Episode 8: "Common Threads" Options

[dogabone]

Hung---winner last season---made a couple of comments about things being so easy even his monkey could do them! Guess you had to be there.

Hung's Monkey

They done disappeared my monkey picture! I'll have to send Hung after them with a cleaver!

This post has been edited by dogabone: May 3, 2008 - 10:25 PM

[WhataJoke]

I know you're aware that this last challenge was one of my favorites ever. As a man with a 12 year old grandson, who I actually do cook with, I loved every minute. Sure, the $10.00 was unrealistic, but many of the chefs did great things with the little amount of cash they were given.

When Denny saw it he pointed out that we, together, had made variations on what Antonia and Spike made. We've even made dishes that utilized peanut butter, though we never had the bright idea of pairing it with tomatoes.

This is beside the point, but I can only imagine how lonely Antonia is without her child. Denny is on a school trip to New York, and when I woke up this morning, and he wasn't here, the house was so freaking quiet. All my friends have said that Drew and I should enjoy this time by ourselves, but I think Drew is just as lonely and miserable as I am. Denny is the light of our lives, so being without your child would seem to be untenable. I hate it.

Okay, Bear, back to the freaking subject.

Can anyone remember any dish from the wedding challenge on season one? The only thing I can remember is they used a boxed cake mix, and that several people got shells in their slice of cake. I'm not a pro, and I've never had that happen. It was sad, and I expect no better this time around.

Harold made something with Salmon because he was bummed about the grocer they went to only having frozen. I think Stephen made some type of Ravioli and I want to say someone made a bird's nest type dish.

Aside from that I have no clue and even those could be wrong.

Personally I think cooking is a great way to build a child's overall confidence while giving them important life skills.

[River1]

Hung---winner last season---made a couple of comments about things being so easy even his monkey could do them! Guess you had to be there.

Thanks! I watched last season, but I didn't remember. Par for the course

[teleburst]

Yes I'm sure blogging is not his main professional arena. It's part of the job he took however and like it or not it absolutely impacts his credibility.

Deleting the blog and the comments to edit one sentence is absolutely censorship. If a e-impared clown like me can figure out a way to salvage old posts on a deleted thread then I'd like to think the guys they pay to run this site can figure out a way to edit one sentence on a blog without [expletive deleted] canning the whole thing. If not I'll be sending the BBB my resume tomorrow.

I do hold Tom up to high standards. He's obviously a very successful and respected business person and aside from thinking he holds grudges I can't say a bad thing about him. Do I think Tom is a liar and a fraud? No. Unfortunately being invovled in a reality show does not lend itself to maintaining high moral standards. And aside from one show I have seen, It comes with the territory. However he's not exactly complaining about it either. Again it's just a reality show. And trust me if Tom and the other Judges blogging wanted notes taken there are hundreds of kids out of school that would jump at the poverty level salary and experience that being a production intern would provide.

I have said before that the PR form this show has been invalubile for Tom. He's gone from being well known to mainly foodies to being well known. That's huge.

And I'm not saying that the blog should be all encompassing, but damn at least get the names of the people who won right. If he can't rememeber that how the hell do we expect him to remember why they eliminated someone. And believe it or not I'd enjoy the show much more if there wasn't anything to have to gather ammo about or any theories to back up.

Did I say anything about Andrew wanting to be Tom's drinking buddy? Wanting to be TC's friend and expecting to get credit when you earn it are two very different things. These people take a big risk putting their reputations on the line in a less than ideal cooking environment. Yes only one person gets to take home a prize but when you excell in a challenge you should at least get a public pat on teh back from the respected host.

Oh I'm sure the Pravda Wing of Top Chef is already in the works.

<shrug>

[kanigirrrrl]

<shrug>

On the subject of Judge's blog accuracy. I tend to think it falls under the category of Could Be A Lot Better.

For instance. Gail's blog this week has this: ...Nikki’s One-Pot Roasted Chicken with Apple and Mixed Vegetables, Cucumber and Tomato Salad was familiar enough that everyone could identify with it, but her addition of brussel sprouts and apples... and if you click on the link? Guess where you go? Not Bravo's internal recipe site but Gail's own magazine site, Food and Wine and a recipe that includes potatoes, asparagus, and chicken breasts. Nikki's ACTUAL (well, as actual as we can guess) recipe has chicken thighs and drums (skin on, not nearly as healthy), brussel spouts, carrots, onions and apples. Same with Andrew's chicken. Straight to Food and Wine's site.

I just love being manipulated for the sake of internet ad revenue.

[partsgirl]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

JUMPIN IN A TAD PG

I USE MY MICRO FOR MAKIN RICE

NOT THE TYPE THEY USED ON THE EPISODE

KINDA WONDERED ABOUT IT..........

WAS IT PRE SEASONED???

