The Kitchen - General Discussion

[bad things are bad]

Did we miss something or was there no GZ cocktail at the end of the last show? That's usually the best segment

[bichonblitz]

Rhee Drummond making Blueberry Cobbler. Cobbler is one of the easiest things to make on earth!  Besides, Rhee already has a FN show and yes, I have seen her make cobblers on her show a zillion times. Why have someone that already has a show on the network be on this one? 

Jeff was very moody and snarky this ep. His bitching and complaining about all the sous chef prep he had to do for Zakarian was very obvious and not funny. I felt like he was totally serious. The others were going out of their way to try to ignore and not comment on his behavior.  A little jealousy there, perhaps?  

[Koalagirl]

On 7/18/2017 at 1:02 PM, bad things are bad said:

Did we miss something or was there no GZ cocktail at the end of the last show? That's usually the best segment

GZ made a Southern Peach Julep.   It was at the very every end of the show.

[Lura]

If this show continues down the road of this episode, I think it will fail, and I don't know that I'd miss it.  This entire show was a downer.  (Oops, sorry about the italics.)

Jeff was terrible.  Ree was worse!  She drives me crazy, and so does he, so you can imagine my mental state during this one!  LOL  For Ree to make one of her never-ending cobblers was a joke.  I think it's the only dish she's sure she can make.  Even then, she needed the help of two of the hosts!!!  I watch her show mainly for the snark value, which is sad to say.  She cooks things that are about 10 times easier than Sandra Lee cooked, if you remember her.  I couldn't wait until her segment was over.  Then, at one point, Jeff was so impossible that he actually laid down and took a rest!  I wish he'd have stayed there.  Katie Lee was her usual phony self and still can't decide whether to talk like she grew up in W. VA or keep working on her affected Long Island "sophisticated" accent.  GZ was OK but more toned down than usual.  At least he tried.  Sunny and Marcella gave it all they had and were the only two worth watching, IMHO.  Say what you will about Sunny, but that lady can COOK!  She really does know her food.

[MissMel]

I haven't watched this show in about a year.  I just caught up on the last 7 pages here and decided to see which episode was playing today.  It happens to be a show I still have my DVR so I can skip it.  GZ doesn't really bother me but most of the time I feel like he's the frazzled kindergarten teacher just hanging on during the last week of school.  Jeff makes me want to poke my eyeballs out and Katie makes me want to pierce my ear drums.  If I want that, I can get both in half the time by watching Ree.  Sunny was my favorite on Cooking for Real but she's changed on this show.  I enjoy Marcella much more when she isn't pregnant.  

Someone asked upthread if anyone had made one of Sunny's recipes from her first show.  I made a few but this one Caribbean Chicken Wings is my favorite.  We've used it on wings and breasts, both baked and grilled.  I don't like fennel seed and see no reason to buy or use it but that's the only difference for me.  There's also a short video of the recipe at that link, if anyone wants a reminder of how she used to host compared to now.  

[Qoass]

I don't know if it was a new show or a repeat but this past Saturday my heart died a little when the hosts were raving about the brilliance of using butter wrappers to grease a baking tin. What the hell do they think people did before the invention of Pam?

[Westiepeach]

Um, did Sunny just tell me that London Broil has a "beefy" taste???

[Mondrianyone]

I thought this was a good episode over all.  I would (and will) make that potato salad, and as someone who's never liked strawberry shortcake, I was very tempted by this one, so I'll try it before the summer's over.  It's so nice when they cook real food.  Makes me remember why I started watching the show in the first place.  Sunny looked pretty, although it will take me a while to stop associating London broil with where it comes from on her ass.  ;o)

[Irlandesa]

6 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

Um, did Sunny just tell me that London Broil has a "beefy" taste???

Yeah, that confused me.  Isn't it beef? Shouldn't it have that taste?  (I don't know. I eat very little cow.)

I always make my shortcake with angel food cake. 

