Sandra rolls in Elvis style. Photo: Sara Bonisteel
Bacon and Sandra Lee took center stage Thursday for the kickoff of the New York City Wine and Food Festival in Manhattan.
Lee held court in Chelsea Market (home of festival sponsor, the Food Network), where a ginormous "Sandra Lee" sign heralded exactly where everyone's favorite semi-homemade host was holding court, signing copies of her latest book "Cocktail Time."
At the Standard Hotel, those lucky enough to get into Tyler Florence's "Bacon and the Blues" event found bacon gratin, chocolate covered bacon, pulled pork and great steamed slabs of bacon all for the taking. Check out our photos from the scene after the jump.
When I tell you this is not just another steak recipe, you have to believe me. One sunny morning during the summer I was watching the Food Network and Tyler Florence was making his version of the ultimate steak. I was hooked the minute he covered the steaks with an egg white paste. A new and odd technique to me, I can't believe it took me months to actually try it. Not only was the entire piece perfectly medium rare, they were the most flavorful, juicy steaks I had ever tasted in my home. An absolute add-on must to your recipe collection.
(Click the photo to see TV's Top 7 Sexy Celebrity Chefs)
Food Network chef Tyler Florence and wife Tolan Clark Florence announced the birth of their daughter, Dorothy Tyler Florence on Friday. Born on August 8th, 2008 she Dorothy will forever have the delightful (and according to the Chinese, very auspicious) birth date 08/08/08. To see a picture of the newborn, check out the post welcoming her to the scene over at the Food Network Addict blog.
Dorothy has two older brothers, Hayden is 14 months old and Miles is 12 years old (Tyler's son from a previous relationship). I'm sure they're both just giddy over their pretty new sister.
I have heard Tyler Florence compared to Jamie Oliver on more than one occasion and although the comparisons have involved everything from technique to looks, the two chefs just happen to fill very similar roles on TV as good looking guys with a "good food, good friends" type of philosophy. Of course, Tyler and Jamie ultimately went in different directions with the TV careers (with Tyler ending up on How to Boil Water, but Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time is a step back towards his roots. The dishes in the book are simple and straightforward, but are certainly not too far into "quick fix" territory. They rely on quality ingredients and bright flavors, with both more exotic and more casual fare to choose from, and all are intended to be the types of recipes that you can turn to again and again. Some of the recipes include The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken; Almond Semifreddo with Spiced Honey Dried Fruit; Chicken Paillard with Blue Cheese, Pancetta, and Figs; and Coconut Shrimp with Basmati Rice and Apricots.
Hot cocoa (or hot chocolate) has to be one of those drinks (or food recipes in general) that everyone does a little differently. Some people just buy the packages at the supermarket and just add some hot water. Some make those brands with milk. Some make it with milk and add their own special touch, like adding bits of real chocolate or a pinch of cinnamon. Some add marshmallows, some don't. I don't think any two people make it the same exact way.
I'll admit that I don't go overboard in my hot cocoa-making. I usually use Swiss Miss or Ghirardelli and add it to some milk that I have in a pan (make sure you stir it a lot so it doesn't burn, and don't bring it to a boil!). But Tyler Florence has his own hot cocoa recipe that I'm going to have to try. I've been looking for a more creative way to make it, and this seems interesting.
Looks like celebrity chef Tyler Florence is working his magic again at Applebee's. On the heels of Ty-Flo's Huge Flavor menu, which kicked off his partnership with the fast-casual eatery, comes Holiday Flavor.
As some of you may recall, I enjoyed myself immensely when I wrote about the Huge Flavor menu. The first-person narrative was, and remains, hilarious to me. But despite my cheap shots at the menu copy, my takeaway was that the new items were a step in the right direction for Applebee's. Not that I've had anything to eat at my local Applebee's lately. That is unless you count the occasional Bloody Mary as a meal.
Fast-forward to the present. I'm not sure if I'm going to try them or not, but the four items listed on the Holiday Flavor menu look halfway decent to me. Without even tasting them, I can tell that they're an even further step in the right direction.
Sure, the mixed seafood grill doesn't make me want to jump up and down. Neither do the sirloin and grilled shrimp skewers. What really grabs me is the seared rib-eye with garlic-chili shrimp. Ty-Flo's care is evident. Just listen to how he personally garnishes his creation just for you, "I finish it all with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro." When's the last time you saw cilantro in a chain restaurant?
