cathrynapple

Actually, there was a point in my life when I received food stamps. I got 98 dollars a month. And I was earning minimum wage and working 38 hours a week. Others I've spoken to have had similar amounts per person.

Bobby Flay ALWAYS makes the same stuff. Obviously I can't taste it, but his challengers' meals usually look more interesting and appealing. Who knows? maybe flay's grilled steaks are outstanding in flavor. I can't see how he keeps winning with such a limited range of dishes, though. I think Karinne usually does a good job?

I'm actually donating mine, because I don't like the idea of that former tax money going right back to heads of corporations who already get tax breaks! If I spend the money on something frivolous, I'm pretty much handing it over to the rich, which I suppose was G.W.'s plan all along, right? I'll be donating it to a local meal program that provides food for low income families in my community. So yes, it's food related.

None of us will suffer from this. Sadly, it's the people who need it most that will probably go without.

Antonio also openly mocked the challenge and rolled her eyes repeatedly in her comments. She didn't take her task seriously at all. I dislike Lisa a lot more, but I think she m ight be a better chef than Antonia. I dont' even remember anything Antonia's made on the show. I'm eager to see more of Stephanie's dishes as the show goes on. She's great, and I want her to get teh credit she deserves! The commeneter who said she does well in single challenges is absolutely right. I think she's probably too nice to disagree with a nyone.

Oh my goodness, Magnums! I haven't had a Magnum ice cream since the last time I went back "home" and now I'm craving one.

I smell a Red Lobster! I also love those biscuits.

Yeah, that stupid young guy was like, "the Greek fritters in Greece I've had have never been mushy" and argued with the Indian woman. Not that there's anythign inherently wrong with that, but she's most definitely an international food critic and he was very rude to her.

Eh, he didn't fair so well against Flay. Bobby F. did his same-old same-old stuff, but executed it well. The judges had a lot of criticism for both of them, but were very picky witht he challenger. Flay won by about twelve points or so. Saddest part: Battle ends, and the challenger's little daughter said, from the audience, "did Daddy win?" Mom replies that they don't know yet, and then her Daddy has to lose terribly. I hope the child wasn't too upset. Poor thing.

You are correct.

On previous seasons, peopel have always been dissed during judging for making "just a salad" or whathaveyou. I would have turned down the soup idea for that reason alone.

Port Salut is my official favorite cheese. It's mostly a textual thing for me. A new tiny cheese shop has opened in my town! I went and they mostly sell cheese made at Fair Oaks Farms. THese were things like cheddar, swiss, havarti, cheese curds, and some herbed cheeses and wine-flavored cheeses. Luckily, the adorable old man who owns the place keeps some more interesing stuff in a separate cooler. He had some Penazul, which is a Spanish blue wrapped in grape leaves. Absolutely lovely, and so PRETTY.

I still don't understand why, during the fight, Dale randomly insulted Zoe's girlfriend. (I'm sorry, I can't remember her name right now.) It must have been the editing, because the group of us watchign were all like, "huh? why did he say that?"

Morbier du Haut Libradoisa. I am completely inexperienced with cheeses, mostly due to the lack of selection in our town. I found this one and hadn't seen it before, so I bought a chunk. The rind is REALLY smelly. I feel absurdly stupid saying this, but it almost smelled like rotten meat and I was not feeling confident when tasting it. I also forgot to refrigerate it overnight. (it was sealed in thick plastic ) I don't know if this would affect the cheese? I liked it quite a bit, but it was just NOT a smell I was expecting. Not in any way a cheesey smell. It was more like a rotting meat smell. Any thoughts?

Ina Garten's cheddar dill scones I substitute whatever herb I have on hand. If you follow the directions, they're always light and flaky.

Uh, to me it seems that more people are speaking out AGAINST making things more humane in this thread. And this I cannot fathom.

I made some creme fraiche at home using cream and buttermilk as a starter. (as per instructions i found in various places.) I tried it again using yogurt to start it. It always just tasted like sour cream. Would most people use the same ingredients and method to make either one? (I live in a town where only one place sells creme fraiche, and it's always expired in their case.)

Uh, my response was to wisconole, to clarify.

Well, how do YOU know? The studies found have been inconclusive. Do you have inside information?

I seem to remember first season people taking shots and drinking wine after challenges. We have to assume that most of them would rather be drinking somethign nice or at least a glass of wine as opposed to cheap beer, so it must be deliberately placed. Or mayber they've stocked the fridge with nothign but.

I've seen and heard a lot of people tease about molecular gastronomy and strange flavor combinations and formalist cooking. Dale, Andrew and Richard's dish was postmodern and creative. Formalist cooking involves the essences of food...it's akin to pieces by artists like DuChamp, Kapoor, and Laib. ( representing, say, "appleness" instead of "apple," in which case the appleness is more emotionally and socially relevant than the apple itself, and can bring about nostalgia and associations, etc.) The progression from formalism to food is a natural one, I think. People are buying and eating art that, if not edible, they would not necessarily feel a connection to. Richard seems to have somewhat of a grasp of this concept, though his repeated smoking/ seran wrap projects have made me roll my eyes.

Although there isn't a way for at home cooks to accurately judge the level of an animal's suffering while cooking it at home, is there a reason not to take a five minute measure on the chance that it may improve the situation? I guess I'm confused about the hostility towards taking these measures (freezer, head chopping, etc.) if they might help. Are those of us who put the lobster in the freezer beforehand idiot? Are those of us who buy factory farmed pork idiots? (there is a thread about that, too.)

The internet is at your fingertips! The one with almonds sounds good.

A better question may be "do animals suffer?" instead of "do animals feel pain?" To be more humane, many people put their lobsters to sleep in the freezer before cooking them live. I don't think most people. want to cause unnecessary suffering. There seem to be a few who take pride in being willing to be unnecessarily barbaric, though.

Yeah, all of there movie choices were so lame. There are so many beautiful films with great food ideas in them. And the last course? They could've done a chile and bitter chocolate thing and made it really sexy and spicy. Instead there was no dessert and bland lamb.