Ask Aida

[LizD518]

I just ran across the second episode of this new show on FN. It was already half-way through, but it looks as if the host receives a query of the week from viewers and then produces a menu based on the subject. The twist is that she has a "tech guru" who is in the kitchen with her taking "live" questions from viewers via the internet and relaying them to her to answer throughout the show. Surprisingly, she had a really smooth, natural delivery that conveyed a lot of information without speed-talking.

Also, there was a promo towards the end that instructed the viewer to text a request for the recipe to the FN rather than going on the website. Looks like the FN is trying to aggressively join the 21st century.

Has anyone else seen this?

[judiu]

I have not seen it, but it sounds similar to Sara Moulton's old format. When does it air?

[LizD518]

It airs Sundays at 12:30pm.

[jsmeeker]

thanks for the reminder. I need to setup my TiVo to record this show. I'm willing to give a try and see how well she does and if the format works.

[samgiovese]

It airs Sundays at 12:30pm.

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No...it's Saturday @ 12:30 EDT. Caught her show yesterday...mildly interesting. The camera LOVES her...she has good presence, and is VERY easy on the eyes. I see good things in her future on TV...if not this particular format, then maybe something else. She definitely appeals to the younger, hipper generation.

[docsconz]

I met Aida on the plane to Madrid for Madrid Fusión 2008 and saw her fairly often there. She is the real deal - intelligent with a great presence and knows food. I expect big things from her. Hiring her has actually restore some faith in me for the Food Network. I hope they utilize her talents well.

[jsmeeker]

I met Aida on the plane to Madrid for Madrid Fusión 2008 and saw her fairly often there. She is the real deal - intelligent with a great presence and knows food. I expect big things from her. Hiring her has actually restore some faith in me for the Food Network. I hope they utilize her talents well.

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Nice to hear. Aida + Anne (Secrets of a Restaurant Chef) == good things from Food Network recently.

[WiscoNole]

I admit, I'll check it out purely because of her looks.

[emilyr]

I haven't seen the show yet, and plan on checking it out soon, but doesn't this sound like the premise one of the Next Food Network Stars guys proposed. Adam, I think. He took a question from online and then created a menu around it.

[jsmeeker]

I watched today's "Pie" episode. Aida is pretty good. But she isn't "perfect". She had some issues when she was doing the crust. But to me, I think it might be OK for a show like her's since she seems to be appealing to less experienced home cooks. Sometimes, the way they worked the "Tech guru" guy in there seemed a little too rehearsed or staged.

But overall, I thought the show was good. The season pass on my TiVo will stay.

[samgiovese]

I watched today's "Pie" episode. Aida is pretty good. But she isn't "perfect". She had some issues when she was doing the crust.  But to me, I think it might be OK for a show like her's since she seems to be appealing to less experienced home cooks.  Sometimes, the way they worked the "Tech guru" guy in there seemed a little too rehearsed or staged. 

But overall, I thought the show was good.  The season pass on my TiVo will stay.

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That's the first time I've seen somebody make pie crust that actually looks like mine, and has the same issues mine does (sticking, cracking, etc). She's human!

[judec]

The tech guy is a bit annoying. Way too phony for me.

Aida has a nice on-screen presence, though. Seems really at ease in front of a camera and very watchable.

[Mild Bill]

I'm watching the recorded pie show now..

Ya know that sent-in video asking about types of flour?

The woman who dropped the bag on the floor at the supermarket?

"Clean-up on aisle 7!"...

She does cooking videos on YouTube...

The Aida show's Ok...

I'm not into baking shows, so I'll be a better judge on another episode when she does stuff I prolly can do...

It's gimmicky on a few levels, and I prefer simplicity and purity (PBS) as a rule...

We'll see...

All the best to them tho...

[jgm]

I watched the pie show last night. Although I like her and I think she has a good camera presence, I don't like the format of the show. I don't mind reading the e-mails, as a way to integrate information and viewers' questions, but the video was phony and stupid, and I get really impatient with stuff like that. The sidekick thing doesn't work well for me, either.

I'll probably tune it in from time to time, especially if she's covering something I'm interested in. Obviously, I'm not part of the target audience, so it doesn't really appeal to me.

[jsmeeker]

watched another episode yesterday. This was the egg episode. I'm still liking her, but not so sure if I like the "sidekick" guy and how he is worked into the show. I might even be inspired to make one of those baked egg dishes she made. I've never done eggs that way for breakfast. Seems like a good an easy breakfast. One thing I noticed in the show was she gave a piece of advice that seemed really wrong. I wish I could recall exactly what it was, but it had to do with cooking times. A time quoted seemed really off to me.

[FoodMan]

I met Aida on the plane to Madrid for Madrid Fusión 2008 and saw her fairly often there. She is the real deal - intelligent with a great presence and knows food. I expect big things from her. Hiring her has actually restore some faith in me for the Food Network. I hope they utilize her talents well.

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I was planning on checking the show out at least once simply because she has great camera presence (i:e so damn cute) and seems so well spoken and not 'ditzy' or goofy. I keep on forgetting though. Now based on your rec Doc, I'll definitly check the show out.

[jgm]

watched another episode yesterday. This was the egg episode.    I'm still liking her, but  not so sure if I like the "sidekick"  guy and how he is worked into the show.  I might even be inspired to make one of those baked egg dishes she made. I've never done eggs that way for breakfast.  Seems like a good an easy breakfast.    One thing I noticed in the show was she gave a piece of advice that seemed really wrong. I wish I could recall exactly what it was, but it had to do with cooking times.  A time quoted seemed really off to me.

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When I watched the pie-baking show, when she baked off the piecrust with foil and beans, she said the beans would be fine to cook in the normal way. I've always read that once you use beans in that fashion, you should keep them for that use, and not cook with them. That would make sense to me; I've never tried to cook beans that have been used as pie crust weights, but I would think that baking them for 20-30 minutes would have an effect on them. I've never checked it out, though.

[FoodMan]

watched another episode yesterday. This was the egg episode.    I'm still liking her, but  not so sure if I like the "sidekick"  guy and how he is worked into the show.   I might even be inspired to make one of those baked egg dishes she made. I've never done eggs that way for breakfast.  Seems like a good an easy breakfast.     One thing I noticed in the show was she gave a piece of advice that seemed really wrong. I wish I could recall exactly what it was, but it had to do with cooking times.  A time quoted seemed really off to me.

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When I watched the pie-baking show, when she baked off the piecrust with foil and beans, she said the beans would be fine to cook in the normal way. I've always read that once you use beans in that fashion, you should keep them for that use, and not cook with them. That would make sense to me; I've never tried to cook beans that have been used as pie crust weights, but I would think that baking them for 20-30 minutes would have an effect on them. I've never checked it out, though.

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I have, made the mistake once of cooking beans that I used once as pie weights. They took forever to cook and were still not right in the texture dapartment, kind of excessively grainy. So, no do not use for anything other than pie weights. Beans are so cheap, I am sure it is not problem keeping a pound or so for that purpose. Personally, I have t abg of dried chickpeas that I've been using for years.