The Kitchen - General Discussion

[StatisticalOutlier]

19 minutes ago, Gam2 said:

I haven’t made one thing she’s showcased in all of the years I’ve watched this show.

Confession:  I've never made anything anyone's ever made on this show.  That's probably why I prefer the studio version--I watch it for entertainment.  Since the ratings for the show are relatively good, maybe there are more people like me out there.  Then again, maybe it's a waste having two iron chefs for entertainment instead of cooking.

[chessiegal]

50 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Since the ratings for the show are relatively good,

Better than relatively good. The Kitchen is FN's #1 show every week, whether in studio or home edition.

[buttersister]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

The two iron chefs said cooking on waxed paper instead of parchment paper wouldn't be that bad

Mmmmmelted wax. WTF? In an oven?! Should I be watching for Cut-Rite iron chef ads?

My annual reminder that Iron Chef is a game show. And marketing device for FN.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, buttersister said:

 

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by annzeepark914

[Spunkygal]

10 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Better than relatively good. The Kitchen is FN's #1 show every week, whether in studio or home edition.

This is very true. They have the most slam dunk of time slots/days. And consider this: The premiere of Sunny’s Easter Basket Challenge ranked 12th in the lineup that week. For grins, I searched for a forum for that show and there is none. Looks like people aren’t exactly hopping down the bunny trail for that one. I have not and will not watch it, but the commercials look like she’s in studio for it. At this point, I think she’s just playing with us on the whole “out on the back porch/social distancing thing” since everyone is talking about it, 

Back to this show, I make chicken paillard (or however you spell it) at least three times a week, but in the Spunky household, I call them chicken cutlets! I did recently make KL’s eggplant dish where she sliced an eggplant in half, scored the top, seasoned, put marinara and cheese on top and baked. It was ok but I like sliced eggplant better. 

[HyeChaps]

Jeff in his home kitchen:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=145625457431170

[Fostersmom]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

This is very true. They have the most slam dunk of time slots/days. And consider this: The premiere of Sunny’s Easter Basket Challenge ranked 12th in the lineup that week. For grins, I searched for a forum for that show and there is none. Looks like people aren’t exactly hopping down the bunny trail for that one. I have not and will not watch it, but the commercials look like she’s in studio for it. At this point, I think she’s just playing with us on the whole “out on the back porch/social distancing thing” since everyone is talking about it, 

Back to this show, I make chicken paillard (or however you spell it) at least three times a week, but in the Spunky household, I call them chicken cutlets! I did recently make KL’s eggplant dish where she sliced an eggplant in half, scored the top, seasoned, put marinara and cheese on top and baked. It was ok but I like sliced eggplant better. 

Yeah, I don't see them losing their #1 slot anytime soon, no matter how inane or crap(pier) the show gets. Let's be honest, it's easy background noise if nothing else. I have it on pretty much every Saturday and yet, most of the time I couldn't tell you what half of them made. What did Jeff and Sunny make yesterday? It's been one day and I literally have zero idea. Did Jeff even cook? I at least remember her  outside in her Cookie Monster coat at the grill, but seriously did Jeff make anything? I've NEVER made any recipe I've seen on any cooking show, although I've always wanted to make the lemon ricotta pancakes I've seen on various shows on the network..... but honestly never actually will.  That just seems like a pain in the ass for pancakes for one person when I can just pick up breakfast if I'm craving pancakes on a Sunday morning. As for Sunny and her insistence on standing outside in the snow, I can't wait to see her standing out there when it's 95 degrees and her makeup and wigs start melting off. I did laugh when she actually said she was social distancing this past week, I don't think I've heard her say that on the show before. I'm more and more convinced she's just sending a big FU to FN and her coworkers at this point. Is her Easter show actually on? I caught a few minutes of it once and haven't seen it or any commercials for it since. 

[chessiegal]

35 minutes ago, Fostersmom said:

Is her Easter show actually on? I

Yes, it premiered Monday March 1 at 10 pm with reruns at various times and days.

[bichonblitz]

1 hour ago, HyeChaps said:

Jeff in his home kitchen:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=145625457431170

He's adorable in this. Jeff is best when he's not in the studio with the others. 

