Food TV On The Rise

[FWD]

I haven't watched an entire show on FTV in years, but Mario and Emeril were in part what got me started cooking. This was after 40+ years of just eating whatever. I got sick of Emeril's act pretty fast, but I stuck with Mario for a while and did indeed sometimes go straight from the TV to the computer to print the recipe I had just seen him perform. My other inspiration at that time came from a gift subscription to Cook's Illustrated. Their experimental approach appealed to the scientist in me very much. Now I am a pretty good cook.

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Excellent! I love your story.

For me, I love the Food Network. I think it's important that it exists. The FN debate though reminds me of when I was in grad school a few years ago when the movie Troy came out and the Classics department went *insane*. A bunch of professors almost came to blows over whether the movie should be encouraged or banned from even being made.

My opinion on the matter was sealed when I went into the bookstore and the first thing I saw was a gigantic rack of copies of The Illiad and The Odyssey. Yes, they had Brad Pitt on the cover, but the content was right, and people were buying them.

Sure, there are going to be some people coming away with the wrong ideas, or people who just want to watch and don’t want to cook. That’s fine with me. But others are going to be inspired. Back when Iron Chef first came on the air I knew at least one professor’s son who said he wanted to be a chef when he grew up because he idolized Morimoto.

FWD

[chappie]

My mom, however, whose cooking I adore, can't get enough of FN. She is one of those exceedingly rare viewers who will watch a few shows, see some things she likes and go immediately to her computer to print the recipes, then make them that day or the next. And she's added some great recipes to her repertoire this way.

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I have to wonder if that is really as rare as you think it is.

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I don't mean rare in that she watches the hell out of it, but I don't know anyone else who tries so many recipes they see on TV. Most people I know who watch cooking shows do so for the entertainment value (but also tend to enjoy cooking). They might pick up a technique here and there, but they're not replicating what they saw on the show within a day or so of seeing it.