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"Top Chef" Season 15

Toliver

By Toliver
in Food Media & Arts

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted

Well, part of the deep fry process is surface boiling, where the water contained in the outer surface boils away rapidly.  I'd imagine that at altitude, that could happen at a lower temp and if one were to use a normal temp, you might get darker surface browning.

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Well, part of the deep fry process is surface boiling, where the water contained in the outer surface boils away rapidly.  I'd imagine that at altitude, that could happen at a lower temp and if one were to use a normal temp, you might get darker surface browning.

 

This seems to be the assertion in the link @FauxPas gave.  I'm still puzzled about it.  I doubt the Maillard reaction (browning) temperature changes with altitude.  We know the frying oil is hotter than the Maillard reaction temperature.  Is it a question of how long the meat is exposed at that temperature?

 

To elaborate: the explanation above make sense if you assume that:

  1. the exterior browning reactions begin when, and not before, all the surface water has been steamed out and that 
  2. since this happens at a lower temperature, the surface will be exposed to browning temperature for a longer time while the interior cooks to the proper temperature.

Is this the reasoning?

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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FauxPas

FauxPas

Posted
Posted

From Colorado State University Extension booklet, 

https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/foodnut/p41.pdf

 

Deep-fat Frying The lower boiling point of water in foods requires lowering the temperature of the fat to prevent food from over browning on the outside while being under-cooked on the inside. The decrease varies according to the food being fried, but as an estimate: • Lower the frying temperature about 3 degrees F for every increase of 1,000 feet in elevation.

 

 

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted

That makes sense.  It's interesting that, as @gfweb mentioned,  Wylie told Chris that deep fried foods take LONGER at altitude.  I suppose that could be true IF the oil temp was lowered significantly. 

 

On the last episode  - spoiler alert - 

 

 - Chris seemed to follow that suggestion, overcooked his quail and went home.  Since they cook so quickly, it seems like he could have done a test bird or two and worked that out.   On the other hand, they're so small that I'd imagine it would be very easy to overcook them whatever you do. 

I was sorry to see him go as he was one of my favorites.  

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Toliver

Toliver

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Just a reminder that the Top Chef finale is airing tonight.

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“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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gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted
On 3/5/2018 at 2:21 AM, Lisa Shock said:

I was wondering if the trout 'flavor' issue is real? I know that fresh water fish tend to carry parasites that can easily affect humans, so the food safety books recommend cooking it well. I had no idea that bear scat was soooo pungent...

 

Sounds like the usual BS from a top chef judge. These guys make stuff up. Every year there's some silly thing from a judge....usually Tom.

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Lisa Shock

Lisa Shock

Posted
Posted

Oh yeah, as a vegetarian, you'd think I'd be happy that they finally had a vegetarian challenge...but, they way is played out, not so much. Having to use those kettle stoves was weird, plus having to serve 200 was a tough constraint because the stoves didn't have much space on them. You had very little temperature control, and apparently the only pots issued were 5 quart cast iron ones. If a person were to, say, wish to make some beans, they would have to use 2 pots to do so to get enough finished product out to feed 200 people. For me, not having an oven was also a bummer, there's so much that could have been roasted, bread could have been made, etc.

Have you read eGullet's Kitchen Scale manifesto?

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gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted (edited)

Technically, it was a challenge that did not have a "protein", so it wasn't exactly vegetarian. There was eggs and cheese used IIRC.

And those kettles were weird.

Edited by gfweb (log)
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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted

I didn't like having that kettle challenge so late in the season.  I guess making the very act of cooking so difficult can inspire creativity but I don't care for them, especially this late in the game.   Preparing 200 portions of a vegetable centered dish, outside, for that crowd of chefs was enough of a challenge without throwing in the kettles.

 

I also missed having Gail at judges table in so many episodes this season.  She always seems to come up with nicely verbalized summary comments about the dishes.

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted

I was happy with the result, but would have been happy to see any of the last 6 or 8 contestants win.  Excellent, though predictable, fan favorite, too.  Even if she hadn't gotten sick, she would have deserved it because of her hilarious quotes.

 

Overall, seemed like relatively little drama between the contestants this season.  I used to think much of that was done in editing but if that was the case, they might have manufactured more of it this year.   Either everyone really was that nice or they wanted a kinder, gentler Top Chef season?  

 

And while the dishes in the finale looked and sounded great, I might love the Tiny Kitchen versions even better.  Here are links to the Tiny Kitchen videos on the Bravo site:

Joe Flamm's Ribeye

Adrienne's Appetizer

 

 

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lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted

I am enjoying season 15 more than the previous is BBECAUSE of the lack of snark between the contestants.

I'd like to see less of Padma.....by that I mean less revealing clothing.  She's so gorgeous she doesn't need to be spilling out of her dresses.  BTW, that purple and white ruffled number she wore for the cowboy cookout was Absolutely stunning.

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pastrygirl

pastrygirl

Posted
Posted
On 3/8/2018 at 10:50 AM, blue_dolphin said:

also missed having Gail at judges table in so many episodes this season.

 

An Instagram post of hers yesterday looks like she’s well into a pregnancy, I don’t know how the filming schedule lined up but maybe she had a rough first trimester. Or just other things to do, she’s a busy woman!

 

 

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ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted

I too was happy with the result, although I would  have been equally happy had the other person won.  My husband commented that the last three winners have all won via last chance kitchen.

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lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted

The fly fishing contest, while a fun diversion, I thought was an unnecessary stunt.  Nothing to do with cooking at all.  

Fly fishing is not easy for the novice, despite that well-stocked pond.

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  • 7 months later...
heidih

heidih

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

Sad news.  Fatima Ali, who was voted fan favourite has terminal cancer and has a year left to live.  

 

She wrote some beautiful stuff for BA's Healthyish  https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fatima-ali-cancer

Edited by heidih (log)
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