Feasting on Asphalt II

[HungryC]

Did anyone see the premier episode of Alton Brown's Feasting on Asphalt? He's traveling up the Mississippi, and he started out in Venice. I was a little disappointed that he didn't visit any commercial fishermen, but he made up for it (a little) by hanging out with the guy who owns Big Fisherman uptown. I was also bummed by his visit to Mulate's, and a very weak attempt to distinguish between cajun & creole food. He didn't hit a single poboy joint, either.

[TAPrice]

Did his visit to La Divina not make the cut?

How could he not know that Mulate's was a tourist trap? Even the guidebooks warn you of that.

Edit: In case this is cryptic, Alton visited La Divina Gelateria. I happen to run into him during the taping and the store has a photo posted of the visit.

[HungryC]

The exterior of La Divina made it to the show, but it was not mentioned. It was mostly a filler exterior shot depicting Magazine Street.

[syoung68]

He realized that it was a tourist trap, but they agreed to serve him on the street and he said he was surprised that the food was as good as it was.

I was RAILING that he ate there. Literally yelling at the TV. My wife made me calm down. From there he could have walked to a half dozen better eats. I expected more in New Orleans.

Edited August 6, 2007 by syoung68 (log)

[kristin_71]

So does alligator really taste like chicken? There are some in my family who think I would be crazy enought to try it, and maybe I would, if I didn't know what I was eating at first.....

[syoung68]

It taste like chicken, like frog legs tastes like chicken. Alligator tail meat is white and firm and the texture is sort of like chicken. The deal is that most places you can get it, it is deep fried. If you batter and deep fry things, they "taste like chicken".

I have had it fried, in sauce piquante (a spicy tomato stew), and ground in meat pies. All are good, but I am not out buying gator meat every weekend. My wife (a yankee from Boston) likes it and she is not that adventurous when it come to game. So... Try it. Try everything once.

[TAPrice]

Yeah, the taste is mild. The texture is a little chewy. It can be too chewy if poorly cooked.

[HungryC]

I think the worst way to prepare alligator is fried. It's too easy to overcook and it ends up tasting like batter. It's much better in a sauce piquante or stew or in a mixed sausage. I think it tastes like a combination of fish & chicken...not quite as dense & grainy/fibrous/meaty as chicken, but definitely more textured, with longer muscle fibers than fish.

[Terrasanct]

I saw the episode, and felt bad that there were so many people around that it looked like they were having a hard time shooting the show.

Of course, if I had been there, I would have been watching, too.

[Mild Bill]

I'm enjoying the show VERY much...

[LineDog]

Did anyone see the premier episode of Alton Brown's Feasting on Asphalt?  He's traveling up the Mississippi, and he started out in Venice.  I was a little disappointed that he didn't visit any commercial fishermen, but he made up for it (a little) by hanging out with the guy who owns Big Fisherman uptown.  I was also bummed by his visit to Mulate's, and a very weak attempt to distinguish between cajun & creole food.  He didn't hit a single poboy joint, either.

←

"

What kind of research does the network do?

I really hope this is how the conversation between Alton and the food network went so that i can keep my respect for him and continue my distain for the FN's feudal chef system:

A: i met alot of great small businesses owners struggling to be promoted in new orleans; can we make sure they get in the final show?

FN: oh Alton, you're such an idealist, you dont know what the viewership wants. we will edit the final show into what we know works best; besides we enabled you to fulfill your mid life fantasy by allowing you to travel across the country in a motorcycle gang.

"

[Chris Cognac]

There was a ton of research done for the show....I can tell you that firsthand....I know that he was trying to find a good muffalata place in New Orleans....there are a ton of logistics involved.....and remember....not everyone wants to be on TV.....we (Hungry Detective Crew) were told several times by restaurants that they did not wish to be on TV....

[LineDog]

Oh man, I love eGullet. I just thought I was bitchin to bitch, but it's pretty cool to find out what actually happened.

I know it's passe, but who was your go to for info in NOLA? Most of the time you got to have a sugar tongued local to get in the door (Poppy Tooker has the sweetest one). I think it disappointed the locals because we expected it to be more personal and "local favorites" oriented.

Next time you're in town, try Rio Mar's Spanish muffalata!

Thanks for your response.

