at Easton Towne Center. I am going to presume that since it is a chain, my review will still apply in this forum. Or at least I hope! I resisted this place for a while, mostly because I refuse to spend my own money to cook my own food at a place I just paid about ten bucks in gas to get to. So, new boyfriend's parents come into town and they want to go to "The Melting Pot." Hey, if they want to spend almost $50 bucks a piece (to this poor community newspaper editor, that's a hell of a lot) on dunking food into a pot, then have at it. We arrive at this place and had to walk down two flights of stairs. This place felt like it was in a cellar. Everyone of us practically needed a flashlight to read the menu it was so dark in there. For the four of us, we were seated at a table with only one burner and were flatly refused a request to move to a table with two burners. So it turned out that not just two people had to agree on a fondue, but four people had to agree on one. We ended up doing the least expensive version of "The Big Night Out" at $66 per couple, not including drinks. For the first fondue, we had the Emmenthaler one described above with the kirschwasser - however it bugged the crap out of me the way the waitress butechered the name of the alcohol. You would think that working there for a while as it seemed she had would have taught her how to pronounce it. The apples were crisp, though not particularly flavorful without the cheese, the bread was not bad (but not good either) and the veggies seem to have come out of the salad bar at Meijer's grocery store. The kicker for me was when the waitress set down the apples and said "A lot of people are really shocked to be served apples with cheese!" We must be so behind the times in Columbus if that comes as a shock. It's quite sad really. After 30 minutes and awkward conversation - we moved on to the protein portion of the meal. We had the "Coq au Vin" which was an additional $6 per person and was a mix of chicken broth, red wine, garlic, mushrooms, parsley and a shot of pepper from the waitresses pepper holster she whipped from behind her back. The dunkables were "filet mignon" (which is in quotations because if that beef was filet mignon, then I am the queen of England), raw shrimp, "ahi tuna" in quotations for the same reason as the beef, cajun-spiced chicken, pierogies? and more veggies. The waiter then told you how long to cook your food (2 minutes for some, 1.5 minutes for others). Who actually sits there and times how long each thing is in the boiling pot of liquid? Wouldn't that take away from the impossibly stimulating conversation that you are having over a pot of canned stock and boxed wine? After the meat it was time to move on to the dessert. It tasted like warmed Hershey's syrup. Overall, discounting the food, the experience was worth a thousand stories. Would I go back and pay out of my own poor pocket? Hell no. If someone else offered to pay and I had three hours to kill? Sure, why not. But then, I would only turn down a free meal if it was at Olive Garden. Shannon

In 2006, I will eat less Skittles and more veggies. So that means only one pack of Skittles a day and more than one serving of veggies a day. Not too difficult. I will make a decent pie crust. Even if it kills me. I will find out why I can't make a decent pie crust and remedy that. (See above). I have no problem with puff pastry and croissant dough, but pie crusts hate me. I will learn how to make pate brisee (yet another form of pie/tart dough that I can't make. See above). I will teach my nine-year-old nephew how to make bread. I will read through an entire magazine (Food and Wine, Bon App, Gourmet, Fine Cooking, etc. before purchasing a new one. This is the year I will try offal. Any and all forms. I'm tired of just drooling over Fergus Henderson's book. Now will someone tell me where I can get good offal in Columbus, Ohio! I will taste onions once a month. One of these days I will be able to eat them without gagging. I will use more whole grains. What is it about white rice that I just love??? I will give away the extra cookies and brownies to my new neighbors instead of my parents. They don't need any more sweets and I've teased my neighbors too many times with the baked goods smell wafting through air ducts. I will try to cook more Indian recipes. We will together, instead of me cooking for him and then him cooking for me. My kids are nonexistent. My niece and nephew however will try something new each time they visit me. No fish sticks and chicken nuggets when you eat at Aunt Shannon's place.

My culinary aspirations mimic my Target and Marc Jacobs wardrobe. I make a year what starlets spend on a purse, but could not resist buying a beautiful piece of halibut at the fish market yesterday - which I poached in saffron, white wine and fennel seeds. To go with it? White rice that I purchased for about a dollar from Aldi's. You have to have priorities. I live in the land of the chain restaurant: Columbus, Ohio. If I drive out of my apartment and go down the street, I am bombarded by Applebee's, Hoggy's, Steak and Shake, KFC, Fazoli's, and a stand along Panda Express. Granted in a drunken stupor I recently discovered that Chipotle isn't so bad, but most of the time I beg off dinner with friends because I can't stand to pay $12 for a mediocre meal when I could buy the ingredients for less than half and make it better. Again, it all comes down to priorities and willingness to try new things. A pre-fab soup heated up in a chain restaurant kitchen is not a new thing to try, a recipe in the latest issue of a magazine or decent food section is (and will likely taste ten times better to boot). I own a KitchenAid (handed down), a decent set of cookware, and a load of Fiestaware for dishes (all of which are factory seconds and don't match). My counter top is the home of sesame seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed oil (brought back from Vienna), rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, thai chili paste, red curry paste, kosher salt, and more spices than a single poor girl should have. The pantry above comprises pastas and grains (cheap, yet easy to fix up...kinda like me). The rice and grains are my Target gaucho pants and the oils and fresh meat and produce are my Marc Jacobs jean jacket and shoe collection. Once you put them together, everything looks and feels luxurious. Shannon

Was the cream cheese at room temperature? Or was it cold when you beat it into the beaten butter? If it was cold, that could be a problem. Hope this helps. editing to add: middydd and I must have posted at around the same time!