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, HyeChaps said:

Jeff in his home kitchen:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=145625457431170

This must be from a few years ago. He wasn't like this last summer while grilling on his back porch. I don't recall a lot of goofiness. He came across as a nice dad & husband. And, as a good cook. Now, back in the studio again? Geez... where's the mute button.

[HyeChaps]

I've seen another video of Jeff opening up a box containing his new cookbook.  Can't find it now.

[trudysmom]

Has Sunny gone completely 'semi homemade' now?  Yesterday and today she's doing 'supermarket shortcuts' with frozen mashed potatoes and yesterday microwaveable rice.  NOT there's anything wrong with that, I use microwave rice on occasion,  I'm just wondering if she's always been this shortcut queen or if this is new? 

[Spunkygal]

@Fostersmom, I’ve never made the lemon ricotta pancakes but have a recipe for fluffy pancakes which is so good. I’ll will cook the entire batch (which is about 9 or 10 pancakes), eat what I’m gonna eat, then layer leftover pancakes with paper towel in between each one and put the entire stack in a ziploc in the fridge. Then over the next week, I can take out as many as I want, zap and eat. I swear they taste just as good as if I had just made them. I’ve never tried freezing them but that might work too. It might take away some of the fluffiness. So, take the time for the lemon ricotta ones and see if they hold over as well! 

Just saw the FN rankings for March 8-14. Easter Basket Challenge dropped to the 16th rated show—that’s out of 17 shows!

Edited March 21, 2021 by Spunkygal

[MerBearHou]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Just saw the FN rankings for March 8-14. Easter Basket Challenge dropped to the 16th rated show—that’s out of 17 shows!

That's pretty amazing because usually the numbers are decent for these competition shows, I thought.  But you wouldn't catch me watching anything Sunny hosts -- she and Giada are my two least favorite in the FN world.

Edited March 21, 2021 by MerBearHou

[bichonblitz]

20 hours ago, trudysmom said:

Has Sunny gone completely 'semi homemade' now?  Yesterday and today she's doing 'supermarket shortcuts' with frozen mashed potatoes and yesterday microwaveable rice.  NOT there's anything wrong with that, I use microwave rice on occasion,  I'm just wondering if she's always been this shortcut queen or if this is new? 

I haven't watched this ep yet. Did she microwave rice outdoors? Please tell me no. 

[Leeds]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:19 AM, annzeepark914 said:

Today's show wasn't bad.  Of course I muted Sunny and since I won't eat lamb, I didn't watch Katie (although we learned she has a new cookbook coming out).

Can you explain why you won't eat lamb?

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, Leeds said:

Can you explain why you won't eat lamb?

About 15 years ago I was reading an article about farm to table. It was accompanied by a photo of the farmer holding a baby lamb. I wondered how he could be so sweetly holding that adorable lamb and then have to kill it soon after.  Haven't been able to eat lamb ever since. Now, if I see a photo of a farmer holding a piglet or a little chick? I may have to sign up for vegetarian cooking classes!

[Leeds]

17 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

About 15 years ago I was reading an article about farm to table. It was accompanied by a photo of the farmer holding a baby lamb. I wondered how he could be so sweetly holding that adorable lamb and then have to kill it soon after.  Haven't been able to eat lamb ever since. Now, if I see a photo of a farmer holding a piglet or a little chick? I may have to sign up for vegetarian cooking classes!

Yes, I'm a sadist.

 

[Kathcart]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:09 PM, bichonblitz said:

Today's Alexisms: 

As she's carving her roasted chicken: "The chicken really wants to be cut up and eaten by you"

While Jeff is carefully laying his fish fillets in to the saute' pan: "It's like putting your kids to bed"

What goes on in that woman's head? 

When Alex first showed up on Food Network it was with her own show, Alex's Day Off, which was what they call a stand-and-stir show. Just Alex, cooking and talking, with weird background music I personally found slightly porn-y.

