Food Network faves?

[JAtelsek]

Today San Francisco is FINALLY getting the Food Network on cable. I'm a big fan of cooking shows -- watching two half-hour shows on PBS on Wednesday nights has become a family ritual. But now that they're available 24/7, I have to be more discriminating!

So which Food Network programs are worth making time for?

P.S. -- Iron Chef goes without saying...

[SusanT]

Good Eats with Alton Brown!

Food 911 with Tyler Florence (he's adorable!)

Cooking Live with Sara Molton!

[Jewel]

Actually, The Iron Chef never makes my play list. I watch Emeril Live whenever I can. He takes a bit of getting used to, but he's fun, he's creative, and he gives some wild suggestions!

Alton Brown on Good Eats gets my vote for the most helpful show! He's not really big on showing new recipes, but he's very adept at showing us how to do the things we all face every day like how to sharpen knives, peel garlic, and make a killer pasta sauce. He was also the one who taught me how to cook the best Thanksgiving turkey I've ever fixed!

I try to watch Cooking Live when I can catch it, and I also enjoy The Best Of and Calling All Cooks, which is regular people like you and me cooking our best dishes on TV! FoodTV is something I like to keep on in the background while I'm cooking, and it really keeps me motivated! Enjoy! :D

[SandyM]

Alton Brown and Sarah Moulton are favorites in our house.

I frankly don't "get" the Iron Chef, but I guess after a couple bottles of wine with some giggly friends, it might be fun........ :D :D :D

We also like the shows they do on specific topics. I don't know what they're called, but there was one last year before the holidays about a candy making outfit (Hammonds) that makes ribbon candy and candycanes. There was one on about the best hot dogs and where to get them, and I missed the one about ice cream!!! :o

Have fun!!

[kwormann]

Im so sad because my new cable service doesnt offer Food TV. DH and I like several shows, including the outdoor adventure one (cant remember the name). I love shows that dont take place in a traditional studio! Please watch:

Good Eats, The Naked Chef (took me awhile to get attached to this one, but I came to adore it!) and, my favorite, Mings Quest. His studio show is ok, but as I said, I love the ones not in a studio and I have a HUGE crush on Ming!

Maybe I can lived vicariously thru you....I miss FOod TV!

[keeganm]

I am also a Food Network addict, I absolutely insisted thaat we switch our cable company when i had a newborn (and i was up all night) just so we could get it. I'm actually into the "Naked Chef" with Jamie Oliver...he is hilarious to watch, it is a BBC show and the format is quite different than any other show. Once you get used to his style, you will be hooked. I plan to make a few of his recipes soon, especially the mixed green salad with fresh mozzeralla, peaches and prosciutto--yum!

Sarah Moulton is also awesome, very down to earth and entertaining.

Not a fan of Emeril and he gets the most airtime for sure. Every time I turn on the channel it seems like he is there!

Bobby Flay is fun, great grilling, a bit more advanced ingredients though.

You will love the channel!!!

[Little Bit]

I'll add my vote for Good Eats, Iron Chef and Calling All Cooks.

Iron Chef is lots of fun when the chefs get stuck working with an 'ingredient of the week' that's not a part of normal Japanese cooking, like yogurt. Hee hee hee!

I find that I like Good Eats more now that I've been recording the episodes for my future reference. Sometimes he goes over the explanation for something so quickly that I miss it the first time through and the replay option is very handy.
Also, I have the episodes so I can review the techniques if I want to brine a turkey or something.

Calling All Cooks can be a lot of fun, but they seem to have some new hosts now, and shifted the broadcast times or something, so I keep missing it. They go into people's homes and watch them prepare the dishes they are famous for. (You know, Mom's Meatloaf, Great Aunt Ida's Cinnamon buns etc.) These recipes aren't usually very low fat, but I find it intriguing to hear the stories of how their recipes develop and are handed down in the family.

[JAtelsek]

Thanks so much for the recommendations ... Good Eats is on right now! Alton Brown is talking about a cabbage on a pedestal.

I had no idea that the cute hosts were such a draw!

[melmccarthy]

My favorite on the Food Network is the show called The Best Of... The show has two hosts who travel to five cities in a half an hour to talk about the best of spicy food, comfort food, vegetarian, etc. You get to learn a little bit about the city as well as the different types of food.

