hsm

I like watching people do the same thing I do. But better. Much better. So I'm not only entertained, I'm informed. Or taught. And often, delighted. But then, I grew up watching Julia, Jacques and the Frug. The Food Network was a great idea - and offered some compelling television. (Remembering the early days of Iron Chef ) But that was before the cheapo food-o-mentaries. Give me PBS anyday.

Some of the imaginative and whimsical service pieces just made me smile. Congratulations to the team for their creativity and sensitivity in experimenting to find these unique combinations of new tastes and new ways to present them. And thank you to everyone involved for this very special window on the entire project.

Tears must like company. I, too, treasure meeting her at a book signing many years ago. I've met celebrities, but no one has ever had me in awe like she did. Warm, gracious, funny, and not just a little pleased to see the very long line of women and men, young and old, waiting to meet her. Tomorrow night, we'll be making a 50th birthday dinner for a friend at a cooking school. Toasts will be made. And at least one of them will be to Julia. For so much.

Cheese. Please.

VERY nicely done, Rachel. I'm looking forward to Part 2. It sounds like Ted is getting his hands around evolving his segment to best meet the needs of his guys, still be entertaining, and give useful ideas to viewers. It's quite the hat trick, but my $'s on Ted to pull it off. (Perhaps with more 3 ingredient dishes like the Thankgiving side and forgive me, involving a, uh, product placement without involving some dreaded Sandra Lee rip-off.)

Thank you, Seth! Just got back from the bookshelf and can't figure out how I'd missed this one! Good news for company coming over the holidays! Yes, Francis, the Brittany crepe and bowl of cider is a great taste memory - we had talked about starting up a hole-in-the-wall to serve it here in Chicago

I'm sure that's true, which is a good thing, of course, no kidding. Reminds me of the way-back discussion from an agency guy about Aspertame - claimed he'd studied the molecule and it was harmless. Meanwhile, a girlfriend's doctor tracked her sudden spike in BP to her spike in # of Diet Cokes consumed. Besides, none of this stuff tastes any good! Sweet Frikadella...

In a former life, I had associations with a company that manufactured chips featuring olestra. The first alarming note was sounded when the plans came down to move the listing of olestra from the front of the package to the back. Why alarming? Because while not everyone has/will have a bad reaction to this product, some will. And I believe those people have the right to be made aware that olestra is an ingredient. So while I also believe in personal responsibility and the need to read labels, I've got another reason to be afraid of another arm of the government cozying up to an industry at the expense of consumers. But that's just me.

Fun piece, Francis. <sigh> Remembering our favorite creperie on Ile St. Louis that introduced us to hard cider with Brittany-style crepes (yes! Gruyere, jambon et sunnyside up egg;-) And thanks to those who walked us down the Magic Pan memory lane. There were a couple in the Detroit area, too. I remember liking the sweet stuff best - before the taste buds developed their taste for the savory. Time to get out the buckwheat flour and the crepe pan. And the nutella! But not all at once.

really really crappy frozen-long-time crab i'm guessing. Confession: had the crab legs at Red Lobster around 20 years ago (haven't been back since). As we were leaving the place, the hostess inquired how we liked our meal. I mentioned, nicely, I thought, that the crab legs were a little salty (they were awful - and salty). She smiled sweetly and assured me 'that's how they're supposed to be.' H-now with a new Red Lobster 3 blocks away, but luckily, Joe's Stone Crab a few blocks more

I'm not saying this is it, but the 4+ hour recipe I got almost 25 years ago from my friend's Sicilian grandma (olive oil, garlic, 3 kinds of canned tomato product - sauce, puree and paste, wine, sugar, browned ribs and meatballs) included a couple of bay leaves. Onion, oregano and basil were reserved for the meatballs. Different villages - different families - different cooks. It's all good. Good luck recovering those memories.

I'd be interested in what you learn. Although I hadn't heard the date connection before, the idea of eradicating enemies is included in many of the prayers of the season. (Along with the one my 'usual suspects' use hoping I won't be tempted to change the usual matzoh ball soup/brisket/roast potatoes/roast vegetables menu. <sigh> At least I get to vary any 'before we sit down' food.)

Made me want a Xanax. Couldn't decide if it was the Survivoresque Burnett-style editing, the fact that no staff went to the hospital with Gideon - although for a second it looked like Rocco got the concept of liability and was going to be the escort (until the shot of he and Mama doing the Happy Dance), the whining about the working hours, or, thank you Tommy, the 3 things every hostess should know. Same time next week? Olive Garden, indeed. Did I hear a mention of a brand name that isn't a sponsor???

Our f[r]iends at Comcast in Chicago air infomercials from 4 am til 8:30 am on FTV. AT&T did the same before them. Might be the network's free time (going out for drinks and smokes).

