Heston Blumenthal on FoodTV Canada

[Kerry Beal]

I've just noticed a new show to FoodTV Canada. Heston Blumenthal's "In Search of Perfection" from the BBC.

In this episode he is taking Black Forest Gateau and creating the molecular gastronomy equivalent. Right now he has taken melted chocolate, aerated it with a cream siphon then put it in a vacuum chamber and evacuated it to create large bubbles in the chocolate. He then figured out how to do it at home with a vacuum cleaner.

I think I'm going to enjoy watching this show.

Here is a link to a topic about the show.

[Bueno]

I've just noticed a new show to FoodTV Canada.  Heston Blumenthal's "In Search of Perfection" from the BBC. 

In this episode he is taking Black Forest Gateau and creating the molecular gastronomy equivalent.  Right now he has taken melted chocolate, aerated it with a cream siphon then put it in a vacuum chamber and evacuated it to create large bubbles in the chocolate.  He then figured out how to do it at home with a vacuum cleaner.

I think I'm going to enjoy watching this show.

Here is a link to a topic about the show.

←

Now, did you enjoy it because it was focusing on cccchoooocccooollllaaattteee, or for Heston's approach?

In all seriousness, it's a great show. That was the second episode. I'm actually not a chocolate/sweets guy, but I still loved this episode as much as the first. Blumenthal's mind deserves this exposure, as he is a real genius in the kitchen. As opposed to Rachel Ray, who is a mindless, hyper, evil, marketing poodle that belongs locked up in her Yum-O-Sylum.

It's PVR'd. I'm also into The Heat. What McKewan can do with catering is revolutionary for that section of the industry and a real joy to watch, I think.

[Kerry Beal]

Now, did you enjoy it because it was focusing on cccchoooocccooollllaaattteee, or for Heston's approach?

In all seriousness, it's a great show.  That was the second episode.  I'm actually not a chocolate/sweets guy, but I still loved this episode as much as the first.  Blumenthal's mind deserves this exposure, as he is a real genius in the kitchen.  As opposed to Rachel Ray, who is a mindless, hyper, evil, marketing poodle that belongs locked up in her Yum-O-Sylum.

It's PVR'd.  I'm also into The Heat.  What McKewan can do with catering is revolutionary for that section of the industry and a real joy to watch, I think.

←

The approach for sure.

Maybe after a couple more shows I'll get more use out the old vacuum chamber that I've got attached to my vacuum microwave in the basement.

[adey73]

The new second Series starts here in the UK next Tuesday 16th October starting with Chicken Tikka Masala.

Edited October 9, 2007 by adey73 (log)

[Sherry B]

I just watched my first episode of this show, the one about "Bangers and Mash", and "Treacle Tart".

Loved it, but then I'm a fool for British food, in fact for all things British.

(I admit to being suprised when I saw the texture of the raw banger mixture. Much finer than I had supposed it to be. And treacle tart....I had always thought that "treacle" was molasses. So that was a bit of a revelation for me. Golden syrup = yum.)

[mkayahara]

Yeah, what is treacle, then? He just ended up using Lyle's Golden Syrup, after a long and ultimately fruitless examination of different syrups he made himself. I actually found that one of the most disappointing parts of the first episode, since he never bothered to explain why the Lyle's syrup was better than what he could make, or how they make Lyle's. It seemed like a pointless little tangent to fill time.

In fact, I'd say that I'm disappointed with the show on the whole: the lack of real, "Good Eats"-grade science information makes the whole thing feel a little contrived and gimmicky to me.

That said, I'll probably continue to watch it. That Black Forest cake he made last night looked good. (Though I would have appreciated a shot of a sliced piece.)

And I covet Blumenthal's eyeglasses.

[FerranHomaroHestonWylieGrant]

Yaay!

[JudyB]

I just watched my first episode of this show, the one about "Bangers and Mash", and "Treacle Tart".

Loved it, but then I'm a fool for British food, in fact for all things British.

(I admit to being suprised when I saw the texture of the raw banger mixture. Much finer than I had supposed it to be. And treacle tart....I had always thought that "treacle" was molasses. So that was a bit of a revelation for me. Golden syrup = yum.)

←

If you are familiar with Golden Syrup, then just imagine a slightly thicker black version - that is what is sold in cans in Britain. There is a Treacle website which has a reasonable explanation of the different products and the names which are used. This says the following about the difference between treacle and molasses:

In practice however,  there is a technical difference between  “treacle” and “Molasses” in that molasses is obtained from the drainings of raw sugar during the refining process and treacle is made from the syrup obtained from the  sugar.

Since this programme was originally made for British TV they probably assumed that viewers would know the difference between treacle and golden syrup (or molasses).

[Tri2Cook]

I'm enjoying the show. I like his approach to finding ways to get the flavors, aromas and textures he wants no matter what it takes. This show and Good Eats are pretty much the only shows I watch on food tv now (I might be tempted to watch some of Gale Gand's show if food tv in Canada carried it), they seem to get rid of most of the decent shows and keep adding more and more fluff.

