Episode 8: "Common Threads" Options

[dogabone]

Thoughts on last night's episode:

This is not the first time Mark has become defensive and confrontational with the Judges when on the chopping block; he's done it on at least three occasions. His Kiwi charm just seems to have masked his comments. It was his time.

It's possible Steph peaked early and is on a downward spiral. She seems to have lost focus and the nerves are back. A real shame, because I thought she was a contender.

Lisa was taken down for contending the judgment at JT, but she was no more confrontational and unwilling to accept criticism than Mark. Lisa's problem is an overall aura of contentiousness.

Nikki: Who'da thunk it? She might redeem herself yet. Just wish she'd visit a good hairdresser.

And for next week:

Wedding Wars: Be afraid; be very afraid.

[partsgirl]

Well I'm sure they're going to ax me next.

No, dear. BBB keeps you around for the ratings draw. You're like internet gold.

[SimonBao]

will somebody explain the love for Mark? He hasn't many successful dishes. Or even appetizing looking dishes.

It's "Love By Association."

Everyone loves Hyde from That 70s Show. Mark must be the Son of Hyde. Hyde spent time stoning and surfing in New Zealand, spawned a child who grew up to cook. Mark.

[Pita]

I can't believe I made it through all the first 14 pages and only had two cups of coffee.

I agree with so many, but I'll throw my two cents in, too.


I have said repeatedly that I'm sure Nikki is a nice enough lady, but her dishes made me violent. I am happily eating my words today. I thought she created a fantastic, well rounded dish. I happily give up the circa 1976 coffee urn, too.

Lisa, once again, made me want to reach through my screen and throttle her. I will have to go back and hear her exact words, but she said something to the effect of not seasoning or not spicing food (someone please help me here!) for kids. Well, just what does she think little Spanish children eat? Or little Asian children? Italian, Greek, Portugese, Middle Eastern? Not all moms run their kitchens like diners and I, for one, don't make different meals for all the palates in my house. Moms don't cook with garlic, onions, s&p, peppers, chilies, etc. because kids won't eat them? BS.

Again, she showed me she's a pretentious little snot. It's one thing to be confident and arrogant, or else I wouldn't love Anthony Bourdain so much. Just make sure the product of your hind parts smells like roses. Bourdain has earned his chops. Lisa is still on the proving ground and she hasn't shown me a whole lot other than miso glazed bacon. Fab.

I was flabbergasted at Stephanie's dish. Completely flabbergasted. I was so disappointed. Quite frankly, I thought it looked like a vomitous mess. she spent the bulk of her $10 on chicken and it only made it in the craptacular peanutbutter-tomato sauce. Over cooked couscous? Wow. Just wow.

Truly, I didn't have a strong reaction to Mark's dish. I would have loved to see more veggies and some form of protein, but I didn't think it was as disasterous as Stephanie's. So long double Dipper.

Speaking of Double Dippers. I will bet dollars to donuts Richard was edited. I know with every fiber of my being he tasted from that spoon and kerplunk! it was back in the pot. In front of Tom!!! Nice dish. Scuzzy practices.

I definitely thought this was as tailored made a challenge for Antonia and Nikki as they could have got. I thought they both shined. I'd like Antonia to STFU, but that's a whole other issue.

Quickfire: Ay yi yi. Kudos to all of them. I need a whole 30 mins. They did theirs in 15. I don't care what they made. I was impressed.

I'll go back and reread some finer points. But, you all generally say what's on my mind a lot better than I can sputter it out.

[Radyms13]

Small rant for Dale---so you're short, it is what it is---deal with it. While modern medical science can do some amazing things adding six inches to your height isn't one of them yet. So get over it dude.

(I'm vertically challenged myself so I know whereof I speak).

[SecondTry]

And Guess what I just saw in Ted Allen's Blog. He's actually trying to claim that Antonia and Lisa did infact use polish sausage in their dish!!!!

Ted has to cover for the Producers.