Be still my heart. This looks a lot like the blood orange Orangiana Rouge we find in France! I'll be on the lookout in Chicago - Whole Foods or TI, Fox & Obel and L'Appetito (who all carry flavors of SP). If anyone sees it anywhere else around here....YUM! Thanks, Jason!

WHACK. Her knife chopped down hard and the crab claw didn't stand a chance. She stared at the white flaky meat now laying atop a splattering of hard shell and as the aroma of the sea wafted up to her nostrils, her thoughts turned to him. Leave me for some 20-something starving starlet, will you, my foodie-trendy-follower-of-the-moment Hollywood producer-husband? Well, I'm going to make you the meal of your about-to-be-shortened life. (Abominable or just plain crappy? )

Mathew, Food TV (generally) has come a long way since Julia Child occasionally dropped a chicken on the floor when no one was looking. Now, besides PBS and TFN, even The History Channel is airing food-related programming. Do you see more outlets for food and cooking related shows opening up? Or do you think this wave has peaked? (And if it's still on the upswing, what's next?) Thank you for your time here!

But closed the last time I went by

We always loved the duck - anyway they made it. I emailed a friend who owns a hotel in the neighborhood and was friendly with the brothers. She wrote back to say that "Petit Marguery is under new ownership but nothing has really changed although I have been back just once since the new guy took over." Last time we were there, we ended up joking with 2 of the freres Cousin about, what was to me, the 'secret ingredient' in their scrumptious coq au vin. It's the coq blood alright, or as we called it *very nouveau beaujolais I'll miss them - since one of the brothers ran the kitchen, it's hard to say that no changes will take place over time. If you go, please let us know what you think - I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip no matter where you go! Hilary

My FTV press kit is a couple of years old now but their key viewership at that time was, unsurprisingly, yer affluent 25-54 adults - and the 18-24 group was under 5% of their audience. Then, the new regime at Scripps was promising more 'interesting' and 'adventurous' shows about loving food (all of their personalities proclaim their love of food!). Now on the good side, that got Bourdain's passport stamped. Course, it also took Ming out of his kitchen and sent him off chasing ostriches. I still enjoy some shows, but agree with others that some are overproduced - e.g. 4 me: Mario Eats Italy. I'm crazy for Molto Mario and I love Italy: But I can barely watch the good stuff for the hokey, jokey material. The new network 'model' seems to be TLC - find a 'star' like Trading Places and build around it. Well, Emeril is no longer the hottie and I fear someone's new strategy is derivative of the worst sort. What else is Date Plate but Elimidate with food? Maybe we could send them some better borrowed ideas? Say, a food version of the McGlaughlin (sp?) Group with FG surrounded by Pepin, Bourdain, and 2 more of your choice. h

If you're in Chicago, I'd like to suggest a trek to JoyYee in Chinatown (a long way from Trio in many ways;-). First rate ripe mango (both pureed and diced) is the main ingredient in their Mango Coconut Green Jelly Tea. Yum. With a few bubbles Also highly recommended by the friend who introduced me to the restaurant - the Taro with tapioca freeze. JoyYee's drinks are similar, he says, to Halo-Halo, a dessert in his native Philippines, usually consisting of local fruits like langka, jack fruit and other sweet things over or under shaved ice. And then topped off with a drizzle of yet another sweet liquid.

In the interest of doing other things (ok, hanging here), I'd been trying to limit FN to Alton, Bourdain, Mario, a bit of Sara, and the Iron Chef, although IC seemed to be in a rerun mode/loop reminiscent of an old Twilight Zone episode. Then Mom came to visit. Mom, who doesn't have FN at home. She's hooked! And it's on all the time. Yikes. Maybe they could send Rachael Ray to whatever broadcast finishing school Ming Tsai went to - if only to learn some new adjectives and just a tidbit of irony - to lose the surprise act when she's invited back to the kitchens on $40, uh, she and her camera crew. And it seems cheap to add to the Emeril dumping pile, but since this is just my $.02 - geez, dude, you need some rest. Talk about endless loop nightmares, 'bam' and 'notch' weren't bad enough, but every time I look up at him, he's got the head lowered, eyes up at ya, wiggling eyebrow at camera. Stop it. And half the food doesn't even make sense. OTOH, I'm lovin' Tyler. And while I'm no baker, the wonderful Gale Gand's show looks go-od (I was fortunate enough to have a dessert tasting at Tru and then meet her at a book signing - she is a really pleasant person, and these days, that's no small feat). Re: Ultimate Kitchens - hey, does loving to look in other people's kitchens make me a voyeur? If cooking shows are food porn, what the heck is that?

I've heard so many descriptions of the 'secret' of Italian cuisine - the majority of which talk about time-honored techniques coaxing the goodness (taste) from the freshest ingredients. I was wondering what you think the difference is between the same dish prepared in say, Rome or New York (e.g., artichokes), Sorrento or San Francisco (e.g., fish)? Thank you very much for your participation here, I look forward to reading your replies.