[heeter]

I like all the same - Naked Chef, Sarah Moulton, Ming, Bobby Flay and Emeril but my favorite is Ready Set Cook. I find that one pretty interesting [two chefs battle a 30 minute time clock with the same ingredients and a basic stocked pantry, then a mystery ingredient is thrown in halfway through. They have to use all the ingredients and they are rated on time, presentation and taste] but it's not on now as much as it use to be and it has a new host.

[gobluem82]

The Naked Chef is my favorite, without question...and I don't even think he's cute! My DH even enjoys watching. Unlike a lot of the other shows, you can actually envision yourself making most of the recipes on The Naked Chef (I have made quite a few, and so far they have all turned out well).

[AZLorena]

My DH and I are big IRON CHEF fans.

Food, Unwrapped is an interesting show too.

[Kerri]

Love Iron Chef. It is so funny, especially when laughter is translated.

We just move to a place where we get the Food Network so I am not all that familar with it, but if I have spare time its fun to watch.

[Angela]

The Best Of
Food 911 (Tyler is a cutie)
Calling All Cooks
Door Knock Dinners (haven't seen this one in awhile, wonder if it's still on?)

The only bad thing about Food Network--my tummy starts to growl while watching!!

[Leonard]

Cooking Live with Sara Moulton!!! I've watched her show since its inception 5 yrs ago. I met her twice and she is even more genuine in person. The first time we had a glass of wine and talked for a couple minutes. She is a great teacher. I've learned so much about food and cooking technique. She is wonderful! Think I'm her biggest fan????

[Luv to Cook]

Sara Moulton
Iron Chef (of course!)
Alton Brown

At my house, if the TV is on, it will invariably be tuned to the food network.

Speaking of Iron Chef...a few weeks ago, my hubby and a friend participated in a Iron Chef cookout at our house. I provided chicken and beef and they both got free range of my kitchen (including any and all spices, herbs, sauces, etc). After they finished we all rated the food. It was soo much fun! Needless to say, they left quite a mess in the kitchen!

Anita

Leonard,

I am sooo jealous. I love Sara too! How did you get to meet her?

[Saralee]

I am a huge fan of Alton Brown!!

Has anyone seen the show Sweet Dreams? I've caught it a couple of times and really liked it. Although, any show that features desserts is a hit with me.

[AmyMcP]

I love the Food Network. The shows are great and their website is just as good.

Here are my choices in no particular order: Emeril, Good Eats, Cooking Live. Door Knock Dinners is pretty entertaining. I loved Cooking Live Primetime, Hot of the Grill w/ Bobby Flay and East Meets West. I don't think those shows are on any more...at least Cooking Live Prime Time isn't....

Emeril hooked me on Food TV...as a result of watching his show, I can make some mean crab cakes!

[SueK]

Originally posted by SusanT
Good Eats with Alton Brown!

Food 911 with Tyler Florence (he's adorable!)

Cooking Live with Sara Molton!

This must be a "Susan" thing, because those are my favorites, too.

I also love The Best Of, and Door Knock Dinners is pretty funny, too. I don't particularly care for Gordon Elliott, but it's fun to see what's in other people's kitchens!

Can't stomach Naked Chef.....I get too nauseated with that jerky camera!

[dotglee]

It's been a heavy TV summer here in Seattle, what with the Mariners and the Food Network. And most of the food shows can be watched during baseball commercials!

I got used to Emeril and like him now, but the Best of and Ming's Quest are probably my favorites. I can't seem to figure out when Sara Moulton is on. The Naked Chef is fun, too, but like Emeril, you have to listen carefully and translate from the Massachusetts or London accent.

Pet peeve department: nobody seems to be able to pronounce either jalapeno or habanero.

My small local bookstore got in the book, Iron Chef: The Official Book, and were mystified that not only did no one know what it was--it didn't have recipes :confused:

[Jewel]

Originally posted by dotglee
I can't seem to figure out when Sara Moulton is on.

Dotglee, I'm not sure if you're on cable or satellite, not that it really matters, but I'm in Renton, WA (south of Seattle) on a Direct TV Satellite, and Cooking Live with Sara Moulton is on at 4pm every weekday, right before Emeril. Emeril's 5pm episode is also on again at 8pm in case you didn't know that one! :rolleyes: Hope you're able to catch her! :D

[McSix]

I'm a huge Sara fan and can't believe that Bobby Flay didn't toast her on her 5th anniversary special. Did I miss it? I am/was also a Bobby fan, but I can't believe he wasn't part of her big night. Did anyone see anything I missed?

