Topic: Good Eats (Read 26306 times)

thehollow · « **on:** 08 Jan 2008, 00:07 »

I searched for a thread on this and didn't find one, so here goes. Alton Brown is a god amongst mortals, and is easily my favorite celebrity chef/food network person. As a poor college student I can't to afford the DVDs, but I've got all the episodes on my computer, although I did buy one of his books. Also due to my aforementioned impoverished state, I have been unable to try out as many of his recipes as I would like to, but the ones I have tried have worked out really well. I had especially good results with the beef jerky, which was some of the best jerky I've ever had.

Anyone else a fan of the show? If so, share your experiences with recipes of his that you've made yourself!

Also, this guy has added the first 8 seasons or so on youtube.

Ballard · « **Reply #1 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 00:44 »

If high school chemistry teachers taught like Alton Brown, I might have passed that class the first time around.

I generally appreciate what he does. He's by no means an amazing chef, but he's carved out a niche for himself and his genuine, home-grown approach to cooking makes him unique amongst a celebrity line-up of glamorized knife-wielding demi-gods. I'm more prone to try and recreate a dish by his instructions than by anyone else's, simply because he eliminates a lot of the useless, outdated methods that the dinosaurs of the culinary world swear by. He makes good food in the most efficient way possible and he's interesting to listen to.

In terms of television quality, this is accomplishing quite a lot.

tomselleck69 · « **Reply #2 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 05:17 »

I like Alton Brown, I like Alton Brown a lot. Him and Achewood are responsible for getting me interested in cooking.

Katherine · « **Reply #3 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 06:52 »

I love Alton Brown and Good Eats. Since I started watching Good Eats, I have found myself questioning the usefulness of kitchen gadgets that catch my eye. "Is this a multitasker or not?"

Also, fried macaroni and cheese.

valley_parade · « **Reply #4 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 09:09 »

Just started watching it. Really dig that he gets into the science aspect of everything.

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #5 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 09:25 »

I used to totally -hate- watching Good Eats, but then once I got past some of the quirky camera angles and weird costumes, I really like the show! He knows what he's talking about and makes cooking simple and -fun-.

pen · « **Reply #6 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 09:29 »

I love Alton Brown! I find the whole concept of scientific cooking fascinating. It makes me want to actually make things. I don't, but he makes me WANT to.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #7 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 13:39 »

Is there anyone who DOESN'T like Alton Brown?

Except for my roommate, who gets irate when I mention that he's cooking something wrong according to Alton Brown.

Ballard · « **Reply #8 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 14:46 »

Professional chefs don't like Alton Brown. Granted, professional chefs don't like much of anyone on the Food Network.

jimbunny · « **Reply #9 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 15:35 »

He also does a terrific job commentating for Iron Chef America.

costacide · « **Reply #10 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 15:46 »

As another poor person, I've learned that watching Good Eats (or almost any cooking show) can be less torture than one thinks, because it inspires me to do more than just throw stuff on a soft tortilla shell, sprinkle cheese over it, nuke, and then eat.

Alex C · « **Reply #11 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 16:22 »

I don't really blame the pro chefs for not liking much of what's on food network, but I think that's simply just an inevitable consequence of gearing shows towards people who aren't self-described foodies and the limitatins of a half hour to an hour format. Sandra Lee hardly cooks at all and Rachael Ray in particular is rather notorious for her simple dishes that often times skip easy but somewhat time consuming steps that could really improve the meal just to meet the self-imposed time constraints on her show. I rather like Alton Brown, but a big part of that is because his show doesn't aspire to be anything more than it is. He's far from the greatest cook out there and he readily admits that on the show, in interviews and in his books. But there's an awful lot of stuff out there that cook books and cooking shows never bother to explain the reasoning behind. Any show can tell you how to cook something, but only Alton is happy to assume (correctly) that my dumb ass doesn't have a chance in hell of applying that information to anything without him spelling out WHY I should do what he tells me to.