CAN'T IMAGINE EATING THAT STUFF

I CAN MAKE IT FRESH WITH MY MICRO COOKER IN LESS THAN 10

PERFECT EVERY TIME

AND WAY FASTER THAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS

TAKE CARE OVER THERE

ALOHA

HAVE FUN

It was hard to tell what type of micro-rice they were using... plain or seasoned. I cannot abide that stuff. I have used the micro to cook rice like you mentioned. I'll do that to save burner room on my stove. Usually I bring the rice to a boil on the stove top, and when it almost boils to the top I turn it off and put on a tight lid. Then I just let the heat and steam work its magic. My mother always forgot to turn off the burner under the rice and it would burn. Yuck.

[partsgirl]

Parts, I don't often purchase any prepared foods. I'm not ideological about it, I just don't care for them or don't know what to do with them. Which is a pity, cause it's the prepared foods that are 90% of the supermarket weekly specials!

But you might try that Whole Grains blend, it's proven popular with everyone I've served it too. And serving a pile of whole grains isn't often very popular, LOL. But it's never about the quantity of carbs, it's always been about the quality of the carbs.

It can be reproduced at home, but then the task has to broken into so many steps and stages, ehhhhhhh.

Ever try a barley risotto? It's different and can be quite good. Stick some peas in it.

I stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I'm not bragging I just know I can make whatever micro-meal in that frozen foods section a heck of a lot better and healthier. If my daughter wants fish sticks I'll buy fresh fish and broil. If she wants spaghetti with red sauce, watch out! Momma's buying tomatoes!
Oh! And the barley risotto sounds fantastic. I'll give it a try.

[partsgirl]

Hung is the master---beautiful knife skills!!

I love this challenge and I'm hoping, now that they are down to 8, we actually get to see what they can do.

Oh, I hope so. I know that it has been discussed before but I do wish Bravo would expand TC to 2 hours. Lord knows they probably have enough footage for it. Not reopening a can of worms here... just saying. They could show us more JT, more QF and EC and STILL have plenty of time to show the drama and Padma hair flips.

[BreBaby]

Random Comment:
Just looked at the chef home picture blogs, Spike & Ryans were adorable! I love looking at those & kind of getting a better idea of who they are.
Very cute!

[BreBaby]

Oh, I hope so. I know that it has been discussed before but I do wish Bravo would expand TC to 2 hours. Lord knows they probably have enough footage for it. Not reopening a can of worms here... just saying. They could show us more JT, more QF and EC and STILL have plenty of time to show the drama and Padma hair flips.

LoL, she does love to flip that hair.
I've always felt like it should be two hours long, I feel so jipped when they rush through everything, especially in the begining when there is so many contestants. I think it'll get real good getting down to the nitty gritty though.

[johnw]

Harold made something with Salmon because he was bummed about the grocer they went to only having frozen. I think Stephen made some type of Ravioli and I want to say someone made a bird's nest type dish.

Aside from that I have no clue and even those could be wrong.

Personally I think cooking is a great way to build a child's overall confidence while giving them important life skills.

WAJ,

Harold's salmon was probably the worse dish of what was served to the wedding guests. If it weren't for Stephen's repeat performance of bad FOH, Harold might have been on the chopping block. As for the eggshells that Bear asked about, both you and I and anyone else who viewed that episode knows that the likely eggshell culprit was Tiffani - one camera shot showed her breaking eggs over the cake mix.

As for who cooked what other than Harold, like you I can't remember.

A lot of things said by Tom and Gail I found to be questionable.

[SimonBao]

Hung is the master---beautiful knife skills!!

I love this challenge and I'm hoping, now that they are down to 8, we actually get to see what they can do.

Somewhere recently I saw a reference to Hung as The Secretariat of Top Chefs. Certainly he is in a class ahead of Ilan.

Outside of Quickfires, and his Fruit Loopy Happy Time Wonderland breakfast, Hung really stumbled badly only twice. His canape, and his Latin Lunch. And I still think it's possible he doesn't know Latin and simply knew to look on the back of Goya Sazon seasoning packs to find a recipe for Arroz con Pollo.

But I don't think this season's final and winner will unseat Hung...

[River1]

Somewhere recently I saw a reference to Hung as The Secretariat of Top Chefs. Certainly he is in a class ahead of Ilan.

Outside of Quickfires, and his Fruit Loopy Happy Time Wonderland breakfast, Hung really stumbled badly only twice. His canape, and his Latin Lunch. And I still think it's possible he doesn't know Latin and simply knew to look on the back of Goya Sazon seasoning packs to find a recipe for Arroz con Pollo.

But I don't think this season's final and winner will unseat Hung...

Sorta interesting trivia--when an autopsy was performed on Secretariat, vets discovered his heart was at least two sizes larger than normal (opposite of the Grinch). Which CT this year has a double-sized heart?

[SimonBao]

Oh and btw..What do you do for a living again???

I mean you should write for television or
movies..... no lie...But I keep seeing peeps asking you if you would go on TC....I know you are a great cook but unless you have ever been a professional chef....would they take you or anyone like that???

Without some sort of chef experience in a restaurant or
other professional situations.....would they even let someone try out I wonder??