The talking ... it was so ridiculous sometimes I used to copy it down word for word and post it in the old TWoP forum (from which these forums descended). I wish I had saved some of those posts because she would say the nuttiest things. Once it was something about a slip, like the idea that adding nutmeg (let's say) to your sauce was like wearing a slip -- you knew it was there and it made you feel good but other people didn't have to know about it. Something like that. She was unintentionally hilarious with that stuff. Also, as I said back then: Who on earth is wearing a slip????

 

[chessiegal]

29 minutes ago, Kathcart said:

Who on earth is wearing a slip????

I do. I had no idea it was passé.

[Kathcart]

2 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I do. I had no idea it was passé.

Well, there you go! I stand corrected.

[cameron]

9 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I do. I had no idea it was passé.

Count me in too for wearing a slip.

[annzeepark914]

I wear a slip whenever I wear a dress or skirt. But, I can't remember the last time I did that... certainly before the pandemic shutdown. Back to Alex--those are some mighty strange, nerdy comments!

[rustyspigot]

Let's celebrate SPRING! (shot of Sunny outside in snow flurries)

[bichonblitz]

How is it possible there are snow flurries all around Sunny but none actually on Sunny, in her hair or her food prep table or bbq grill? Shenanigans. 

[Maverick]

 Yeah, I got a good chuckle out of seeing nthe title Spring to It! and then the snowflakes.  

 It's so painfully obvious Katie and Sunny are pre-recorded and the others are not really interacting with them.   Please stop pretending.  You're not fooling anyone. 

 Hasn't Sunny got a vaccine yet?   How long is she going to stay out there?  

 Did Alex cut up pea pods and put them in her soup??

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, bichonblitz said:

How is it possible there are snow flurries all around Sunny but none actually on Sunny, in her hair or her food prep table or bbq grill? Shenanigans. 

If there's barely any snow and it's warmish outside when it's snowing, it's possible that the flakes wouldn't be visible.

I love cooking fish en papillote; although I can never get the fold right.  So what ends up happening is I put the fish on one side and fold the other side over and hope it stays relatively closed.  I hate tapenade, though so that's a no go from me.

I would try Alex's pea soup. I love peas and that looked really good.  I had to laugh when GZ said it was a really vegetarian soup.  Ha no.  She put chicken stock in it. 

I hate bananas or I would absolutely try GZ's mousse.  I fast forwarded through Katie's "build a bowl" thing.  Just give her the maternity leave she never really got because of the pandemic.  By the time it's over, they will probably be vaccinated and back in studio.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Irlandesa

[annzeepark914]

I've made fish in parchment using Ina's recipe (I think it's called Herb Roasted Fish). At first I did the individual packets, folding just like GZ did. Then, I got tired of that and lined a cookie sheet with parchment, placed all the fish and toppings on it, then covered it with foil so it would be sealed (but not touching the fish). Works great & less time consuming.

[Spunkygal]

At least I got a glimpse of cute little Gus. He reminds me so much of my sweet furry girl who I lost last year. GZ needs to wear more sunscreen—he’s positively orange. So they still aren’t sampling each other’s food? I don’t get it. 

[Gramto6]

9 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

At least I got a glimpse of cute little Gus. He reminds me so much of my sweet furry girl who I lost last year. GZ needs to wear more sunscreen—he’s positively orange. So they still aren’t sampling each other’s food? I don’t get it. 

I guess the sampling food thing is related to the pandemic,,,they are back in the Kitchen,,,(some are),,, but don't want to risk contamination from the food? I just can't imagine all precautions aren't being taken there at all times.

I guess Sunny has health issues she wants to avoid advertising, hench the bbq cooking in the snow. I can totally understand Katie being protective of that precious  baby girl, it took so much time to bring her her.

[chessiegal]

Alex said on Twitter that nor tasting each others food is part of their COVID protocol.

[FormerMod-a1]

And that seems odd since they tasted the food in the Chopped episodes filmed during Covid.  And whatever Jeff Mauro's show was the raided neighbors kitchens for chef's to compete.

[Spunkygal]

1 hour ago, aquarian1 said:

And that seems odd since they tasted the food in the Chopped episodes filmed during Covid.  And whatever Jeff Mauro's show was the raided neighbors kitchens for chef's to compete.

