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Batali and Paltrow to cohost Spanish food show


KristiB50

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For some reason my DVR's not picking these shows up.

Yeah, my DVR stopped picking up train wrecks long ago...

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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I believe Stipe is a vegetarian, maybe even vegan. He was on Molto Mario one time and they mentioned it.

As for Mario's health: he did some promo NASCAR appearance here in Dallas recently and one of our local papers covered it on their blog.  And he does look much trimmer; maybe the thinnest he's been since his early FTV days.  Good on him.

For some reason my DVR's not picking these shows up.  Given what's being said here I'm not terribly motivated to correct the issue though, sadly.

Stipe and Batali did an Iconoclast (On Sundance, an interesting series), and they talked about his being vegetarian. They cooked together, and Stipe ate at one of Batali's restaurants. Batali had no problem cooking for Stipe, which is a refreshing change from some "Star" chef attitudes towards vegetarians...

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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I hadn't noticed, but I think you are right...is it still on?

I think so . . . but regardless, it hasn't recorded any eps unless I specifically remember to find it and record it, even if I set it up to record series.

Stipe and Batali did an Iconoclast (On Sundance, an interesting series), and they talked about his being vegetarian. They cooked together, and Stipe ate at one of Batali's restaurants. Batali had no problem cooking for Stipe, which is a refreshing change from some "Star" chef attitudes towards vegetarians...

I totally geeked out over that ep. Mario and Stipe together were cool enough but then when they went to a U2 show and hung out with Bono . . . favorite band and favorite chef together! Worlds colliding!

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, my DVR picked back up recording again and popped three episodes on a mini-marathon or something.

What works: cooking demonstrations, talking to experts, actually learning about the culture and cuisine (of course).

What doesn't: idle chatter in the car, long driving scenes. Seems like the same conversation over and over again. Every Bittman and Bassol (sp?) segment begins with her trying to teach him a spanish word or phrase. Meals where they just gush over and over again about how good whatever they're eating is. And, I'm sure it is good, but they seem to also just get the same dishes over and over again. Some kind of shellfish grilled or broiled with olive oil. Again, I'm sure it's fantastic but compelling TV it does not make.

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....And, I'm sure it is good, but they seem to also just get the same dishes over and over again.  Some kind of shellfish grilled or broiled with olive oil.  Again, I'm sure it's fantastic but compelling TV it does not make.

I think some of the repetitive cuisine is due to Gwenyth being a vegetarian who, it seems, does eat shellfish. Otherwise, she'd be drinking her wine while watching the others dig in.

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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I only caught one of the episodes without Batalli, but I think the part of the show I have the hardest time with is how joyless it seems for all involved. Watching Bittman, Paltrow and the spanish woman (I didn't catch her name) drive around Spain in an 80,000 dollar car and eat fabulous food with all the enthusiasm of a 6 year old visiting the dentist seemed rather depressing.

Maybe it's better with Mario in the picture, I can't imagine him not having more zest for the experience.

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This show is either PBS's venture into the sub-prime mortgage market or their version of Heaven's Gate. Can someone stop the bleeding?

On another note, did anyone catch Chateau Monty on the BBC4?

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Trapped into watching another episode...

Just sad...

Highlight of the episode was watching Bittman/Paltrow/Bassol take a nap...

I kid you not...

They teased me briefly when they talked about barfing after eating a big Churro...

Paltrow, Bassol and Bittman hurling could have really made the episode special, and changed my feelings about the entire series ("a gritty show about dark underbelly of epicureanism")

But alas, no "feeding the cat".....

I'll watch a show if it provokes outrage...nothing beats shouting deprecating remarks at the TV (al la Ignatius J. Reilly)...

But this...this has descended into boring and sad...

Edited by Heartsurgeon (log)
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Bittman is the only saving grace to this Pathetic PBS series.

Mario is a bloated, self indulgent pseudo-chef with no fashion sense.....What is with those Bozo the Clown clogs???

