NapaRover

I really think there is food "instruction" and food "entertainment". Ina for example plainly admits shes not a "chef", trained etc. but a home cook. I throughly enjoy watching her shows, but I watch them for inspiration, certainly not technique. I also think many many folks (and I watch friends like this at my house) who get so tied up in technique that they miss the *taste*.... Ive perfected my pizza at home which is ALL about technique, but most of my cooking personally is instictual...not trained. I really think its "food porn" entertainment. People really watch for entertainment and inspiration, not necessarily technique or recipe....but I could be wrong. Im jaded <G>.

While i respect him for past accomplishments, sounds like another trainwreck of a show! ouch. Good luck with that one.

I agree...throughly enjoyable. While I do think ABs sthick can get a bit old, this was a well thought out, well produced travel show. Given how the FoodNetwork has been moving quickly out of "instruction" and into entertainment with talking bobbleheads, it was reassuring to see some actual knowlegable content via AB. Good job..keep it up!..oh yeah, and come to Napa!

as noted, $2/3 buck chuck is (one of hundreds) of brands the began as the glut of california juice exploded on the market a few years ago. Fred Franzia (franzia box wine etc) and owner of bronco wine group is simply packing extra juice and selling it (for a profit!) to TJs. He provides them and a few others with many "house" brands....as do most larger producers. He had been in the news a lot a while ago with the courts about using the "Napa" appelation on some of his wines...the usual "what % of actual wine in the mix has to be napa before it cant be labeled Napa". The stories of how the brand evloved are urban myth. If you have has had dealings with wineries and producers in the economics of a bottle of wine (at the mass market/distrubition level)...the cost to produce the actual wine is minimal....i.e. a $2 bottle and a $12 bottle, both cost $1.25 or so for the juice...the rest is packaging, marketing, warehousing, distrubution and "brand preference" (figures are not literal but the idea is). Ive seen cost breakdowns on a range of $10 wine and $100 wine from the same producer/brand, and cost of juice etc was not significantly different. Im not commenting on quality (Shaw is swill to me!), but just thought I'd share some experience on the marketing and economics of what most mass distributed wine is about. Small productoin, small lots, estate grown, thats a whole other story.

wow. this has been a fascinating read. Carylyn, I did just the opposite...after a decade and half in SF, im now in napa (as of a few months anyway)...yeah, I dyingly miss good ethnic....in throughly enjoying revisiting SF places through anothers persons POV. On the subject of noodles, I actually love Iroha - sister restaurant to Mifume...I think better food..or just different anyway. Its outside the mall...upstairs near the Dennys in that outside courtyard. Their shoyu ramen is reallly great....the gyoza though taste and look like trader joes...but its fun, filling, good broth and cheap!. Keep up the postings (and point me to any ANY good chinese and thai in Napa!).

Its going to be interesting to see how this develops...both AdHoc (which I think is a great idea...there is a huge need for simple, no reservations comfort food beyond Houstons/Rutherford Grill), and the burger joint. Im very curious how upscale/gourmet the burger place will be....i.e. competition for Taylors crowd or more akin to Hubert Kellers Burger Bar (fois gras etc) in Las Vegas...hopefully on the more casual inexpensive side. Seeing what is happening in Yountville lately though, im doubtful..in any event, its sure to be good. I for one would vote to keep it going as AdHoc...its a 5 min drive from my house, and im craving good fried chicken!