Alanna is traveling for the next couple of weeks, and while you may see a post or two up from her appear on the site while she's away, she isn't near a TV and so can't watch The Next Food Network Star. I'm going to be subbing in for her in the recap department. So let's get started, shall we?
I warn you, after this point, there will be spoilers!
I'm going to have to be completely honest and admit that I didn't catch the entire episode of The Next Food Network Star last night because I arrived home late from my grandfather's 90th birthday party (at a sushi restaurant, which I think speaks to his amazing condition). That means that you guys have to fill me in on any amazing details from the beginning of the show, if you have any to share.
And while you think about that, I'll move on to the recap, because what I did see was pretty surprising.
Last week I wrote my first post about The Next Food Network Star, having never seen it before. Thanks to those of you who gave me a heads up about show details and juice from past seasons. My plan is to just enjoy the show for what it is, and to try not to harp on the contestants too much. I'll admit that I'm easily entertained (I do sometimes watch old Sesame Street videos on YouTube), but I find the show pretty funny, and it's not like I have better things to do than watch TV and write about it. So join me in celebrating the absurdity of it all -- it could be fun.
It hasn't even been a week since the season finale of Top Chef, and I'm already into a new show. It's a rebound -- something new and exciting to occupy me for now, and who knows what it could turn into? A brief fling? A multi-season love affair? I feel so giddy.
So just to clarify: Last night was my first evening spent with The Next Food Network Star. I'm going to be writing recaps for the rest of the season, but my experience with the show is limited to one episode, plus all of the online content. That means that all you veteran watchers should feel free to help me out whenever possible with details from past seasons, etc. And if you haven't seen the show, start watching Sundays at 10 p.m. EST and we can learn together!
Y'know what I love about Ted Allen? Everything. His carefully sculpted coiff, his evasion of the Queer Eye curse, his smug yet disarming way of knowing so much more about everything than I ever will. And now, as if I needed another reason to worship the damn man, he is hosting the genius new Food Network series Food Detectives.
As if granting my TV prayers, Food Detectives is described as the epicurean answer to Mythbusters. The upcoming primetime show, debuting on July 29th, will feature Allen working with a team of culinary and technical scientists to verify or debunk famous food myths. Slated thusfar: the five-second rule, the gestation of gum digestion, and an apple-a-day's effect on doctors.
Additionally, viewers can submit their own culinary queries. First on my list: Can eating too many carrots turn your skin orange? 'Cause I'd sure like to see Ted all tannined. Which food fables would you like to see tested?
Dan over at The Food in My Beard has created a hilariously goofy TV Chef Kitchen Quiz, which you cooking show fans should check out stat. He's basically taken stills from the shows and erased the person from the scene, leaving behind a blurry white blank that looks like a Yeti's taken over at the frying pan for Rachel Ray. The game is to guess what show it is by looking at the kitchen. How well do you know Paula Dean's cabinets, Giada de Laurentiis's tile backsplash? Basically, just how much time do you spend in front of the Food Network every night? If you guess them all right, we may have to stage some sort of cooking show intervention, or get you a puppy.
First of all, please note how many "Ms" there are in the name of this dessert. If you spell it with 6 Ms or 8 Ms and then try to make it, it probably won't come out right. You've been warned.
It's Mmmmmmmud Pie, and it comes from Gale Gand. Is she still on Food Network? I haven't come across her show lately and I was wondering if she was one of the people that are no longer at the channel.
We've heard of food blogs being turned into books, movies and Food Network web shows. But we haven't seen much in the way of food bloggers making the leap to our living room screen. Well, apparently, that may be changing soon.
Remember that blog that I raved about last summer? You know, the one where you take one Mike Bloomburg-crushing, Washington, D.C. area, adventurous foodie and mix her with a copy of the French Laundry Cookbook. Well, it seems that I wasn't the only one smitten with blogger Carol Blymire's food attitude.
According to Ted from E's! The Awful Truth, Carol the blogger behind the very fun French Laundry at Home, may soon be coming out from behind her computer and straight onto her own show on the Food Network. I do believe she is just the woman to shake things up over there.
Marisa told you a couple of months ago about Dinner: Impossible chef/host Robert Irvine losing his job because he embellished his resume just a tad (he lied about his experience, including a tiny fib about, um, doing Princess Di's wedding cake). Now the Food Network show has named a new host.
Michael Symon will be the new guy who comes into people's homes to help them with their cooking and tackles crazy food challenges. Not only is Symon one of the Iron Chefs of the network, he actually won the Next Iron Chef competition. The new shows will start airing this summer.
Have a bizarre or touching food-related story to tell? Tell Uncle Al all about it.
Al Roker and the Food Network are compilling a collection of stories about how food changed people's lives (or...something) that they can fit into a yet-unnamed new show.
The press release that Phoodie posted listed the examples: going from homeless to being a restaurant-owner, only eating one food, or making art from food.
If you want to be casted, e-mail a brief description of your story with contact info and a photo of yourself to michaelraptis@alroker.com, or call (646) 732-9848 to be considered.