And they are (rightly so) encouraging folks to order out from restaurants. I bet they’ve at least gotten to-go from their favorite places. Katie has posted pics of yummy to-go food after the baby was born. I don’t really care, maybe I just want to gripe about this show, but it is funny to me! Don’t eat each other’s food but eat someone else’s! 🤣

[annzeepark914]

I'm watching a repeat from a year ago, Vegas style steaks, tableside Caesar salad, baked Alaska--yum! The first time I had Caesar salad was at a hotel restaurant in Anchorage, years ago. So delicious, plus watching the waiter prepare it was fun for this beginner foodie. Alex made baked Alaska but she didn't completely cover the dome of the sorbet. They put it in the oven & brought out a prepared one that she torched after pouring booze on the meringue. All I could think of was the mess melting in the oven. I'm going to make that salad plus Anne Burrell's shrimp (but I won't be torching it--too scary & with my luck, I'd burn down the house).

[buttersister]

On 3/27/2021 at 10:36 AM, bichonblitz said:

 

How is it possible there are snow flurries all around Sunny but none actually on Sunny, in her hair or her food prep table or bbq grill? Shenanigans. 

 

Sunny told someone on social media that there is an awning constructed above to keep the snow off her. Reiterated that she was staying away by choice.
 

Nobody asked about the Easter Basket show. 🤨 Perhaps it’s shot with a different crew/participants she trusts more? 

[Fostersmom]

On 3/27/2021 at 12:23 PM, Maverick said:

 Yeah, I got a good chuckle out of seeing nthe title Spring to It! and then the snowflakes.  

 It's so painfully obvious Katie and Sunny are pre-recorded and the others are not really interacting with them.   Please stop pretending.  You're not fooling anyone. 

 Hasn't Sunny got a vaccine yet?   How long is she going to stay out there?  

 Did Alex cut up pea pods and put them in her soup??

What cracks me up is they barely pretend that Sunny is just outside. They interact with Katie so much better. 

Sunny may not be eligible for the vaccine yet or might not want it. 

9 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

And they are (rightly so) encouraging folks to order out from restaurants. I bet they’ve at least gotten to-go from their favorite places. Katie has posted pics of yummy to-go food after the baby was born. I don’t really care, maybe I just want to gripe about this show, but it is funny to me! Don’t eat each other’s food but eat someone else’s! 🤣

That's basically what I said last week or the week before. They could just plate up 3 servings, put 2 on the counter, and have the non cooking 2 go get theirs one at a time. I'm pretty sure Alex's restaurant Butter is still open. If she can safely feed her random customers, she can surely feed the same 2 guys every week. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

23 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

GZ needs to wear more sunscreen—he’s positively orange.

I don't think the orange is coming from the sun.  And on this episode, the difference in color between his hands and his face was particularly noticeable.

[Leeds]

On 3/27/2021 at 9:52 AM, Irlandesa said:

  I fast forwarded through Katie's "build a bowl" thing.  Just give her the maternity leave she never really got because of the pandemic.  By the time it's over, they will probably be vaccinated and back in studio.

Can you explain what's wrong with "build a bowl"?

(Did anyone else think that Katie seemed very flat?  I don't watch the show much, but in my mind she's always been perky and high energy.)

19 hours ago, Fostersmom said:

 

Sunny may not be eligible for the vaccine yet or might not want it. 

 

Doesn't she have some serious health issues that would make her eligible but at the same time might preclude it?

 

[chessiegal]

3 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Doesn't she have some serious health issues that would make her eligible but at the same time might preclude it?

I've read she has ulcerative colitis. So does my husband and he's had both Moderna shots with no side effect other than a sore arm.

[Irlandesa]

2 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Can you explain what's wrong with "build a bowl"?

I just think "build a bowls" are boring and it feels like Katie is making a bowl every other episode. 

[Leeds]

27 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I just think "build a bowls" are boring and it feels like Katie is making a bowl every other episode. 

Thanks!  So about the same way I feel like every reality "chef" makes a crumble/crisp whenever a dessert is required!