I saw that too. I printed out the recipe the day after, and it did indeed include 2 ounces of Polish sausage--but we all know what Bravo's recipes are worth.

[SimonBao]

Just to establish a baseline... Antonia's joke with her daughter, "Knock knock... Who's there? Smell Map... Smell Map Who?" is exactly the kind of knock knock joke I like to tell little ones. Tasteless, taboo, the very joke most parents won't tell.

I rate "Smell Map" up there with "Hey kid, pull my finger." Which I've never done. But which I have to respect. LOL

This post has been edited by SimonBao: May 1, 2008 - 10:03 AM

[SecondTry]

Nikki: Who'da thunk it? She might redeem herself yet. Just wish she'd visit a good hairdresser.

Well, I'D'a thunk it. Nikki has two major strengths: comfort food and traditional Italian food. This challenge allowed her to use the former.

[Radyms13]

Just to establish a baseline... Antonia's joke with her daughter, "Knock know... Who's there? Smell Map... Smell Map Who?" is exactly the kind of knock knock joke I like to tell little ones. Tasteless, taboo, the very joke most parents won't tell.

I rate "Smell Map" up there with "Hey kid, pull my finger." Which I've never done. But which I have to respect. LOL

My 5 year old grandson tells this one "Why does Tigger smell bad?......Cause he plays with Pooh!"

[SimonBao]

I know they tend to keep confrontational folks but I think he over did it... sadly. He's right about the protein thing. You don't have to have it every night and he didn't over look the vegan sector, right?

Parts, I have to strongly disagree with you. I mean, very strongly.

A basic precept of contemporary vegetarian and vegan cooking is that a meal MUST still include a complete protein. Meaning, it includes all the essential amino acids needed by humans. An individual dish or side doesn't need to offer a complete protein, but that total meal must.

That's surprisingly easy to achieve, it's as old as agriculture, long ago achieved in all hemispheres and on all continents. One includes in the meal both one or more good high-protein whole grains (wheat being the go-to grain) and a good high-protein legume. Consumed together, that famous grain/legume combo is a complete protein. Chickpeas and whole wheat pita can do it on their own.

Or, one uses any of the few plant sources of (more or less) complete proteins. Soy beans, tofu, quinoa, etc. Peanuts are not bad but still should be offered in a meal with a whole grain in order to truly be "healthy." Mark had *some* peanut in that dish somewhere... but that dish does not meet a standard for being a healthy vegan or vegetarian meal. Conceptually, Mark was wrong from the get-go.

[SimonBao]

I love the idea of creating a meal for four people for $10.00.
BUT having them shop at WHOLE FOODS... (the HIGH PRICE LEADER) is ABSURD!!
$10.00 at WHOLE FOODS will in reality buy you $5.00 worth of product.
Take that $10.00 anywhere else you'll get twice as much stuff as you will at WHOLE FOODS!!
Maybe they get a 50% discount for being a sponsor of the show.

I agree, Exhibear.

To be honest, I cook weeknight meals for 3 for under $10 all the time. Look at what Antonia did and you know it's not that difficult. Granted, I shop the weekly specials and menu-plan ahead of time and pull ingredients from our pantry, but that ordinary Tuesday dinner almost always includes 1-2 leftover lunches as well.

BUT..... Whole Foods? Get serious. Americans who want to prepare healthy, nutritious, economical dinners for 4 for $10 are not shopping at Whole Foods. Not even for the sake of product placements.

[Radyms13]

I agree, Exhibear.

To be honest, I cook weeknight meals for 3 for under $10 all the time. Look at what Antonia did and you know it's not that difficult. Granted, I shop the weekly specials and menu-plan ahead of time and pull ingredients from our pantry, but that ordinary Tuesday dinner almost always includes 1-2 leftover lunches as well.

BUT..... Whole Foods? Get serious. Americans who want to prepare healthy, nutritious, economical dinners for 4 for $10 are not shopping at Whole Foods. Not even for the sake of product placements.