Hungry, but down to the last quarters in your laundry money jar? Head to The Culinary Review, a consumer guide to food costs, to figure out just how much grub that last $.75 will get you.
The Culinary Review has broken down the costs of various common meals, some of which make a McDonald's Egg McMuffin look like caviar on toast. Make yourself a fruit yogurt smoothie, hard-boiled egg and toast for a mere $1.11 or a cup of black bean soup for $.80.
They also give the prices of a number of Food Network chef-prepared meals. Some are surprisingly expensive - Tyler Florence's mozzarella grilled cheese is $5.59 a serving, certainly pricier than at many diners, while others are grad student-cheap - Alton Brown's baked mac and cheese is a mere $0.96 a serving. Serve that with some sauteed greens or cabbage slaw and you've got lunch for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Also check out the handy tips for saving money in the kitchen (don't buy pre-cut meat) and a list of where to splurge (olive oil, canned tuna) and where to save (canned veggies, cured meats).
There comes a point in the course of every reality TV show when someone ruins all the fun and exposes the show as fake. Sadly, that time has come for my beloved Iron Chef America. Despite the fact such a discoveries are inevitable, I'm always still so shocked! (Well, maybe not about MTV's The Hills, but in most other cases...)
Iron Chef America's exposure comes via the Village Voice, which published an article by someone who watched a taping of the show, and says that it is "more bogus than I ever imagined." The article lists a bunch of falsehoods about the show, but the most disappointing was that the chefs apparently know the secret ingredients before they begin!
If you feel re-living the day you found out Santa Claus doesn't exist, check out the full article here.
Roasted chicken with fried yucca root was the obvious winner for judges at the Food Network's Ultimate Recipe: Chicken Showdown (just so we're clear, the contestants were battling it out, not the chickens). Grand Prize Winner Amparo Alam of Syracuse, Utah, swept the competition, winning 99 out of a possible 100 points for her original dish.
The recipe, listed here, uses ajies (Peruvian chilies) and huacatay (a Peruvian herb) to enhance the flavors of both the bird and the veggie.
What do you think? Do these recipes sound good to you? Or could you do better? Put your money where your mouth is and submit your recipe by March 31 for the next competition.
Martha Stewart apparently thinks that Emeril Lagasse is a good thing.
Stewart has bought the rights to Emeril's books, TV shows, and kitchen products. The price was $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock. That's stock as in Wall Street, not chicken or beef.
This is an interesting development, since we reported a while back that Emeril Live had ended after negotiations went nowhere. (And if you're wondering, no, Martha didn't get Emeril's restaurants.)
Stewart also bought 40% of a wedding service called WeddingWire.
Alanna is traveling for the next couple of weeks, and while you may see a post or two up from her appear on the site while she's away, she isn't near a TV and so can't watch The Next Food Network Star. I'm going to be subbing in for her in the recap department. So let's get started, shall we? 
I'm going to have to be completely honest and admit that I didn't catch the entire episode of The Next Food Network Star last night because I arrived home late from my grandfather's 90th birthday party (at a sushi restaurant, which I think speaks to his amazing condition). That means that you guys have to fill me in on any amazing details from the beginning of the show, if you have any to share.
Last week I wrote my first post about The Next Food Network Star, having never seen it before. Thanks to those of you who gave me a heads up about show details and juice from past seasons. My plan is to just enjoy the show for what it is, and to try not to harp on the contestants too much. I'll admit that I'm easily entertained (I do sometimes watch old Sesame Street videos on YouTube), but I find the show pretty funny, and it's not like I have better things to do than watch TV and write about it. So join me in celebrating the absurdity of it all -- it could be fun.
Y'know what I love about Ted Allen? Everything. His carefully sculpted coiff, his evasion of the Queer Eye curse, his smug yet disarming way of knowing so much more about everything than I ever will. And now, as if I needed another reason to worship the damn man, he is hosting the genius new Food Network series Food Detectives. 
First of all, please note how many "Ms" there are in the name of this dessert. If you spell it with 6 Ms or 8 Ms and then try to make it, it probably won't come out right. You've been warned.
Marisa told you a couple of months ago about Dinner: Impossible chef/host Robert Irvine losing his job because he embellished his resume just a tad (he lied about his experience, including a tiny fib about, um, doing Princess Di's wedding cake). Now the Food Network show has named a new host.
Have a bizarre or touching food-related story to tell? Tell Uncle Al all about it.
Hungry, but down to the last quarters in your laundry money jar? Head to The Culinary Review, a consumer guide to food costs, to figure out just how much grub that last $.75 will get you. 
There comes a point in the course of every reality TV show when someone ruins all the fun and exposes the show as fake. Sadly, that time has come for my beloved Iron Chef America. Despite the fact such a discoveries are inevitable, I'm always still so shocked! (Well, maybe not about MTV's The Hills, but in most other cases...)
Martha Stewart apparently thinks that Emeril Lagasse is a good thing.
DIY Foods: Making homemade sausage
Cakes so amazing they'd be hard to cut into
Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