[annzeepark914]

5 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Thanks!  So about the same way I feel like every reality "chef" makes a crumble/crisp whenever a dessert is required!

Well...yeah. But I love apple crisp (warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream). For a real deal chef, though, it's too easy peasy. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Leeds said:

Thanks!  So about the same way I feel like every reality "chef" makes a crumble/crisp whenever a dessert is required!

 

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...yeah. But I love apple crisp (warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream). For a real deal chef, though, it's too easy peasy. 

Me too.  So I'd swap out crisp or crumble in the example with something like bread pudding---almost every timed cooking show's crutch.  And there you go.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Irlandesa

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, Leeds said:

Thanks!  So about the same way I feel like every reality "chef" makes a crumble/crisp whenever a dessert is required!

Heh.  I am no kind of cook, but I can make an apple crisp, and in fact took it to a dinner once, among people who know I can't/don't cook. 

I love that Zakarian was cooking with parchment paper a mere week after he said substituting waxed paper for parchment would be okay because you wouldn't be cooking at 500 degrees.  So he's seen parchment paper before; is it possible he's never encountered waxed paper?  Nobody wrapped sandwiches in it when he was a kid?

Alex had three "literallys" during her segment, and a bonus one in a contribution in someone else's segment.  One of them was, "I am going to literally bring it to a boil."  Uh, okay, although I think just "bring it to a boil" would suffice, because nobody would think you're speaking metaphorically with that instruction.

[Gam2]

It seems to me that Alex feels compelled to comment all through everyone else’s cooking segment. If she has a genuine question to ask to inform the viewers, that’s fine. Otherwise, stop being a know it all and shut up.

[Spunkygal]

28 minutes ago, Gam2 said:

It seems to me that Alex feels compelled to comment all through everyone else’s cooking segment. If she has a genuine question to ask to inform the viewers, that’s fine. Otherwise, stop being a know it all and shut up.

Yes! Thank you!

[Leeds]

2 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

 

Me too.  So I'd swap out crisp or crumble in the example with something like bread pudding---almost every timed cooking show's crutch.  And there you go.

Good grief, yes, I'd forgotten about the ubiquitous bread pudding.  (Or my subconscious had done me the favour of burying it.)

[trudysmom]

On 3/27/2021 at 10:36 AM, bichonblitz said:

How is it possible there are snow flurries all around Sunny but none actually on Sunny, in her hair or her food prep table or bbq grill? Shenanigans. 

And she wasn't dressed as though she was standing outside in the snow.  Her breath wasn't puffing out when she talked, and it has at other times when it was truly cold out there.  I hate to say it but I just don't enjoy this show anymore.  I guess I'm done if they are going to continue to with the current format.  Nothing Sunny does interests me, Katie's homespun West Virginia my-grandma-made-it-but-here's-my-twist  things don't look appetizing at all.  Alex grates on my nerves.  If I could just watch Jeff and GZ just cook it'd be ok.  

[Spunkygal]

Oh goodie! A craft project returns on Saturday! “The hosts craft beautiful and simple metallic Easter eggs.” 🤪

[annzeepark914]

11 hours ago, trudysmom said:

And she wasn't dressed as though she was standing outside in the snow.  Her breath wasn't puffing out when she talked, and it has at other times when it was truly cold out there.  I hate to say it but I just don't enjoy this show anymore.  I guess I'm done if they are going to continue to with the current format.  Nothing Sunny does interests me, Katie's homespun West Virginia my-grandma-made-it-but-here's-my-twist  things don't look appetizing at all.  Alex grates on my nerves.  If I could just watch Jeff and GZ just cook it'd be ok.  

There *must* be something wrong with me! I have no idea why Alex doesn't bug me cause normally, annoying tics would drive me crazy. Yeah...the snow queen and her need to be "outdoors" has caused me to hit mute whenever it's her turn. And Katie's voice has finally reached my last nerve + her dishes no longer appeal to me. Jeff is turning up his overbearing schtick even more so lately. So, I'm really left with GZ & Alex, the two bona fide chefs. I like most of what they prepare, but I really enjoy watching their cheffy knife skills & getting tips from them.