Kristl, I am a desk monkey. Office serf. Text-based automaton. A researcher and policy analyst.

I would hope TC would never take a "cook," and only ever take people with professional experience as chefs. (And never again a first-year culinary institute student!)

There is overlap between a "cook" and a "chef" but they're by no means the same thing. I would never enjoy being a chef because I really only enjoy cooking for people I know and care about. It's a kind of personal thing that revolves around the folks eating the food, and my relationship with them, rather than revolve around what's on the plate.

I think it's not just plausible but probably necessary for Stephie to be motivated about what she's cooking and plating, no matter who it is for. Even if it is for a zoo staff party, a wedding, catering to people she'll never know or care about.

Me, I'd want nothing to do with any of that, ever....

[SimonBao]

I would hope TC would never take a "cook," and only ever take people with professional experience as chefs. (And never again a first-year culinary institute student!)

Me, I'd want nothing to do with any of that, ever....

Kristl, to emphasize and illustrate my point... when I'm asked to make foods for people I don't know or don't care about, my reaction ranges from (a minimum of) discomfort all the way to serious dislike and whining.

Especially at Thanksgiving or Christmas, Viet friends will ask me to make "American" holiday foods they can take to a party or give out to people. For example, what they call "holiday breads" but which are simply a variety of standard quick breads. Orange & Cranberry, Walnut & Banana, Banana & Coconut, Apples & Nuts. (Anything but pumpkin...)

I enjoy making those for me and my own to give out to our own friends, loathe the task when I have to do it so one of my friends can give them out to HIS relatives and friends.

Let me get this straight, you want me to make 6 full size loaves and 12 mini-loaves, so you can give them to your wife's relatives and friends... Leaving your wife out of it for a minute, you and I both know neither of us can stand your wife's relatives, they're Throwbacks, they're like some kind of cave-dwelling hunter/gatherer Troglodytes, those who aren't drunks are stupid when they're sober, you lie about working over-time and go watch soccer games just so you can get out of spending time with that tribe... and you want me to make holiday breads for them?

That is not the response of a chef. That is not the soul of a chef. LOL

[Pricilla]

Yeah... She looked like that during the QF... complete with "angry lips".

And DOES SHE EVER WASH HER HAIR????? OMG, if I walked into a restaurant and saw her cooking.... I'd walk out as fast as I could! What a greasy, dirty looking person!

[NiCi]

And DOES SHE EVER WASH HER HAIR????? OMG, if I walked into a restaurant and saw her cooking.... I'd walk out as fast as I could! What a greasy, dirty looking person!

She needed to join the boys in the bathtub!!!

[SimonBao]

For anyone still interested in Stephanie's odd pairing of peanut butter and tomatoes with stewed chicken, MafeGate, there's this bit more....

If you watched Top Chef this week you'll have seen one of the judges, Chef Tom Colicchio, repeatedly disparaging one dishes' combination of tomatoes and peanut butter as if he had no idea that it's a traditional West African combination (as traditional as an African combination of two new world plants can be, anyway). The chef who made it was clearly going for a standard chicken in peanut sauce--she served it over couscous so she knew the African origins and didn't just stumble on recipe independently--but if she explained that the fault lay in the preparation of the dish and not the conception, it didn't make it to air. The rest of the author's blog here....

Actually, it is possible that Stephanie could have spent 5 minutes explaining in detail the origins and nature of a Mafe stew and what she was going for. She still missed the mark, the dish was made without other essential seasonings, but Magical Elves might show us none of her explanation just to make her look clueless and misguided. Tomatoes & peanut butter today, smoked salmon & fluffer-nutter tomorrow.

[SimonBao]

We don't know for sure that he didn't know that or that she didn't say it...He may have and she may have...We just don't know what was NOT said....Maybe he didn't know but she told him.
But Tom does know food and he even knows
where truffles are found and NOT found

YES Simon....he was right.

He may have known but it also just wasn't very good.

Keeping score, eh?

Tom might at least check Wikipedia on the truffles. And be a bit less "sure" about his risottos.

But none of that compares with Rocco asserting in all caps about how it is impossible to combine starch and fat, ever.

Monsieur... may I offer you some roux? Oh, pardonez moi, zhere is no such thing. LOL

[chucole]

Of your lol's or Tom!!

Rocco and his roux

The risotto... it was proved that he was right also by many.
I remember distinctly ..MANY chefs said Tom was right there.
YES you can...but it is not common or done very often by top chefs.

Signore' Bao

The discussion as I recall was that Rocco said you could find them in Italy which we know you can.
BUT Tom was being very specific saying that truffles are not USUALLY used in Southern Italian cooking and they aren't.
That is what Mediterranean food is there in Italy...Southern.
And that point I keep forgetting to mention to you that they were saying two different things.
bah fongul (I hope no one knows Italian here )

So see again we didn't see the rest of that conversation as it was kinda weird....They were saying different things really at the same time if you watch again.

No mention of truffles here.

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/italian
-regional-food-South.asp

To prove once again that 2 hours would provide more insight for everyone involved.