[Tri2Cook]

Food tv Canada seems to be cutting chunks out of some of the episodes compared to the BBC broadcasts. I noticed on the steak episode that it jumped from him talking in the aging cooler to him tasting in the dining room. There was supposed to be a segment in between where he was showing the meat at different points of aging that they were going to taste-test. Not that it changes the overall point, I just hate when any show is butchered to make more room for commercials. Even with the edits, this is still the most interesting thing that's been on foodtv since Decoding Ferran Adria. I'm not usually a fan of cooking show books, don't own a single one, but I'm going to order this one.

I'm curious how well this show is being received by the general foodtv audience though. He designs everything so it can be done by pretty much anyone at home but he doesn't compromise the results so that it's always particularly easy for anyone to do. This is no "30 Minute Messes" or "Open 2 Boxes and a Can with Sandra Lee". I think a lot of people may watch it and think "hmmm... cool" but I'm not so sure many watch it and think "hmmm... I'm going to try that". Personally, I intend to do all of them which is something I've never done with any book. Not so much because of the particular dishes involved but because I think it may make a good launching pad for inspiration. I like the way the man thinks about food.

[adey73]

don't know if you'll be able to watch but here's the link to series2

www.bbc.co.uk/food/tv_and_radio/perfection/

[Prawncrackers]

Food tv Canada seems to be cutting chunks out of some of the episodes compared to the BBC broadcasts. I noticed on the steak episode that it jumped from him talking in the aging cooler to him tasting in the dining room.

It's a solid half hour show on the BBC and the "Beeb" does not have commercial breaks. So if there are breaks in your half hour show then you're definitely getting a little short changed.

The new series started on Tuesday here and both my wife and i love it. Now my wife loves eating but has no interest in cooking but still finds this TV show very watchable. Heston is an incredibly amiable chap and comes off as a genuine character. Unlike 95% of other foodie shows there isn't any other fluff of lifestyle padding that usually drives me mad. Every second of the show is relevant to the dish that is being created. There are no cut-away scenes of Heston tucking the bloody kids in!!!!

The great British classic Chicken Tikka Masala was showcased this week (not sure about the olive oil but who am i to question!!), wonderfully convoluted and thorough as always. Next week is the hamburger.

[Bueno]

The steak episode was fantastic. Truly -- perfection achieved. He's relentless. When he wants to perfect something, I'm almost starting to believe he can. It's a shame he was forced to use that shitty UK beef, though. Imagine if he'd started off with a 45-60 day USDA Prime primal of rib-eye (or just smuggled one home from Lang). Or Wagyu. Kobe is too delicate. Goodness gracious.

I'm looking forward to pizza and roast chicken.

[Prawncrackers]

It's a shame he was forced to use that shitty UK beef, though. 

Hey hands off our beef!! Our tabloids would have you strung up for saying that

[Zoticus]

I felt that half-way through the first series the whole thing had already descended into self-parody. Series II is just yet more of the same, "Just how pointlessly difficult can I make this?" schtick.

[Tri2Cook]

I guess it depends on how you view it. I don't think of it as "He's taking something easy and making it difficult", I think of it as "He finds a way to get everything into the dish that he wants in it no matter what it takes". I respect that "this is what I want and this is what I will get" approach. Things are also made more complicated because, for the show, he has to figure out a way people with normal, everyday equipment can do the recipes. He could do most of what he's trying to do with half the effort in his science lab/kitchen with the multi-thousands in equipment that most of us don't have. I think a big part of this show that some may be missing is to have fun. To be honest, his methods take a little more time and care but so far none of them have contained anything that was particularly difficult. The difficult part was figuring out how to achieve it, he did that part. All we have to do is follow the instructions.

[jackal10]

No one has commented on the second series, just starting on UK BBC

(and the web) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/tv_and_radio/perfection/

Perfection itself, and a major production. Nice to see Prof Laurie Hall showing MRI scans of chicken marinating. However I felt a little more explanation as to why he did some things, like adding cashew butter to the sauce, would have helped.

[Tri2Cook]

Can't comment on the second series yet, they just started showing the first series here a couple weeks ago. Looking forward to it though.

[Kerry Beal]

Caught the last few minutes of the Trifle episode tonight. I was very amused to watch Heston take an old coffee can and an electric drill to make a coating pan to make nonpareils. Brilliant!

[Tri2Cook]

Yeah that was pretty cool. Good stuff.

[CoffeeAddict]

The first one of this series i watched was the Xmas special and i have recently completed watching both seasons. I can't wait to watch it all again! I'd love to make all the dishes actually.... I have done the roast chicken recipe but had to tweak it because my oven doesn't go down to the temp he specified. Didn't come out like HB's but it was my first attempt

[_john]

Does anyone know the exact recipe for the vanilla ice cream that Blumenthal introduces in the ice cream episode of his "kitchen chemistry" series? I am looking for his ice cream base recipe, not the bacon or pistachio one.