Edited August 5, 2017 by Irlandesa

[Spunkygal]

How about during the London broil segment and KL was talking about when you smell your neighbor grilling in the summer and "your canines start to water." Was she talking about your dogs or your teeth? I rewound it and put closed captioning on to make sure that's what she said. I've had my taste buds water, but not my teeth. And I'm sure my dog's mouth has watered but not her teeth. Or maybe I have deficient canine teeth that don't water but my dentist has never said anything about it.

edited to add: I apologize if I offended anyone by my remarks. I am not too old to learn something new! Also, when I posted this, I had just gotten home from vacation and had driven two days straight so was a bit goofy. I might now use the "my canines are watering" saying!!

Edited August 8, 2017 by Spunkygal

[butterbody]

My Granny used to say her canines were waterin'. I assumed she meant her mouth was watering so much that even her teeth were. Just a colorful southern expression.

But then again, I've described certain fish as having a "fishy" taste, like Sunny's beefy London broil comment. Maybe I'm just dumb enough to watch this show simply to enjoy it.

[Spunkygal]

That's interesting, @butterbody. We are southern, too, and I thought I had heard most southern expressions, but I guess not!!! 

[butterbody]

2 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

That's interesting, @butterbody. We are southern, too, and I thought I had heard most southern expressions, but I guess not!!! 

Granny used to call me "A-hole" and my sister "Shit hook". Gotta love our southern roots!

She also put her biscuit dough (and cornbread batter) in a screaming hot skillet, but I learned a good tip from Jeff re: not twisting the cutter and making the dough retract. Makes me want to cook up a big I'm pot of white beans.

[Spunkygal]

Oh yes, cornbread batter in a screaming hot skillet! I made some the other day...yum! And we loved pinto beans and chow chow with our cornbread. 

Overall, this episode wasn't bad. I still need to try fennel.

[Mammalou]

I for one am over the hot dog recipes

I'm  also good with never seeing corn on the cob rolled in doritos and cheetos  or pickle juice ice pops

the guest was a little much for me.. thought she was auditioning to be a host lol 

[Irlandesa]

Props to Marcela and Katie for not losing it on Sunny when she lost control of the beach ball she was playing with. 

I liked seeing how they made the cookie dough pop with almond flour and apple sauce.  I do like cookie dough. I wonder how that tastes.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 7/15/2017 at 7:58 PM, Mondrianyone said:

And in the case of the one Zakarian made, also too raw to eat.  Or at least that's how it looked on my TV. 

Mileage varies.  I love me a very rare burger, certain death be damned. 

 

On 8/5/2017 at 5:00 PM, Irlandesa said:

I always make my shortcake with angel food cake. 

I make mine with shortbread, and instead of whipped cream, I pour half and half over it and let the shortbread soak it up, and then pour more.  If I'm feeling really decadent, I use whipping cream instead of half and half.  OMG.

 

2 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I liked seeing how they made the cookie dough pop with almond flour and apple sauce.  I do like cookie dough. I wonder how that tastes.

I noticed something odd.  When the youtube star belatedly added the vanilla, as Jeff stirred it in he noted that it's all almond flour so you don't have to worry about overworking it because there's no gluten in it, and the youtube star replied, "No, it's um, it's, it's...a little less, you know...guilty."  It made me wonder if she knew what overworking dough means.

Also, pickle pops?  A friend told me that back in the 60s, the man who ran the movie theater in town somehow convinced the kids to pay money for pickle juice over ice.

[Mondrianyone]

31 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Mileage varies.  I love me a very rare burger, certain death be damned.

Me, too--rare, not raw.  But I'd be honored to speak at your memorial service and praise you for living up to your screen name till the burger-induced end.  It's good to die for something important.  ;o)

Where the hell are they getting these guests lately?  Has Sunny started a school for host wannabes?

[Westiepeach]

1 hour ago, Mondrianyone said:

Me, too--rare, not raw.  But I'd be honored to speak at your memorial service and praise you for living up to your screen name till the burger-induced end.  It's good to die for something important.  ;o)

Where the hell are they getting these guests lately?  Has Sunny started a school for host wannabes?

Same here. As rare as possible. If I die, I die happy. 

