Jacques Pepin's new TV show

[DaleJ]

Thanks, Toliver. I'll try it, but I can't believe that big filet will be done in 45 minutes.

[Bux]

I saw an episode this weekend that aired on Fresno's PBS (KVPT) station.  It went by surprisingly fast.

In the show, ironically, one dish that he made was melon with proscuitto (see the  "William Grimes on 30-Minute Meals, No fan of Rachel Ray, he...." discussion).

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I saw him do some smoked salmon appetizers, a "fast" "cassoulet"-ish pot of beans, sausages and ham, and a dessert of oranges and sweetened cream cheese. I've been a big fan of his for years and enjoyed his books and TV shows, but I have to say that with the exception of the smoked salmon salad without apple slices, nothing looked appealing and I don't think it was the time limit. Worst of all, I had the deep sense he was playing down to a new audience for him. I hope it's just that particular episode and that if I catch the melon and prociutto episode I'll hear him offer some particular wisdom or advice about even that combination. The inclusion of the apple with the smoked salmon, red onion, cucumber, capers and goat cheese was so unusual that I wished he'd commented on why he included it. The absence of that sort of comment left me feeling he was talking to people he felt had little experience and little taste and were just looking for fast recipes to try. It was inherently boring for us to watch because we felt he was just making a recipe and offering no insight. I didn't feel he was talking to those who were already fans of his either.

[Toliver]

Thanks, Toliver.  I'll try it, but I can't believe that big filet will be done in 45 minutes.

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You're quite right...it may not be. His recipe states:

Bake...until the salmon is barely cooked.

That's how Jacques likes his salmon...feel free to cook yours as little or as long as you want.

[MHesse]

I saw his show last night on WLIW.

I was also a litle disappointed.

His skills remain unmatched, e.g. his butter rose.

But he seems a little "off" being alone in the kitchen.

I've enjoyed him better when he has someone to interact with in person.

He worked so well with Julia. And even in his shows with daughter Claudine he was much more animated.

I hope he adapts to the new format, or gets a companion.

[Bux]

But he seems a little "off" being alone in the kitchen.

I've enjoyed him better when he has someone to interact with in person.

He worked so well with Julia.  And even in his shows with daughter Claudine he was much more animated.

I hope he adapts to the new format, or gets a companion.

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Interesting point, but he worked alone before he worked with his daughter and I recall a more interesting show then. I wasn't so sure his shows were better with Claudine, although I don't think they were any worse and I generally enjoyed them.

[intraining]

jacques pepin always got me excited when he was on bbc2 back in the day

part of the reason i'm in the business, a big part

only saw clips of a couple of the 'with daughter' shows.

pretty good.

the show i remember when i was a kid was when he boned a chicken.

[ianeccleston]

Interesting point, but he worked alone before he worked with his daughter and I recall a more interesting show then. I wasn't so sure his shows were better with Claudine, although I don't think they were any worse and I generally enjoyed them.

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I liked the shows with his Claudine too, although in the early shows it always seemed like she was in mortal fear of making a mistake. There was a weird dynamic of Jacque trying to inform her without sounding harsh, and her being nervous and in awe of his technique. It was always a relief when he handed over the reins to her to pick out the wine.

That being said, I loved it. Without a Julia or Claudine it seems like he trys to treat the camera as his companion. The good-natured ribbing doesn't work quite the same way, but you do manage to feel like you're hangin' with Jacque.

That being said, the food isn't quite as good. Was anyone else grossed out by his 'salsa sauce', where he blended a fresh tomato salsa with Hellman's mayonaise for that 200F-baked salmon? Most other things seemed OK, but not as fun as the food on his other shows, on the whole.

[Bux]

the show i remember when i was a kid was when he boned a chicken.

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He was, and I assume still is, a great technician and I mean that in the most supportive way. That technique is the basis for great food. There's no great food that doesn't rely on great technique. Yet I sensed he was shying away from focusing on technique in that new show. It came through on a subliminal level anyway, except perhaps for the butter flowers which he made look effortless, but on which he didn't dwell. I'm not knocking his show and perhaps it will inspire another generation to take a little effort to make simple tasty food at home.

[Toliver]

He was, and I assume still is, a great technician and I mean that in the most supportive way. That technique is the basis for great food. There's no great food that doesn't rely on great technique. Yet I sensed he was shying away from focusing on technique in that new show. It came through on a subliminal level anyway, except perhaps for the butter flowers which he made look effortless, but on which he didn't dwell. I'm not knocking his show and perhaps it will inspire another generation to take a little effort to make simple tasty food at home.

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I think your assessment is 100% correct. Sorry to disappoint some of the posters but this show isn't going to be about techniques. As is intimated in the show title, it's going to be about good food created in a quick manner.

Think "Julia meets Sandra Lee" except you'll want to eat the finished product.

[Bux]

Think "Julia meets Sandra Lee" except you'll want to eat the finished product.

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Maybe my prejudice is showing, but I hope not. Ms. Lee can show you how to produce inferior food using overly processed products in a half hour that don't taste as good as a simple dish prepared in 20 minutes from fresh local foods. Her shopping will take longer as well.