I was watching Food Network on Saturday night (yes, I have a very thrilling social life) and I saw an ad for their All-Star Thanksgiving special that starts airing on November 18. Is that the special from last year or the year before and not a new special? I ask because Sara Moulton is featured on the show, and I'm not sure if this is a new special or a special from the last couple of years.
I used to love Cooking Live every night and think it was a bad move to cancel that show. Moulton went on to another show, Sara's Secrets.
Nicole reported last year that Moulton was leaving the network, so are these Sara Secrets episodes repeats? I can't tell from the schedule at the site. When I saw the ad for the Thanksgiving special, it made me cringe a bit, because I know that she's basically not doing much for the network anymore, unless the episodes of her show that are on every morning are new and not repeats? To be honest, I didn't even know the show was still on anymore, and I usually don't watch Food Network that early in the AM, so I'm not sure if they're new or repeats.
Before we go any further, I have a confession to make. I like my local Applebee's, but not for the food. I've been there hundreds of times, yet I can count the number of meals I've eaten there on one hand. With the sole exception of the burger, I usually regret ordering anything there.
The real reason I go is simple: there are hardly any watering holes in Rego Park, Queens. Lest any of my fellow Slashfoodies, or God forbid my legions of fans, think me anything less than hip for bending my elbow at a chain restaurant, please be aware that such celebs as Joey Ramone's mother have been known to eat at the very same place. Really, it's true she hails from nearby Forest Hills.
So it certainly wasn't the Huge Flavor campaign involving Food Network star Tyler Florence that drew me to Applebee's last month. Although I must admit that that hearing that two dear friends of mine had sampled some items from the new menu sparked a torrent of conflicting emotions: sympathy, jealousy, Schadenfreude, and a sense of professional envy. Hovering above all of this was a lingering dread, since as a fellow gourmand and food writer I knew I would have to take one for the team.
Tyler Florence, the popular Food Network host is teaming up with Applebees to "inject a youthful flair into an already outstanding menu," meaning that the restaurant that is primarily known for its family fare is hoping to attract diners in a different age bracket. The pairing makes sense since Florence's shows are geared towards a younger audience of less experienced cooks moreso than some of the network's programs. He is also known for helping to introduce home cooks to new ingredients and techniques in a familiar setting, which may make the new menu items he helped design more appealing. They include Penne Rosa with Sweet Italian Sausage; Herb-Crusted Chicken Topped with Italian Country Salad; Crispy Brick Chicken (a small flat-grilled chicken) with Warm Spinach Salad; and a Bruschetta Burger, which is a burger on focaccia, topped with a pesto and bruschetta mix.
Florence will also be feature in the chain's ads and will have a photo in their menus. The new foods will be available in mid-September.
Some of us love the Food Network. Some of us want to hate it, but can't. I am of the latter group. I want to ban the channel from my television for some of the things they have done to my viewing pleasure (Iron Chef! Bring back Iron Chef!), but I can't. I just can't do it because there are a few things that still capture my attention:
I love watching Michael Chiarello throw together some seriously delicious looking Napa-terranean meals; better yet, I love watching him stroll through the vineyard in his jeans, caressing his grapes. (Oh my, did I blog that second part out loud?!?!)
There is a rumor that the original Iron Chef is coming back (it is on the schedule at 4 am right now). Not confirmed, but a rumor is better than nothing.
By some glorious semi-homemade alignment of the stars, every time I turn the television on, Sandra Lee is not scheduled (unfortunately, Rachael Ray is, but that's a different post).
Even though I am not a fan of Giada de Lauentiis, I like her taste in kitchens and clothes.
Hot cocoa (or hot chocolate) has to be one of those drinks (or food recipes in general) that everyone does a little differently. Some people just buy the packages at the supermarket and just add some hot water. Some make those brands with milk. Some make it with milk and add their own special touch, like adding bits of real chocolate or a pinch of cinnamon. Some add marshmallows, some don't. I don't think any two people make it the same exact way.
Looks like celebrity chef 
I was watching Food Network on Saturday night (yes, I have a very thrilling social life) and I saw an ad for their 
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