RobbieOC · « **Reply #12 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 18:50 »

Alton Brown is one of the top five people I would love to sit down with to pick his brain. I don't really know who the other four are, but I know he'd be in the top five. I've been heavily considering going to some kind of night culinary school for a while now and Alton just inspires me to do that so much more. I'm afraid to get a DVR simply because I know it would get filled up with Good Eats and Iron Chef and whatever else he does and I wouldn't have room for anything else... and that seems to defeat the purpose of having a DVR.

Ballard · « **Reply #13 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 21:12 »

Not really. The purpose of a DVR is to fill it up with things you want to watch instead of having to sit through things you don't want to watch if they're on during your TV watching hours.

thepugs · « **Reply #14 on:** 08 Jan 2008, 21:13 »

I enjoy watching Good Eats on occasion, and I think he does a wonderful job on Iron Chef, but I'm not entirely impressed with him overall. Usually he does very well, but there are moments in everything he does that seem extraordinarily strange or awkward to me, and it hurts my opinion of him.

I won't turn him off if he's on, but I won't eagerly seek him out, either.

valley_parade · « **Reply #15 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:15 »

Quote from: Ballard on 08 Jan 2008, 14:46

Professional chefs don't like Alton Brown. Granted, professional chefs don't like much of anyone on the Food Network.

I enjoy nothing more than Anthony Bourdain ripping on Rachel Ray.

Katherine · « **Reply #16 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:18 »

I enjoy nothing more than *anyone* ripping on Rachel Ray.

Ballard · « **Reply #17 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:20 »

Ironically, Bourdain had a Food Network show (called A Cook's Tour) that never took off before No Reservations based on the same premise.

Not to say he's not one of my favorite chefs and his book is fucking A.

valley_parade · « **Reply #18 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:37 »

Haha, yeah. They've started replaying it Tuesday nights at 10.

Ballard · « **Reply #19 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:40 »

Yeah I've watched the last two episodes. Pretty good, but there's an unnatural lack of his swearing. Silly PG Food Network.

valley_parade · « **Reply #20 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 07:54 »

I'm pretty sure if there was a show that was him just sitting there drinking and smoking for an hour, I'd watch it.

Boro_Bandito · « **Reply #21 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 20:28 »

Isn't that what No Reservations is more or less? That man is my hero.

I love Alton Brown, and even got my sister (who used to hate him) to buy his cookbook (I have both) and now she loves him too. Great Story, right?

Me and my friends used to have a joke about how Rachael Ray was a goddess and how we lamented that she was getting married. Her food isn't any better than I can make and she's the corniest person on Earth. and 40dollars a day? Are you fucking kidding me? When travelling I spend like 10 bucks a day on food, the budget is only there to try and take away from the fact that its like all of the other stupid fucking food tour shows out there, and she could take a lesson from the fact that people like Bourdain actually bring character to the show and make it unique.

Alex C · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 20:32 »

Don't forget that it looks like she's a shitty tipper.

Boro_Bandito · « **Reply #23 on:** 09 Jan 2008, 20:46 »

Ozymandias · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 10:53 »

Guys, last night I turned on Food Network and Dinner: Impossible was on and so i decided to watch it until I went to bed because I enjoy it even though Robert Irvine is a dick. But as soon as it ended there was an episode of Good Eats, so I kept watching. Then more Good Eats. Then more fucking Good Eats. It was crazy late before I could sleep.

Fucking Food Network.

The end.

Moral of the story is that Food Network is one of the best channels ever.

Ballard · « **Reply #25 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 13:09 »

Ugh I really dislike Robert Irvine.

OK fuckers, fess up, how many of you dearly love Paula Deen and wish she would adopt you as a grandson?