[Gam2]

I tried watching this show yesterday. Hotdogs every which way. I lasted about 10 minutes. The yelling was over the top (looking at you, Sunny and Jeff), Sunny yet again talking with food in her mouth. Guac on a hotdog?! Blech. Click. 

[bichonblitz]

Stop with the hot dogs, pleeaassee!! We get it, you can put any damn thing you want on a hot dog.  We did not need 3 shows to point that out. 

[Maya]

27 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

Stop with the hot dogs, pleeaassee!! We get it, you can put any damn thing you want on a hot dog.  We did not need 3 shows to point that out. 

And then when they tasted them, all they raved about was the "grilled" taste of the hotdogs. So stupid. 

[Mammalou]

Once Summer is over we can look forward to pumpkin spice flavoring used 10 thousand ways lol

[Qoass]

Not yet:  hot dogs are big fall football food too!

[Maya]

Serious question - how is Salisbury steak different from a mini meatloaf? I thought Salisbury steak had gravy, but Sunny's didn't. 

[bichonblitz]

On 8/17/2017 at 8:38 AM, Qoass said:

Not yet:  hot dogs are big fall football food too!

Oh, Jeez, Yes! How can we forget about all the Tailgate food episodes we are about to see.......

[Mammalou]

May have been just me but this episode was a little boring.. the GZ grilled seafood looked delicious tho

other than that another celebrity non-chef, basic salsa and cutting corn off the cob and freezing it in a  Ziploc?! 

[Koalagirl]

GZ sounded annoyed at Sunny when Katie was hanging the dried herbs on the kitchen "clothesline. ". Sunny exclaimed that she hadn't noticed it before and GZ said didn't you peek and when she said no he replied oh come on. She also talked a lot over Katie's presentation. Real motormouth today  vying for attention.

[Spunkygal]

I thought Katie was a little subdued this episode. Aren't they all getting sick of each other? I know I am!

Before watching this show today, I watched Lidia's Kitchen on PBS. Wow, what a difference between these shows' presentations and teaching techniques. Today Lidia's made her bolognese sauce and it looked heavenly. I will definitely make a batch and freeze some for winter. 

[Mammalou]

Yes! Love Lidia's show and her bolognese!! You learn actual technique and she tells awesome stories behind the dishes she makes 

I enjoy most PBS shows and hosts like Sara Moulton and Ming Tsai, who I think both had FN shows in the beginning. I guess they're not 'flashy' enough for the network right now.. 

[Westiepeach]

Sad. Because that is exactly who I would watch. Again.

[Lura]

Quote

CHESSIEGAL WROTE:

Huh. Recently I contacted HGTV to complain about something, and I got 2 emails - first was an automated "do not reply" saying the information had been received. The second was from a person saying they were passing my concerns to the programming department.

I don't have too much faith in their contention that they like to hear from viewers.  Their responses, in my experience, have been spotty.  Of course, maybe your letter was better than mine.  :)  

[LemonSoda]

On 11/20/2016 at 8:00 PM, Gam2 said:

Yeah, I knew that but could never understand the attraction between the two. Just strange. As far as I know, that was her only marriage although he's had several. And a baby with his latest wife when she was pregnant with their baby. Holy cow. What ever happened to getting married, getting used to married life, establishing a stable life and then having a baby? I am so old fashioned. 

Katie moved in with him straight out of college. According to a Billy bio I read recently that they both contributed to, they had a pretty solid relationship until the fame bug caught her. One of his band members mentioned that in the beginning she was very sweet then toward the end when she'd come around with her new friends it was like upper class debutants visiting the hired entertainment, that there was something patronizing about it. 

 

His is current wife Alexis seems solid. They were together several years before the baby. I liked how he spoke of her in the book. She was a regular woman with a regular career and he liked being a house husband. It was cute. 

 

I've mentioned it in the other thread but something I can't quite pinpoint about Katie has always bugged, rubbed the wrong way. There's a pretentiousness there. Also like she's uncertain of who she is or wants to be. The voice? Sometimes it's heavier on the southern, sometimes it's a posh-ish mis mash. Even when I've tried to like her because a recipe turned out well I end up rolling my eyes when she says something delusional like she'd have the career and place in the Hamptons she has now if she had never met Bill.