It's a good thing this was shot in October/November cause $10 now just puts gas in the car to get to the store.

[WhataJoke]

Not to go back to tanning the horse-hide but WOW. Every instance shown last Wednesday had both chefs saying they didn't use polish sausage. Now a week later, VOILA, Ted points out in the online recipe the two ounces of polish sausage allegedly used? WOW. Manipulate much?

This is almost as funny as the "sloppy crop" re-edit of the Haircut to remove Elia. I really think it's hysterical at this point how obvious the shenanigans are.

Poor Ted must be hard up for a paycheck too.

[SecondTry]

This is almost as funny as the "sloppy crop" re-edit of the Haircut to remove Elia. I really think it's hysterical at this point how obvious the shenanigans are.

Poor Ted must be hard up for a paycheck too.

I'm going to hold off responding to his blog until I can check the hard copy of the recipe I have at home, but I'm 99% sure that when they first posted Jen & Steph's recipe, it didn't have asparagus anywhere except in the title--and it does now.

[SimonBao]

"I've got a culinary boner." HAH - he said boner.

I'm seriously surprised that Stephanie didn't go home. I figured it would be her or Lisa. Only thing I can see as the kicker was that Mark didn't have a protein. I love sweet curry dishes...maybe if he'd added more peanuts?

KS, I also think the judges made it sound as if Stephanie's dish was just the worst-tasting of them. And I also think this may be one of those cases where, no matter what the judges say, past performance just has to sneak into their judgements. Stephie has done rocking food, Mark has not.

But I don't think adding more peanuts to the dish would have helped. That's just adding more of a weak source of complete protein. I don't see the point of offering an American family of four a vegetarian or vegan dish unless someone specifies that's what is wanted.

Good vegetarian or vegan dishes would be an interesting challenge. Last year's Elks Low-Cholesterol challenge showed that few of the chefs have a clue about nutrition and diet and cholesterol, it would be interesting to see how many know about vegetarian/vegan cooking.

[WhataJoke]

I thought Stephanie's dish was a real clunker too. However, read guest judge Art Smith's blog on the Bravo Top Chef website. He says the Steph's dish may have sounded gross but the flavors were good.

I don't see how Tom could call the dish "offputting" and it have good flavor. I mean seriously, no matter how much damage control they do on the blogs, its just not going to wash.

[SimonBao]

No kidding, they really need to start getting more creative with their challanges...

What, you want them to cater a Bris?

[WhataJoke]

How were the chefs able to purchase all of those items for under ten dollars? I shop at whole foods all of the time, and it is hard for me to believe they were able to purchase the meat, and chicken alone for under $10. I think that it is not possible to shop at whole foods for a meal for 4 for under 10 dollars. I have purchased a whole chicken before that was at least 12 dollars alone, and there is no way these chefs purchased a whole chicken plus vegetables for $10. I wish they were honest and admit they spend more than $10 on this challenge. Maybe the prices are different in california, but i shop at whole foods and do not believe this challenge is possible. I think the show was not honest about the number of items bought by the chefs. I believe the chicken alone cost these chefs $10 and was possibly not added to their bill. I challenge the show to actually post the receipts to prove they purchased all the items used in the dishes for $10. I love the show, but believe they are trying to fool the audience. As a person who shops at whole foods i personally do not believe this challenge is possible.

Well I bet they used some itmes from the TC pantry and I have heard people suspect that they may have been cut a discount or two. It's like the Block party challenge. Do people really think all the people in the neighborhood had stocked pantries and fridges by accident?

I nominate we change the name of the show to Top Chenanigans.

[WhataJoke]

Bock-Bock-Be-Ock! (supposed to be the sound a chicken makes!)

Seven Buck-Buck-Buck-Bucks a pound!


Thats the sound chicken at Whole food makes.

[Radyms13]

Preview for next week

http://video.bravotv.com/player/?id=245967

Plenty of asstitude!!!