America's Test Kitchen Season 17

[rotuts]

Im reluctant to start a new thread on the Test Kitchen Show.

 

i though of folding what I wanted to say into the thread about CK leavened w contract issues    ... but that's not my point

 

I seen 6 shows of this new season , W/O CK.

 

the TestKichen Cabal is one that's easy to knock and worse.   we all know why , and it varies w each knocker.  fine

 

there is no CK , and for me that's an improvement w possible upsidel.

 

I find the Taste Testing segments no longer are foolish schticks   there can be interesting information there.

 

they did a simple brine for make your own corned beef a few weeks ago , and last week they did a tomato and cheese lasagna 

 

w boil but dont boil those noodles.  this was not new to me.  but a few things were

 

today  , A1706  they did  salmon portions in the pan , but started in a cold pan , new to me.

 

i know how to make killer Salmon , but don't have access to the salmon Id like any more.

 

Im very particular making pan salmon.  you do need a 350 $$ copper pan from France , you see   ( actually its equivalent will do :  DARTO )

 

I dont brine personally , but that's as Im trying to minimize added NaCL as I have a different Salt plan.

 

but Ill try this and even try to get some fresh but not fresh enough and massively over priced salmon to see how the cold pan method works.

 

'then they did a Shrimp Scampi  in a way I had not thought of before.

 

they have also used equipment Ive not seen on the show before  .  a very different knife and a non-TFal nonstick pan.  and a few other equipment things.

 

So   .....

 

I watch all these shows anyway as I Cap them w over the air HDTV  ...

 

S17 of ATK seems to be doing OK for itself,  a bit of a surprise.

 

take a peak if its easy for you to do.

 

YMMV

 

PS  they tasted Fish Sauce   and chose RedBoat40      ""  $ 7.99 / bottle ""    from WholeFoods

 

they should have mentioned of course at TJ, its $ 4 +      and it was at TJ's when they filmed , so you see

 

you still need to be on your toes.

Edited February 25, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

I did not watch the show last week but did notice the different voices than I am accustomed to.  I shall try to remember to tune in next Saturday to see what I think of it. I do hope it moves into the 21st-century.

[rotuts]

Indeed  [ed.: ' The Word of the Day ]

 

don't hold your breath on that happening any time soon.

 

they  have an audience  and they target them.

 

of  only to me :  I saw three +   pieces of equipment on the show that I have not seen on this show before.

 

Ive seen two of them on other very good cooking shows.  they belonged to the Chefr's in question

 

they are not on their recommended list .  and Im guessing have not been ' Tested but the Test Cook's "  Im guessing there were ' personal ' to the cook who was presenting

 

which suggests maybe a ray of sunshine , even a dim one , has entered their kitchen 

 

nothing more   dim

 

Indeed.

 

[Anna N]

That they tasted and then recommended a decent fish sauce  gives me some hope that they are trying to expand their demographic

[rotuts]

and dropped the foolish schticks.

 

maybe they are just loosing up a bit. I hope so.    as Ive said Ive seen a few things that are new to me.

 

i would not be surprised if in their Past there was an Iron Duke , w an Iron Fist  .... ,  

 

they still want you to pay  $ 46 bucks for their complete tv show book  ( list ) even though the current one only has one new season in it

 

# 17      and its at then end , not cavorting w the older Rx's throughout the book

 

as Ive said , take a peek if its easy for you to do.

 

F.D.:  intro to A1701  promised me Lisa the gadget Guru would show me some gadgets from the Hall of Shame.

 

she must have gotten on the Red Line rather than the Green Line as she didn't show up !   I may not ever get over this.

 

people in BOS know the ' T ' by heart

 

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/

 

Edited February 25, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[Toliver]

The PBS station I watch seems to be late to the ball. I've only seen a couple of the new CK-less "ATK' shows. 

The Julia/Bridget hosting reminds me a little of an old Vaudeville skit:

Hey there, Julia!

Hey there, Bridget!

Julia, do you know how to make perfect cheese and tomato lasagna?

No, but try humming a few bars...it might come to me!

(rimshot)

I'm sure, given time, they'll find a more natural rhythm to their patter.

 

Ironically, on this same PBS station, "Cook's Country" with CK hosting, follows "ATK" without him.

[rotuts]

as Ive said  :   Boston Common who owns the show it targeting a specific demographic

 

for profit, of course.   that's what businesses do .  this is not an issue for me

 

I get all the PBS stuff over the air etc.

 

the Schticks are still there    and I ignore them 

 

but they are not as inane and studiedly foolish as CK 's

 

as fior something that appears weekly on my computer for ""  Free  ""  i.e. prepaid

 

i learned a few things so far.

 

I did not expect that

 

no more

 

 

[IndyRob]

There's only one thing that bugs me about the new show.  And that is Bridget appearing to act surprised about some sort novel technique.  We all know damn well that she's been poking her head into the test kitchen for weeks.

 

Yes, ditto with CK, but he had stepped back into that role many seasons before.  That had become his place.

 

All they had to do was hire someone personable with some experience in TV production.  Every local TV news team in the US probably had a viable candidate.

[rotuts]

I agree that less histrionics would be better.

 

local TV news teams , which i avoid like the Plague  remind me of lukewarm vomit .

 

I had to add the second line , sorry.