There was a ton of research done for the show....I can tell you that firsthand....I know that he was trying to find a good muffalata place in New Orleans....there are a ton of logistics involved.....and remember....not everyone wants to be on TV.....we (Hungry Detective Crew)  were told several times by restaurants that they did not wish to be on TV....

←

[Chris Cognac]

I contacted a few N.O. locals, including my producer who is from N.O......oh and to clarify, the refusals from places were for my show, I dont know about feasting as I was not on the trip itself....I was contantly sending information gathered from cops, foodies and other sources along the route to them....I am sure there were others as well....from what I have seen I think they did a great job on the trip....it was a long month for them, I can tell you that...

[lancastermike]

I did not see the first episode. I did watch the rerun of episode two last night. It showed Alton at the river and he dipped his hand in and poured some water over his head. he than said something about the "big storm" of a couple years ago that we all knew about. He than said it looked good around were he was and that they had done a good job cleaning up.

I understand it is a food show, but to suggest that things are all cleaned up in New Orleans is just wrong. I was a little disappointed by this.

perhaps in the first show there was more mention of the devastation and the way much off New orleans has not recovered.

[Mild Bill]

I did not see the first episode. I did watch the rerun of episode two last night. It showed Alton at the river and he dipped his hand in and poured some water over his head. he than said something about the "big storm" of a couple years ago that we all knew about. He than said it looked good around were he was and that they had done a good job cleaning up.

I understand it is a food show, but to suggest that things are all cleaned up in New Orleans is just wrong. I was a little disappointed by this.

perhaps in the first show there was more mention of the devastation and the way much off New orleans has not recovered.

←

When he said the area was pretty cleaned up he was talking about that specific waterfront as he gazed out upon it... Previously, cruising some side-streets, he showed, and made a strong point that a lot of the area is still trashed... He said that because it's not in the news much now, we tend to think everything's back to normal, but it ain't... He showed boats still in the road and other dramatic eyesores and devastation...

Edited August 14, 2007 by Mild Bill (log)

[jsmeeker]

I did not see the first episode. I did watch the rerun of episode two last night. It showed Alton at the river and he dipped his hand in and poured some water over his head. he than said something about the "big storm" of a couple years ago that we all knew about. He than said it looked good around were he was and that they had done a good job cleaning up.

I understand it is a food show, but to suggest that things are all cleaned up in New Orleans is just wrong. I was a little disappointed by this.

←

Well, maybe. But it would be a dis-service to the city if he suggested it was a still a big mess. People here that and think "I'm staying away". And I don't think that's what they want people to think. If you want to promote the place, you have to give a positive spin.

You are right. It's a food travel show. It's about what is there NOW.

[LineDog]

It's a brave new world of promoting New Orleans to tourists and still needing help with the devestated areas. here's a general explanation you can use with all your friends:Post K, 90% of the buildings constructed in the 18th/19th century are fine while 90% of those built in the 20th century aren't.

I did not see the first episode. I did watch the rerun of episode two last night. It showed Alton at the river and he dipped his hand in and poured some water over his head. he than said something about the "big storm" of a couple years ago that we all knew about. He than said it looked good around were he was and that they had done a good job cleaning up.

I understand it is a food show, but to suggest that things are all cleaned up in New Orleans is just wrong. I was a little disappointed by this.

perhaps in the first show there was more mention of the devastation and the way much off New orleans has not recovered.

←

When he said the area was pretty cleaned up he was talking about that specific waterfront as he gazed out upon it... Previously, cruising some side-streets, he showed, and made a strong point that a lot of the area is still trashed... He said that because it's not in the news much now, we tend to think everything's back to normal, but it ain't... He showed boats still in the road and other dramatic eyesores and devastation...

←

[kristin_71]

So... Try it. Try everything once.

Yea I will have to do that. What's the saying, you only go around once? A good philosophy to live by.

In a couple of weeks Alton and his crew will pull into Quincy Illinois. May not be special to many but it is where my now late grandfather was born and raised. I am so curious to see what Alton discovers there. I really, really enjoy watching this.

[Sony]

I caught a rerun of episode 4 this afternoon. I wanted a doughnut so badly after seeing it....

[Zeemanb]

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I could swear that FoodTV is cramming even MORE commercial breaks into these episodes...

[Terrasanct]

I felt that way too, but maybe only because I love the show so much.