Julia had the need to teach all there is to know about using a knife when telling you to slice onions. (This is in sharp contrast to Martha Stewart who needed to teach you how to make steel before begining to tell you how to make a knife. ) We needed and still need people like Julia, but every cookbook or instructional TV show doesn't need to start with the basics. Jacques' texts on techinque are among the best, and should be on the reference shelf. I think Jacques assumes, you'll either know or learn how to use a knife or won't care if the slices aren't professionally even. Julia lost a lot of people who couldn't get past all the instructions even though they were simple and resulted in a better preparation. Of course it only resulted in a better preparation if it didn't scare you away. Jacques is ready and able to accept a greater imperfection in search of good food. There's a great validity in what I think he's trying to do even if it's of lesser interest to me.

[Toliver]

Maybe my prejudice is showing, but I hope not. Ms. Lee can show you how to produce inferior food using overly processed products in a half hour that don't taste as good as a simple dish prepared in 20 minutes from fresh local foods. Her shopping will take longer as well.

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My mentioning of her name was to convey the shortcuts Jacques would be taking. You know the quality of the food he will make will be far better than anything Sandra could make. So ignore the specific name and just go with the idea behind my analogy.

As Jacques and others have shown for those who find they are "time-crunched", it is possible to start with something that is pre-packaged and still end up with something quite edible. Obviously, you (and most eGullet members) who enjoy making a meal from "scratch" are not the intended target audience for this show.

If anyone has disdain for this show because it's not "real cooking", I suggest changing the channel.

[Mottmott]

Julia lost a lot of people who couldn't get past all the instructions even though they were simple and resulted in a better preparation. Of course it only resulted in a better preparation if it didn't scare you away.

I disagree that Julia lost people because of all the instructions. When she started it was precisely those instructions as a way to achieve good food that attracted people to her. In fact her audiences grew through her lifetime, not diminished. I think it's a missed opportunity for PBS, I bet a replay of the early black and white Julia would bring an immense audience. The one negative these shows would bring is that they are limited to French cooking and our tastes are currently much wider.

[Rachel Perlow]

The problem with these listings for DirecTV is that these stations are only available for people that live in the specific city.  DirecTV is not allowed to provide these stations to anyone living outside a 75-mile radius of the broadcast area of each station.  Part of some silly FCC bureaucratic rule.

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You can input your time zone or zip code to get your local programming. I usually turn to DirecTV because that's what we have, if you use cable or just broadcast, then turn to your cable provider's website or tvguide.com.

As for the show... I've watched two episodes so far, and I am surprised by how much of the food I don't want to try. In regards to the smoked salmon/apple/onion timbale, I would have liked some instruction on how to serve it. I totally didn't get the "sweet cheese medley" until at the end when he topped crackers with it as an hors d'oeuvres. But even then, it didn't appeal to me. The pico de gallo looked messy -- whole cilantro stems, ketchup??? And the huge ham chunks in the quick cassolet didn't appeal to me. Oh, and the whole avocado half coated in what looked like spicy thousand island dressing, ick.

On the other hand the Asparagus with Croutons and Chorizo is a totally new way to do asparagus to me, definitely something I will try. And, the almond cake with berries looked very good (although I would probably just do a single layer, how are you supposed to serve that multi-layered but not frosted version, with sticky syrup and loose berries all over it?

Overall I like the show, mostly because it is Jacques. The show and the website both have excellent production value. I love the tour of the set on the website (woof says the stuffed blue dog ). And while the music reminds me of Mr. Rogers, I just love watching him, even if I only like one idea per episode.

[Bux]

My mentioning of her name was to convey the shortcuts Jacques would be taking.  You know the quality of the food he will make will be far better than anything Sandra could make.  So ignore the specific name and just go with the idea behind my analogy.

As Jacques and others have shown for those who find they are "time-crunched", it is possible to start with something that is pre-packaged and still end up with something quite edible.  Obviously, you (and most eGullet members) who enjoy making a meal from "scratch" are not the intended target audience for this show.

If anyone has disdain for this show because it's not "real cooking", I suggest changing the channel.

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The difference between the packaged ingredients I expect Jacques to use and the ones Sandra Lee uses is too great to dismiss. And what they both to and with their chosen ingredients is as far apart as night is to day. The divide between them is not "scratch" and packaged. You've quite me to start your response and then mention disdain in the same post as if to imply I was one who had disdain. Why not quote me when I said: "Jacques is ready and able to accept a greater imperfection in search of good food. There's a great validity in what I think he's trying to do even if it's of lesser interest to me." That hardly suggests disdain.

[Bux]

I disagree that Julia lost people because of all the instructions.  When she started it was precisely those instructions as a way to achieve good food that attracted people to her. In fact her audiences grew through her lifetime, not diminished. I think it's a missed opportunity for PBS, I bet a replay of the early black and white Julia would bring an immense audience. The one negative these shows would bring is that they are limited to French cooking and our tastes are currently much wider.

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I don't follow the logic. Of course those who were attracted to her, like my wife and I, were attracted to her precisely because her instructions were, well ... they were instructive and our results were not only rewarding when we cooked from her recipes, but we found that we could rewrite the other recipes that failed us by borrowing the instructions from a similar dish in Julia's cookbooks. None of that, nor the numbers of her fans, will discount the fact we always ran across people who told us Julia's recipes were too complicated. That's not a negative reflection on Julia, it only shows the shortsightedness of many who wouldn't take the time to see that the recipes they were using were incomplete.