Theres something that really bugs. 

Edited August 31, 2017 by LemonSoda
Typos

[LemonSoda]

On 7/10/2017 at 11:38 AM, bichonblitz said:

 I will say this about Katie Lee, years ago she was on Oprah promoting a book, and made one of her meatloaf recipes . I still use it to this day, it's fabulous.  She was married to then husband Billy Joel. For some reason she convinced him to come on Oprah with her and the guy couldn't look more bored and indifferent if he tried. The marriage must have already been in trouble by then.  Even Oprah looked uncomfortable.  Poor Katie. 

 

He didn't know Oprah was going to grill him about his drinking, car accidents, etc. He thought it would be more about promoting Katie and her book. At least according to a recent bio he contributed to. It was very uncomfortable to watch. That meatloaf is delicious though! I loved her first book despite the modeling portfolio that had nothing to do with the recipes. Her second book the entertaining one was meh. Endless Summer was great too. 

[Mammalou]

I mean,  how could Billy Joel not think Oprah wouldn't press him on the juicy details of his life?! Or maybe they booked Katie as a way to get him on the show. She's not exactly an electric personality on her own and he's had an 'interesting' life and long, successful career.. I mean I don't think Oprah was dying to book this unknown cook making meatloaf lol. 

[MerBearHou]

From soggy but resilient Houston, it was a breath of fresh air for me to watch The Kitchen today.  I love this show and its cheery escapism.  The balance of energy and humor was just right today, I thought.  The tool takedown is always fun and I had been curious about that salad chopper gadget -- sure enough, Jeff proved that it is not "all that" and chops/mangles the veggies.  

[Irlandesa]

Sunny annoyed me during the gadget segment when she kept dumping out GZ's salad.  Maybe it wouldn't end up quite as chopped as Jeff's but just how chopped does a chopped salad really need to be? 

Even though smores are too sweet for me, I'm tempted by that smores pie.  Maybe I just really like ice cream.

I like zucchini but I'm suspicious that zucchini pizza bites would be "addictive." 

[Gam2]

I tried once again to watch this show. Jeff's beer can hamburgers with the cheese, mushrooms, etc looked delicious. However. Once again, Sunny is nearly having a fit to get one of them. She acts like she's starving which is clearly not the case based on the size of her butt in the clothes she was wearing. I just cannot stand her yelling all of the time as so many of us have said. She's the reason I just can't watch this show anymore. It seems the more we complain about how loud she is, she's that much louder/yelling/screaming. This is not attractive to your viewers, Sunny.

[Mammalou]

Sunny's voice is literally all you can hear.. and more and more I find the hosts talk over each other.. some friends and I are going to a taping of the show next month and we are dying to see the dynamics between the hosts in person!!! 

[Spunkygal]

33 minutes ago, Mammalou said:

Sunny's voice is literally all you can hear.. and more and more I find the hosts talk over each other.. some friends and I are going to a taping of the show next month and we are dying to see the dynamics between the hosts in person!!! 

Take your earmuffs!!

[MerBearHou]

53 minutes ago, Mammalou said:

Sunny's voice is literally all you can hear.. and more and more I find the hosts talk over each other.. some friends and I are going to a taping of the show next month and we are dying to see the dynamics between the hosts in person!!! 

Ooooo, cannot wait for the report!!  How did you get to watch the taping?

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Mammalou said:

some friends and I are going to a taping of the show next month and we are dying to see the dynamics between the hosts in person!!! 

There's actually a taping?  I thought the clapping and laughter was fake/the crew.  I'll be curious to hear about the taping. 

[Mammalou]

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

Ooooo, cannot wait for the report!!  How did you get to watch the taping?

Marcela has said on her Instagram that there was an actual audience in the studio.. I did some online searching and found out how to get the tickets.. they film a few times a month in New Jersey.  it was pretty easy, didn't have to go on a waiting list or anything.. maybe that's telling lol!! 