[JAtelsek]

Originally posted by dotglee
Pet peeve department: nobody seems to be able to pronounce either jalapeno or habanero.

My small local bookstore got in the book, Iron Chef: The Official Book, and were mystified that not only did no one know what it was--it didn't have recipes :confused:

OK dotglee, I gotta ask: How do you pronounce jalapeno and habanero?

Re: The Official Iron Chef Book -- I got it as a gift. There are a few recipes, but nothing I'd attempt. I think the fun thing will be handicapping the Iron Chefs based on their all-time track records. (Although the book also tells who won each battle -- I'll have to be sure not to look at that part!) My 8-year-old loves Iron Chef too, especially the ones with strange ingredients (e.g. shark fin).

[HARRYET]

I like to watch Sara Moulton, Emeril, and Sweet Dreams. My DH loves to watch Iron Chef, which I just can't stand. As for the Naked Chef, the camera shaking reminds me of "The Blair Witch Project", just can't watch that show, no matter how often I try!


Ann ;)

[AD]

I can say first of all, I despise the "Iron Chef." I also hate Sara Molton's "Cooking Live." Emiril is fun to watch, but his fod looks disgusting!

As for what I like, I would say "Food Finds" and "Unwrapped." I like the "tours" of popular food manufacturers and I like to see how some foods are made.

[Leonard]

Luv to Cook: I met Sara Moulton at the "Book & The Cook" fair in Phila. Every year our city has this event. Celebrity chefs from TV and the best area restaurants team up to host dinners. She visited our town twice. The first dinner was held at the Ritz Carlton restaurant in Center City Phila. My Dad treated us for our anniversary present. There were about 40 people. She stopped and each table and chatted with everyone personally and privately. The first couple of minutes I spent saying "I can't believe Sara Moulton is having a glass of wine with me"!! She is SO NICE!!
McSix: I also watched Sara's 5th anniversary special. You didn't miss anything. Bobby Flay did not toast her??? Also, what was with the group from the church??? I don't understand how they made it on her show???

[Kristine]

Another plug for Cooking Live with Sara Moulton and Good Eats with Alton Brown. Both a very informative, interesting and yield good recipes.

[Safari Girl]

I watch Food Network Canada since I'm up here north of the border. We get a lot of the U.S. shows but also some good Canadian shows as well. My favourites are a mix of both.

Love the Iron Chef, it's just too funny to resist, with the voiceovers and subtitles. I catch Food 911 occassionally which is also good. Can't stand Emeril. Sarah Moulton is on during the day so I never see her show anymore. Up here we get a show called The Inn Chef which is just hilarious, DH and I watch it often and another show called Dish it Out and The Urban Peasant, though I can't remember if it's on Food or HGTV. And I love The Naked Chef, it's such a refreshing show because it's so unstructured and there's another British show called something like Friends for Dinner which is good too.

In our house you always know who was watching TV last, if you turn it on and it's on HGTV or Food it was me, if it's on Speedvision, it was DH - 100+ channels and we seem to only watch 3 regularly!

[Melman]

How in the world did I miss this question!!! I've been moving offices over the past couple of days and haven't been able to keep up with things like normal.

#1 favorite Food TV show: Good Eats with Alton Brown.

I like Ming's Quest but don't usually stumble across it. Sometimes I like the Naked Chef. Sometimes I'll glance at Emeril's shows. I'll usually watch Sarah's show if I see it. I'll usually watch Iron Chef as well. 99% of the time, I'll immediately flip right past any Martha or Bobby show.

The ONLY one I purposely watch is Alton's.

[SandyM]

Originally posted by JAtelsek
OK dotglee, I gotta ask: How do you pronounce jalapeno and habanero?


ha-la-PEEEEN-ya?

ha-ban-YAR-o?

<notice my midwest/quasi western NY accent sliding in there>

Gail? Anybody?

[ClaireM]

Another vote for Good Eats. It's one the whole family watches; VERY entertaining, and we learn a lot, too!

I used to watch Emeril, but since he's on EVERY night (and getting a sitcom now, too!), I've burned out on him.

Food 911 is fun. Tyler Florence is sure easy on the eyes, and he does all this work in other people's kitchens. Can't be too easy.