Adding to this mismatch is a semi talented "actress" who is clueless about food and very rude.

We watch the show for the laughs, and believe me, there are quite a few giggles in each and every episode.

Overall the participants wallow in self importance. They don't need to travel to eat, they can feed off each others egos.

"We do not stop playing because we grow old,

we grow old because we stop playing"

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"Mario has jumped the shark."

gfweb, you speak the truth!

You should see the book that goes along with this lame series.

For anyone who cares, p.173 states that Gwyneth's fave ice cream flavour is a toss up between jamoca almond fudge and pumpkin. Mario's is -- drum roll please -- olive oil! The Mario/Gwyneth "talk" with Frank Gehry is worth the $35 ticket price alone.

They just don't make compelling books like this anymore. One for the ages.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Flipped by another episode last nite....

El Lardo and the thin one eating breakfast, having an insipid conversation...

Burning a bunch of seafood on a barbeque grill and watching El Lardo shovel it down his piehole, while the thin one picks at thin seafood with her thin fingers...

I used to want to visit Spain...

This show has killing that desire completely..

A morbidly obese dude and an anorexic together on a food show...

who thought this show up????

The only bright spot is Bassols...she is smokin hot...

Get rid of El Lardo, the thin one, and Chuckie Shumer, and LET BASSOLS HAVE HER OWN SHOW. That could be an excellent show..

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I used to want to visit Spain...

This show has killing that desire completely..

A morbidly obese dude and an anorexic together on a food show...

who thought this show up????

Focus on the scenery and the ingredients -- don't miss Spain!

They remind me of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon, when a fat guy and skinny guy get marooned on a island, starving, and imagine each other as a hamburger and hot dog.

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  • 2 weeks later...

there is currently a marathon of this on NY/NJ WLIW Cablevision 133

I like it...

tracey

The great thing about barbeque is that when you get hungry 3 hours later....you can lick your fingers

Maxine

Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

"It is the government's fault, they've eaten everything."

My Webpage

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  • 4 weeks later...

I finally found out what everyone is talking about when I installed my converter box and got the extra PBS HD stations. I have really enjoyed the scenery, the markets etc. I have never seen most of this, certainly did not eat like this.

Always liked Mario, don't like Bittman, he seems condescending and arrogant. The 3 way siesta was strange along with all the comments on how lucky the guys are to be traveling with the gorgeous ladies.

Then there are the times they cruise into a town in the posh car and do the queenly wave thing, greet the locals as they drive down the deserted (cleared?) ancient streets. Too much car time for sure. At least they all speak Spanish more or less which does make things go smoother.

I would love to see the book to work out the map thing of where they were and what they saw. But I think my new copy of Culinaria Spain will teach me a lot more.

I'm learning some new thing about Spain so that's a good thing.

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They remind me of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon, when a fat guy and skinny guy get marooned on a island, starving, and imagine each other as a hamburger and hot dog.

I will not be able to watch the rest of this show without seeing this image. :laugh:

“Don't kid yourself, Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about!”
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I've still not managed to catch one episode... Sounds like my initial reaction that it must be a joke was pretty accurate. With FIOS on the way, I'll try to tune in and see if this is the train wreck it's made out to be here.

Christopher D. Holst aka "cdh"

Learn to brew beer with my eGCI course

Chris Holst, Attorney-at-Lunch

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A little bit off topic, but I saw a copy of a new food magazine in a bookstore this past weekend, called "Food" of all things. Mario is on the cover and is the subject of an article inside. Quite a few photos and he seems to have lost a huge amount of weight vs. the way he looked in the Spain show, where he looked like he was about to explode.

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They remind me of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon, when a fat guy and skinny guy get marooned on a island, starving, and imagine each other as a hamburger and hot dog.

I will not be able to watch the rest of this show without seeing this image. :laugh:

I was thinking more along the lines of Mr. Creosote and a blond Olive Oyl...

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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