[MerBearHou]

3 hours ago, Mammalou said:

Marcela has said on her Instagram that there was an actual audience in the studio.. I did some online searching and found out how to get the tickets.. they film a few times a month in New Jersey.  it was pretty easy, didn't have to go on a waiting list or anything.. maybe that's telling lol!! 

Good to know!  I'll put this on my list when next in that area.

[bichonblitz]

Beer Can Burger consists of just flattening the middle of the burger with a beer can? Then you can give the burger the Beer Can name! Oh, and stuff the middle of the burger with whatever you want and tons of cheese so you can't even turn the burger on the grill! This show just screams for snark. How they keep straight faces when they do these rediculous recipes is what amazes me. 

[Spunkygal]

21 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Sunny annoyed me during the gadget segment when she kept dumping out GZ's salad.  Maybe it wouldn't end up quite as chopped as Jeff's but just how chopped does a chopped salad really need to be? 

Even though smores are too sweet for me, I'm tempted by that smores pie.  Maybe I just really like ice cream.

I like zucchini but I'm suspicious that zucchini pizza bites would be "addictive." 

Just watched this episode and I thought GZ was struggling not to smack Sunny's face when she kept dumping his lettuce out and then it looked like he kind of turned his back on her when she was evaluating the results of the tool. And she was screaming in his ear. 

Yes, this show has energy but Sunny gives me a headache. I keep the volume of this show cranked down much, much lower than any other show I watch.

@Mammalou, can't wait to hear about the taping! Hope you get some of the food!

[VioletNevermind]

On 7/12/2017 at 1:38 AM, Maverick said:

OMG.....Jeff's latest Subway commercial.  I....I just can't.   What the hell?  Jeff's bad enough, then you add in the sandwich woman with the Brady Bunch-era kitchen dishtowel wrapped around her head and the weirdos who think they're extras in a live performance of the Village People's Macho Man and it's just....sumthin.  When did they add crack as a topping option at Subway.

 I hate to tell Jeff, but he's less Sandwich King and more Sandwich Jester.  

I second your OMG and raise you a SMH.  I thought I was dreaming the first time I saw that commercial.  That's how utterly ridiculous it is.  The acting is so bad that I'm embarrassed anew for everyone involved every time I see it.  As for Jeff Mauro, I suspect that he doesn't care how he comes across (in this case, he's a sideshow), just as long as he's mugging for a television camera.  I didn't eat at Subway before.  Now I damn sure don't.

Here's the commercial in question for those who haven't seen it: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wnDI/subway-rotisserie-style-chicken-sandwich-food-network-king

Watch it at your own peril.  It's that cringe-inducing. 

Edited September 3, 2017 by SuzyLee

[imjagain]

Sunny waving around and pointing   with her knife before she cut her zucchini was give me anxiety!! I wanted Anne Burrell to come in and take her to task for that.   

[Mammalou]

On 9/3/2017 at 1:12 PM, Spunkygal said:

Just watched this episode and I thought GZ was struggling not to smack Sunny's face when she kept dumping his lettuce out and then it looked like he kind of turned his back on her when she was evaluating the results of the tool. And she was screaming in his ear. 

Yes, this show has energy but Sunny gives me a headache. I keep the volume of this show cranked down much, much lower than any other show I watch.

@Mammalou, can't wait to hear about the taping! Hope you get some of the food!

Will definately let you know!!! Going mid-October :)

[Spunkygal]

Today's episode:

Tregaye: "Some people don't know how to slice on the bias." Um, okay....then maybe they shouldn't have a knife in their hand. But at least Tregaye was much more low key. FN is really trying to make her happen.

Is Jeff auditioning to be the next Jerry Lewis? He was goofy all episode but the "best" was when he took a bite out of the hollowed apple that had cider in it and it dribbled all over the place. The look on his face was ha! Look what I did! But, hey, he gets the bucks for his shenanigans.

Marcela looked beautiful in her dress but I got real tired of her cleavage. Girl, don't try to out-cleavage Giada. Save the dress for a party or a night out with baby daddy.