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #26 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 14:31 »

OHMIGOD! Paula Dean is like my friggin' IDOL! I LOVE THE WAY SHE COOKS! My friend and I were watching her make a salmon dish with honey and strawberries and all kinds of stuff. I kid you not: She grabs a regular spoon and says, "You'll need about two tablespoons of honey" AND OVER LOADS IT with honey, so she ended up with more like 5 tablespoons in there. THe woman is not afraid of food.

My favorite recipie was, I think, her Grilled cheese with mayo instead of butter to grill it. It was crazy. She cares absolutely nothing about wether her food is healthy or not, just so long as it is friggin' delicious...and it -always- looks good. Even the dishes with ingredients I don't like (like fish) always look good enough to at least sample.

Alex C · « **Reply #27 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 15:23 »

I dunno, I think she puts too much butter and mayo on to a lot of things; I'm pretty big at having a good balance in my meals and there's a lot of "comfort foods" out there I don't particularly care for. I've become absolutely convinced by the way that mayo is just a white person thing.

Ballard · « **Reply #28 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 15:36 »

Someone's been watching a little too much Undercover Brother..

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #29 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 17:17 »

Mayo is a delicious addition to many dishes and sandwiches
And if I only think that 'cause I'm white, well so be it.

Alex C · « **Reply #30 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 18:52 »

Quote from: Ballard on 10 Jan 2008, 15:36

Someone's been watching a little too much Undercover Brother..

Never seen it. My mother's mexican; we just never really ate mayo growing up. We stuck to avocado and the rare bit of sour cream. Mayonesa is OK, I guess, but I'm not really fond of that either. It takes more than lime to give that stuff any flavor as far as I'm concerned.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #31 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 19:06 »

Paula Deen is firmly on my "cannot stand" list with Emeril and Rachael Ray.

Alex C · « **Reply #32 on:** 10 Jan 2008, 19:24 »

Yeah, what Ozy said.

valley_parade · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 Jan 2008, 07:57 »

Quote from: Ozymandias on 10 Jan 2008, 19:06

Paula Deen is firmly on my "cannot stand" list with Emeril and Rachael Ray.

Aw man. I <3 Emeril. I think watching Emeril Live was what got me into the whole "hey, cooking can be fun!" thing.

OrigNES · « **Reply #34 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 06:27 »

I think have one of his dvd sets I forget which one it is, but when I get the chance I always watch his show.

Inlander · « **Reply #35 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 06:30 »

Quote from: ThePQ4 on 10 Jan 2008, 14:31

a salmon dish with honey and strawberries

WHAT THE FUCK, AMERICA.

mberan42 · « **Reply #36 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 08:41 »

I really enjoy The Essense of Emeril, but I hate Emeril Live. I don't want to be wow'd and bam'd and have some band play while I watch some dude cook. I just want to learn how to cook the dish without any showmanship.

cupcakeonastick · « **Reply #37 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 08:56 »

Good Eats perfectly combines humor, food, and knowledge. It is a trifecta of awesomeness.

Boro_Bandito · « **Reply #38 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 16:44 »

Okay, had Alton Brown's version of sauerbraten for dinner tonight. You marinate this shit for four days, then you cook the meat in the oven for four hours and a ground up gingersnap cookies to the marinade to create the -=best=- gravy I have ever tasted in my life. ITS BEEF AND COOKIE GRAVY. I think I could put it on anything, of which I did in fact put in on all of the vegetables that went with the sauerbraten. I think it would even taste good topped on ice cream. There are no words to decribe how much I loved this gravy. Oh man.

thehollow · « **Reply #39 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 19:25 »

I've seen that episode, but I had never really heard of sauerbraten before so the whole dish sounded kinda weird to me, but I might have to try it now. I do really want to try the grilled romaine stuff he made in that same episode, it looks really tasty.

Inlander · « **Reply #40 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 19:26 »

Quote from: Boro_Bandito on 25 Jan 2008, 16:44

ITS BEEF AND COOKIE GRAVY.