I also enjoy Door Knock Dinners. This guy just shows up at someone's house and goes through, first of all their refrigerator, then their whole house! I couldn't believe it the first time I saw it, now I think it's hysterical!

But, really, everything revolves around Good Eats.

[heatherfeather]

Food Newtowrok is the whole reason we switched to satellite! Here are the shows I enjoy, as well as a brief description of what they are about.

1) Calling All Cooks - this show features home cooks who present a recipe either passed down from generation to generation or one that they are personally known for in their community. The new season starts in the fall and right now, only repeats are airing on the weekends. The recipes are usually not lowfat, but are often excellent recipes. Many of the recipes I have tried have become favorites in our home (such as Nana's Egg Curry, Crabby Cakes, Banana Cake, Orange Bitty Buns, Chili with Chocolate, Caldo de Res, the list goes on and on)

2) Cooking Live with Sara Moulton - this show airs live in the evenings every night(during the season) and repeats air twice a day on weekdays - once in the morning, an again in the afternoon. Sara is a CIA Grad and Executive Chef for Gourmet. I love this show, although it took a long time for me to give it a chance. The point of her show is to prepare gourmet foods that ordinary people can actually prepare at home - and everything can be prepared in 1 hour or less. Once a week is cook along night and you can print out the recipe with shoppin list if you want to cook along with Sara. She cooks live and a viewer cooks along via the telephone. There are theme nights where all the recipes prepared will be made with garlic, for example. Once a month, she has a "Market Basket" night were she has to come up with recipes on the spot uuing fresh produce from the Farmer's market. I have made many of the recipes from her show and they remind me of CL recipes (except not always as healthy).

3) Food 911 - Chef Tyler Florence responds to emergency calls from viewers who have difficulty with either a particular recipe or ingredient on a regular basis and their family/friends think they need a 911 call. He comes to their home and teaches them how to grill, how to roast a chicken, how to bake brwad, etc. The information is usueful even for an experienced cook and the recipes are often top notch.

4) Food Finds - Eachepisode features home businesses who sell food products or small local restaurant that are famous in their areas - off the path places that are true gems. Most of the places featured are available for home delivery (they post the websites, phone #s etc online at foodtv.com) (If you like this concept, there is also another program called The Best of ... which is almost the same show, except with different hosts who visit the best restaurants of a particular type of region.)

5) Follow That ...... This is a new series that is still considered a "special." About once a quarter, they air a "Follow that (food item" special and they literally follow a food item from its creation process to the stores/restaurants it ends up in, to how it is used in recipes. Follow that Chocolate gets a lot of airplay ecause it was a great episode. They also have Follow that Fish, Follow that Beer so far.

6) Good Eats - Hosted by chef Alton Brown, each episode gets down to the reals cience behind a particular food product. The first half of the show, Alton investigates what a particular food is, covering the different varieties and how it is best prepared. At the end, he prepares a few recipes. This is a fun, very informative show - I really enjoy learning the food facts.

7) Iron Chef - A challenger chef chooses one of the 3-4 Iron Chefs (depending on the season) to compete against in a battle that requires them to prepare gourmet dishes highlighting a mystery ingredient that is only announced right beofre the battle. They have only 1 hour to cook and present their dishes to a panel of tasters. The dubbing is so hilarious and it is really amazing to see what they can make in an hour. (Ready, Set,Cook is the American version but is only a 30 min show and is nowhere near as exciting or elaborate)

[CAROL ANN]

I like The Best Of, Cooking Live and The Naked Chef. I do not care for Iron Chef.

[dotglee]

Originally posted by JAtelsek
OK dotglee, I gotta ask: How do you pronounce jalapeno and habanero?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ha-la-PEEEEN-ya?

ha-ban-YAR-o?

<notice my midwest/quasi western NY accent sliding in there>

Gail? Anybody?
----------------------------------------
it's ha-la-PAIN-yo
and ha-ban-YER-o

Although most of our e-mail/chat systems can't do the tildes~
over the n's, we can still say them. I'll go with most variations, but the one that gets me (are you listening Emeril?) is

ha-la-PEEN-o

Jalapeno means that it comes from Jalapa and a habanero
is something or someone from Havana.

(Spanish lesson concludes)
I did start taking French classes because I was teaching cooking and didn't know how to pronounce anything. It helped some, but led to overconfidence. That is how I ended up with a gizzard salad in France last year!