 

[Kim Shook]

Have to say that I'm finding that I miss Chris.  I never minded him like some did, so that's not a huge surprise.  Bridget and Julia have always been my favorite cooks on the show, but I'm not loving them as hosts.  I know it was false, but Chris always seemed to stand in for the viewers - I know he was probably as knowledgeable as any of the cooks, but it was a long established thing.  Now, having watched expert cooks Bridget and Julia for years, it just seems silly for them to act all surprised at the tricks and techniques that the other cooks are displaying.  Having said all that - I have never had a CI, ATK or CC recipe fail me.  I guess I am their target audience.

 

Another thing - after watching the corned beef episode last night, I realized that Chris seemed to ask more questions during the prep of the dish that the cook was making.  Often, they were the kinds of things that I was wondering about - "why are you doing it like that?", "why not just...?".  That doesn't seem to be happening much now.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Kim Shook
added point (log)

[Anna N]

On February 25, 2017 at 4:43 PM, Anna N said:

I did not watch the show last week but did notice the different voices than I am accustomed to.  I shall try to remember to tune in next Saturday to see what I think of it. I do hope it moves into the 21st-century.

 As promised I tuned into my local PBS station today only to discover they were in the middle of another of their interminable pledge drives.  I could learn to meditate, to quilt, to diet etc. etc.  What I could not do was watch their usual Saturday offerings  which include ATK. Not sure how long this pledge drive will last but with my luck they'll be into their next one before I bother tuning in again. 

[Kim Shook]

5 hours ago, Anna N said:

 As promised I tuned into my local PBS station today only to discover they were in the middle of another of their interminable pledge drives.  I could learn to meditate, to quilt, to diet etc. etc.  What I could not do was watch their usual Saturday offerings  which include ATK. Not sure how long this pledge drive will last but with my luck they'll be into their next one before I bother tuning in again. 

Don't know if it available to you (possibly online), but I watch the show on "Create" - NO pledge drives, ever!  

[lindag]

My PBS is also doing another pledge drive, I was hoping to see the start of the new season. 

My station is out of sync with others who have already started. 

I do watch Cooks Country on the Create channel because my PBS doesn't show it anymore (I can't figure their logic in that).

[rotuts]

i think Cook's Country Season 9  will be their last in that format.

 

CKimball owns the FarmHouse and land and rents it out as a time-share of sorts and uses it about 3 - 4 times a years for seasonal holidays.

 

https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p3495156

 

so BostonCommon / TestKitchen will have to find another place for a second show

[Shel_B]

Perhaps I missed a comment about this, but after watching more than a dozen episodes of ATK's new season, I am stunned to see many of the recipes are reruns from last tear and years before.  That's a real rip off.  Has anyone else noticed this?

 

I'm not able to spend much more time on line today, but if anyone's interested, I'll be happy to post some of the reruns with info about when they were first run.

[rotuts]

Season 17 ?   w/o  CK ?

 

I had not noticed this

 

so when you get the chance

 

when were these show posted before ?

[Arey]

They started in 2001 and have done over 400 shows, and try to present recipes using readily available ingredients and not requiring overly specialized techniques, or specialized equipment such as a duck press. They're bound to repeat some recipes.   So I expect to eventually see a new ATK episode demonstrating the absolute best ever unsurpassable way to roast a chicken. A method which will remain unchallenged and unsurpassed until the next best ever unsurpassable way to roast chicken turns up. But I won't feel ripped off because I'm always ready to learn the latest thing in chicken roasting, even if I will probably keep on roasting chickens the same old way.

The same happens with other TV shows, I don't watch this old house because I found I couldn't stand one more demonstration of the very latest thing in house foundations.  They brought on a state of ennui I hadn't experienced since I retired and no longer had to sit through our district managers staff meetings.

[rotuts]

they have said that they have studied further and found a better way for the [ q23y4rq9324y ]

 

that being said

 

several years back , they did a butterflied stuffed whole pork loin

 

perhaps near the end of a particular year ?

 

the next year they did the exact same Rx  , did a slightly different butterfly technique  and added or subtracted 1/2 tsp of salt

 

to the same mix in the pork stuffing

 

I do not kid y0u

 

and everything else was the same

 

no   """ we found a better way """

 

just   ..............

[JoNorvelleWalker]

In (I never thought I'd be saying it) the defense of ATK, MC also sometimes comes up with better ways to do things.

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

who / what is MC ?

 

ATK w/o  CK has improved.

 

wonder what the MilkStreet PBS show will be like  ....

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, rotuts said:

who / what is MC ?

 

http://modernistcuisine.com/

 

[Toliver]

Chris Who?

"Cooking at Home With Bridget and Julia: The Hosts of America's Test Kitchen Share Their Favorite Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends"

 

Hardcover edition available October 31, 2017.

Note the outrageous Kindle price, compared to the hardback edition.

[rotuts]

well the current crew has keep the chapter out of CK's bible :

 

Churn , Churn , Churn.

 

fortunately the library system gets all the books

[Kim Shook]

Well, I've come to the conclusion after watching most all of this season that the show is just boring now.  I don't have a problem with the recipes - and I know that is what it should be about, but the people are just relentlessly perky and sweet and all the fake laughing at each other's lame jokes just gets on my nerves.  It just isn't interesting.  

[rotuts]

I agree with the personality issues.

 

I try to ignore them.   that have had some decent Rx's

 

and i cap them from an over the air HD receiver that feeds the shows into my iMac then I edit and

 

store them.

 

W/O  CK is an improvement.

 

he is said to have a PBS show in the fall