Quote from: Inlander

WHAT THE FUCK, AMERICA.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that the terrifying food is the main reason why I'm kind of reluctant to go to America any time soon.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #41 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 20:22 »

Beef and cookie gravy sounds weird, but if Alton Brown says it is good, I am faithful that it is.

singeivoire · « **Reply #42 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 21:15 »

I <3 food network - probably because it's one of the only channels out there that my entire extended family is content to watch.

Alton Brown is about the best thing on the station, though he does have a habit of making me feel guilty for not griding my own spices and actually enjoying processed cheese.

I also am not one of the people who has the foresight to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey by soaking it in brine for a week and a half, or what have you. I therefore don't typically use his recipes. I do enjoy the oven camera, though. I also want all his kitchen gadgets, though, as established, I would get very little use out of them.

Beef and cookie gravy is just odd enough to be one of those life-altering foods (or condiments, I suppose). I must try it. Now.

Johnny C · « **Reply #43 on:** 26 Jan 2008, 09:25 »

Quote from: Inlander on 25 Jan 2008, 19:26

Quote from: Boro_Bandito on 25 Jan 2008, 16:44
ITS BEEF AND COOKIE GRAVY.

Quote from: Inlander
WHAT THE FUCK, AMERICA.

To be fair, they're gingersnaps. I can see how beef, sugar, molasses and ginger would be good in conjunction - possibly a bit rich but still tasty. And I don't see a problem with salmon, honey and strawberries any more than I see a problem with pork and applesauce.

Boro_Bandito · « **Reply #44 on:** 26 Jan 2008, 13:49 »

it's true. The gravy isn't ultra sweet, and really it isn't like there are just chunks of cookie in it. The flour from the cookies act like a thickener and since gingersnaps aren't ultra-sweet anyway it doesn't give it an overpoweringly sweet flavor. It's really all about bringing out all of the other flavors. It's really just like a brown gravy with ginger and molasses, extremely good.

It was pretty damn rich though, but its not as if it was chocolate chip cookie dough gravy or something truly wierd.

Trillian · « **Reply #45 on:** 26 Jan 2008, 14:29 »

I love Alton Brown. He is kind of like the Bill Nye of the food world. I really enjoy his show, if only for the fact that he genuinely enjoys food and is actually educational about the particular food item he is working with. I appreciate that he has an amazing storage of food knowledge. I aspire to be so knowledgeable.

On the other hand I hate Paula Dean. She is obnoxious...almost as much so as Rachel Ray. Both of them are like watching train wrecks--it is really awful but you keep watching just to see if it is possible it could get any worse. It always does.

And mayonnaise = the nastiest thing on the planet. Have you ever made mayonnaise. It is not pleasant. I will acknowledge that there are a few things that work with mayonnaise, but I think that, particularly in paula's cooking, it is used entirely too much.

I also believe someone mentioned No Reservations. Please, please, please discard that movie and see the German film that they ripped off, Mostly Martha. It is significantly less awful.

Alex C · « **Reply #46 on:** 26 Jan 2008, 21:59 »

Oh, don't worry; people meant the cable program hosted by Anthony Bourdain, an infinitely entertaining man who actually comes across as shockingly humble in some of his interviews, which tends to surprise his critics, since he's hardly afraid to take people to task for caring more about schtick than cooking.

valley_parade · « **Reply #47 on:** 27 Jan 2008, 07:43 »

Yeah, we meant the dude that pretty much gets paid to travel and drink himself silly.

Trillian · « **Reply #48 on:** 02 Feb 2008, 16:42 »

Oh...well then I am fine with that. In fact, I want that job.

dasqrerootoneg1 · « **Reply #49 on:** 05 Feb 2008, 09:35 »

Alton has definitely inspired me to cook, I've done a few of his recipies and tweaked a few, like his cheesecake recipe I changed a little. I really want to try making my own mayonaise, when he made it it looked so much better than the stuff at the stores.

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Author Topic: Good Eats (Read 26306 times)

costacide

thepugs

singeivoire

dasqrerootoneg1