rainey Smith

Recent Comments

• Scripps Serves Up The Cooking Channel (Slashfood)

  Feb 20th 2010 10:31PM Three people who are already grossly overexposed on a new network run by people who have already more than demonstrated that they have NO genuine interest in the subject of their programming.
  
  Thank god for PBS!!!

• In Defense of Rachael Ray (Slashfood)

  Jan 2nd 2010 5:09PM kelley made a lot of assumptions about me and my response that I'd like to correct. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an option to reply directly to her so here goes:
  
  1) I DON'T watch Rachael Ray. I don't even watch FoodNetwork anymore since they've dropped all the authentic people like Sarah Moulton. I don't read RR's mag. I would do anything I could to avoid her but she's thrust at people all the time by a PR machine that intrudes even into food sites where the people who recognize that she's a fraud frequent.
  
  2) I am not a chef or a food professional. I am a home cook. But I take cooking and my abilities seriously and I want to LEARN and improve. RR has nothing to do with that and I'm sorry for people who underrate their own abilities and ambitions so that RR seems like a step in a positive direction. Even beginning cooks would do better to consult people who know something about nutrition and preparation. If your resources are second rate, your results are bound to be. It's sad and it's blunt, but it's also true.
  
  3) I don't care about RR. I don't particularly care about people who care about her. I am stunned that you guys can't tolerate any deviation from your slavish following. Does it strike you as REALISTIC that everyone will feel the same way about her or that you need to silence any opposing opinion? Perhaps you've noticed that the opposition also keeps coming up because there is a significant population that feels that she's INSULTING to anyone with any abilities and respect for the possibilities of cooking at home.
  
  4) When RR is FORCED on people who have no regard for her, the opposition will always be there. You could simply understand that everyone won't agree with you and move on.

• In Defense of Rachael Ray (Slashfood)

  Dec 24th 2009 6:15PM Perhaps you have some inside information that she's a nice person. To me what matters is that in the area in which she presents herself for scrutiny, ie food, she's a lightweight and a pretender. Plus she's annoying. Add the fact that's she's almost impossible to avoid and it's not hard to figure out why people who consider her the equivalent of root canal will sound off.

• Sonic Manager Arrested on Charges of Cooking Meth at Restaurant (Slashfood)

  Dec 11th 2009 5:06PM Meth couldn't be any worse than the other crap they serve at Sonic. Might not be any unhealthier either.
  
  Worst, most greasy food i've ever had. And I couldn't even bring myself to try any of those neon colored liquid concoctions that looked like jello powder dissolved in 7Up. Yuck!!!

• Costco to Resume Selling Coca-Cola (Slashfood)

  Dec 10th 2009 10:44PM Did affect me in the least -- I stopped drinking sodas over 2 years ago. But I am very pleased that Costco puts customers first and uses it's buying leverage to put the brakes on sweetened water at outrageous prices.

• Celebrity Chefs Plump Down - And Encourage Fans to Follow (Slashfood)

  Dec 7th 2009 5:07PM Man! I don't see that as ego. I see it as a man who recognizes a national problem and looks to contribute to the solution!
  
  But you're right -- the country isn't fat because of Alton Brown, it's Paula Deen who did it. ;>

• What Can I Get You Folks? - Reader's Digest Reveals Restaurant Secrets (Slashfood)

  Dec 5th 2009 9:23PM Not only do servers likely make less than minimum wage they are now assesset taxes by the IRS based on average and customary tips. That means if you don't tip and tip between 15-20% you are costing the server taxes on money they never received.
  
  So tip, dammit and tip generously if you got good service. I haven't been a waitress since college but I can tell you it has it's ups and downs and no one is getting rich doing it.
  
  But the business of not letting a shy child order? If that's the attitude, then I'm going show a little compassion or don't expect any in return.
  How many times on a busy night is that going to happen exactly??? This is just one of the low lights. Some other table is going to be so pickled that everyone leaves a tip. Get over it and be hospitable in your hospitality industry job!

• Martha Stewart Weighs In on Rachael Ray (Slashfood)

  Nov 19th 2009 8:26PM Stewart irritates the crap out of me but I'd rather have her food 100 times out of 100.
  
  Come to think of it, Ray is about 100x more irritating too.

• Libby's Fears Canned Pumpkin Shortage This Thanksgiving (Slashfood)

  Nov 18th 2009 12:52AM There actually was a shortage a few months ago and in my area stores stocked shelves with puréed sweet potato when they ran out of pumpkin. But I don't see any evidence of any shortage now. The canned sweet potato is gone and there are whole abundant displays of pumpkin in all the markets.
  
  Could this be an attempt to instigate a little anxiety to get people into a hoarding mentality?

• Gourmet Magazine to Close (Slashfood)

  Oct 5th 2009 7:44PM I don't understand retaining Bon Appetit and canning Gourmet. I'm glad there will be at least one but I certainly would have preferred to be able to read Gourmet.
  
  I'm sure Ruth Reichl will land on her feet and I'll look forward to reading whatever she does next.