Monday, October 29, 2007

Foodie Alert

Airline Food with a WOW!

The ‘Next Iron Chef’ took to the sky on this episode. The four remaining contestants tried their hand at airline food. They traveled to Munich, Germany to prepare new menus for Lufthansa Airline, which is launching a new fuel-efficient Airbus A380. The Airbus A380 will launch in 2009. Scenes of the plane’s first class and business class looked quite different from most planes. The meals which are provided by LSG Sky Chefs looked pretty different, too. It wasn’t the usual bag of peanuts and crackers that I am used to. In honor of the new plane, Lufthansa was pulling out all the stops and wanted a new menu for the flight. The winner of the ‘Next Iron Chef will be offered the chance to collaborate with Lufthansa and LSG Sky Chefs in creating a signature menu for their premium dining program in 2008.
The chefs learned to appreciate airline food after they found out how it is prepared. Bernd Schmitt, Executive Chef for Menu Design at LSG Sky Chefs, explained a few differences in preparing airline food. He explained that taste buds change at high altitudes, foods need to be spicer (which some chefs took into account in preparing their menus, but the judging took place on the ground). Food is cooked and then chilled, then reheated and plated on board the plane. Dishes must appeal to a large segment of passengers, as LDG Sky Chefs serve almost 150,000 premium meals every two months. Schmitt also helped judge this episode.
Amid the running around and chasing camera people out of the way, we saw raw fish dishes, venison, and white asparagus. Michael served tuna crudo and Aaron served scallop ceviche. Chris served severly undercooked cauliflower (Michael
Ruhlman described it as a crudite). Michael Ruhlman also had a problem with John Besh’s watermelon consommé (which wasn’t clear enough). Michael Symon won the challenge with perfectly cooked salmon (which wowed the guest judge). The episode ended with a decision of whether to send Chris Cosentino or Aaron Sanchez home. For a moment, it seemed that the title of episode loser was up for grabs, but the ‘whiner’ won that title. The competition is down to three. The next stop is Paris. Without a miracle, it looks like Chris Cosentino will be the next to go. Which will leave John Besh and Michael Symon to battle it out in kitchen stadium. Either one of these two will make a fine ‘iron chef’. I really like John Besh, but I like Michael Symon even more.


Emeril has a special show airing on Saturday, November 3rd at 8 p.m. Emeril will return to Harlem’s Children’s Storefront School to prepare lunch for the students. Do you think that he will like the cafeteria? He should, he designed it. Not only does he make lunch, but he invites the students back to his studio for pizza, tacos and an ice sundae bar.


Food Network and Chelsea Market Baskets announced they will launch a Food Network-branded area in the front of the Chelsea Market Basket store in the Chelsea Market building in Lower Manhattan. Chelsea Market Baskets is the first retailer beyond Food Network’s online store to provide a physical space and sell Food Network products including DVDs and cookbooks. The retailer will also sell Food Network talent cookbooks and other related items.
“We are thrilled to partner with a proven retailer like Chelsea Market Baskets, at the home of Food Network, Chelsea Market,” said Lia Buffa, Director of New Business & E-Commerce, Food Network. “They have been here since the building opened and we know they are the right partner to represent the Food Network brand locally in New York City.”
The branded space will launch in early November. Other items for sale will include Food Network-branded soft goods such as aprons, oven mitts, canvas tote bags, t-shirts and track jackets. In addition, they will also offer spices, rubs and olive oil from Food Network talent.


New Episodes on America’s Test Kitchen start in January.
This is the most watched cooking show on public television with three million viewers per week. A new series called America’s Test Kitchen: Cook’s Country will air next year in July. The 13 episode show was filmed from September 21st to October 5th in a Vermont farmhouse with practical no-nonsense food.


Check out the website, Serious Eats.com for Mario Batali.
Mario is producing a video series called ‘Mario Batali Unclogged’. This original on-line video content will feature a new one to two minute episode every Tuesday. Mario also has a PBS show coming out where he and Gwyneth Paltrow will cook Spanish food. http://www.seriouseats.com/mario-batali


Food Network is everywhere.
You have seen all the ads on TV about being able to buy Food Network products at Kohl’s. What if you don’t have a Kohl’s close at hand: go on-line to Cooking.com for a look at 20,000 products. They will also carry hard to find recipe ingredients.


Chef Robert Irvine is back for another season of “Dinner: Impossible”. Chef Irvine and his two sous chefs take on the seemingly impossible and make it happen. In case you haven’t seen it, the premise goes something like this: Hello Robert. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to feed 100 people,
P.S. Bring heavy clothing.
And he ends up at the North Pole. Or feeds 2000 people at a ball game. Anytime that you are having a bad day in the kitchen, just be thankful that you didn’t receive his mission. But Robert knows his chops, he has cooked for the British Royal Family and four U,S. Presidents. I enjoy his show.
The show airs on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on the Food Network with 26 episodes.



Have you watched the online webisode series called ‘Top Recipe: The Wong Way to Cook’? This is such a great idea. Thank you Bravo TV for thinking of it.


Do you have what it takes? The search continues in Miami.

This is what they are looking for:

• Cooking know-how: You must have strong cooking skills. Cooks, Restaurant Chefs, Caterers, Personal Chefs, and Foodies are encouraged to apply!

• Personality that pops: Let yourself shine and show us who you really are. Don't be shy. We are all about personality-show us yours!

• Teaching skills: Bring the world of food and cooking to life in your very own passionate and unique way. Please be clear about your cooking point of view.

From a pool of finalists, one winner will receive their own six-episode show.

To Apply:

Please e-mail us your name, age, phone number, e-mail address, city, a brief summary of why you want to be on the show, occupation (if not cooking professionally how do you continue to keep your passion for cooking alive), and a picture of yourself to: CastingNFNS4@yahoo.com

Or Meet the casting team at our Miami, FL Open Call!

Date: 11/6/07
Time: 10am-3pm
Metropole
635 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Ohio Foodies

If you are into Food, mark November 9-11 on your calendar. The Fabulous Food Show will be at the I-X Center in Cleveland. With the likes of Alton Brown, Giada DeLaurentiis, Duff ‘Ace of Cakes’ Goldman, Rick Bayless and Jason Roberts, what’s not to like. Local talent will also be there, including Brandt Evans of Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern in Twinsburg, Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood and Matt Swingos of Swingos Grand Tavern in Avon Lake.
For more information or to order tickets, visit http://www.fabulousfoodshow.com. Tickets are $25 in advance, $27.50 at the door.
If you can wait until January 16th, you may want to travel to North Canton for the ‘Hearty Boys’, Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh. The two will appear at Fishers Foods’ Loretta Paganini School of Cooking for a cooking class and book signing. Their first book, “Talk with Your Mouth Full” was released in September. The class is $75 and is limited to 40, so early reservations are encouraged. Call 888-748-4063.




RankingBlogs.com :: Defining Your Blogs Worth: TopSites:

No comments: