S14.E06: A Southern Legend

[FormerMod-a1]

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy enlists the chefs to create vegetarian versions of traditional comfort foods. Then, the chefs must prepare dishes that pay tribute to Edna Lewis, the matriarch of Southern cuisine. Appearing: Alexander Smalls; Art Smith; Hugh Acheson; Nathalie Dupree; and Mashama Bailey.

[sourpickles]

Awww, Amanda.  I'm sorry to see her go, but I think she had done as much as she could, given her challenges.  Wish her the best of luck!

[Maverick]

 But what I want to know Amanda, is do you feel like you're a chef again?   

 I know a lot of people didn't like last week's Quick Fire but I thought it was at least something different and it was fun watching the chefs flail a bit.   This week's?  Had a whole lotta Food Network stank on it.  Reinvent a comfort food dish?  Food Network Star.  Make it vegetarian?   Guy's Grocery Games.  Only pick one ingredient at a time?  Cutthroat Kitchen.  

[avecsans]

While I am not sorry to see Amanda go, because clearly she was cannon fodder, I was disappointed again that Emily and her petulance were allowed to stay.

The quick fire was ridiculous.  It was reminiscent of the finale challenge when they had to hack their ingredients out of the ice.  I am not enjoying this season at all.  Maybe it's the cheftestant retreads, or maybe it's the location.  How many plantations can they visit?

[sourpickles]

Amanda was way out of her depth, and I did feel sorry for her this whole time, she almost seemed like an afterthought, worse than Stephen in AllStars when he came back all "wine dude" (can't spell the real thing) or something.  I was over the Quick Fire too, pretty sure it's been done in one form or another at least twice before, the first that came to mind was "Meat Natalie" in the LV season???????  And yes, overall the reinvention thing has been done, as well, but there's always a chance for a great new dish.

[ProudMary]

I was disappointed that for the second week in a row, we did not get to see all of the Quickfire preparations.  I know they didn't show us Shirley's and Sheldon's, perhaps some others also.  I'm glad that Sheldon did not seem to be injured from his fall during the stupid part of the challenge where the chefs had to keep running back and forth to the pantry.  

RE:  The top three, Jim's, Sheldon's and Sylva's dishes all looked absolutely delicious.  Makes me really wish I could try Sylva's, which drew raves.  Must have been quite the standout.  Red snapper is high on my list of fish favorites and that crispiness sounded yummy.

[CraftyHazel]

The real surprise for me this week was the news that Jim is married to a woman.  He pinged my gaydar from episode one!  Beyond that, I got nothing.

[HunterHunted]

I liked the elimination challenge. I've never heard of Edna Lewis, but I adore anyone who organizes a cookbook by seasons. You walk into a grocery store now and you have no idea what's a winter vegetable or fruit as opposed to summer because we get everything from all around the globe. I would love to eat more seasonally. I also think most of the chefs rose to the challenge. Shirley's collard greens and rice looked delicious. I didn't mind them talking about the plantation because it was world's better than the first episode. I could have lived without hearing about mom Tesar, civil rights activist, again. Amanda and Emily have always been canon fodder, but what's happening with Brooke?

[sourpickles]

I have to say, just real quick (as I do, NOT), that this SC plantation thing is VERY reminiscent with how the NO and Boston seasons were played out.  Yes, I know that every season has a theme, but those two seemed especially heavy handed.  I'm originally from MA, and the BOSTON, we're in/around BOSTON, did you see our beans???? just killed me.  I think I may have even said so on here, but I was very new to commenting then, so maybe not.  And I felt the same way about NO.  We GOT it, already.  And we do here.  God help us next season, it'll probably be, IDK, the city they skipped, or Montana or something, all about beef. 

[Pickles]

Emily got so teary when she was in the bottom three. I thought she might have been tougher than that, since she bragged how her attitude had gotten her fired from jobs on more than one occasion. Instead, she blurted out that it was hard being on the bottom, hence the tears. I guess I just don't like her, so I don't feel much sympathy.

I was also sure that Jim was married to a man. 

[dgpolo]

Shut up, Padma, we get it, you didn't get your food for one dish. Glad he had immunity.

[HunterHunted]

54 minutes ago, Marmiarmo said:

The real surprise for me this week was the news that Jim is married to a woman.  He pinged my gaydar from episode one!  Beyond that, I got nothing.

When he was talking about a ceremony in China, I was positive it was a ceremony that Jim and his husband had for the daughter they adopted from China. I think Jim might be a little like Todd Chrisley. A southern gentleman who is particular and soft spoken.

[pivot]

I call complete BS on the guy with neck tattoos not being eliminated for not completing the challenge and forgetting a dish while 3 women called called on the carpet for average dishes. Men always get the benefit of the doubt on this show.

Edited - because in my righteous anger I forgot that neck tattoo had immunity. Still think Tom would have sent a woman home over him though.

Edited January 6, 2017 by pivot

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, pivot said:

I call complete BS on the guy with neck tattoos not being eliminated for not completing the challenge and forgetting a dish while 3 women called called on the carpet for average dishes. Men always get the benefit of the doubt on this show.

He had immunity that is the way it happens on this show.

I forgot how many fears that Brooke had until they saw the uniform and there was speculation about having to go on a boat, I guess the Alaskan cruise didn't cure her fear.

[Bastet]

There are about ten people left competing, and not one of them recognized the U.S. Surgeon General?

Not many of the QF dishes looked particularly good to me, but that’s purely personal taste – I love vegetables, but I dislike tofu, seitan, and many other plant proteins, and, more relevantly, I really dislike vegetables/faux meat masquerading as quintessentially meat dishes.  Vegetarian lasagna, yay.  A veggie burger, nay (I don’t even like turkey burgers; if I’m going to eat a burger, which I don’t often do, I want beef).  I have issues.

My issues aside, I think the "grab one thing at a time so you get some exercise" gimmick was pretty objectively just too much.

Sylva annoyed me last week after being enjoyable all along, so he was back to form with his reaction to Katsuji’s fried chicken and watermelon dish.  I was also interested in the background we got on him, with his father denouncing his CIA scholarship as just a means to becoming a “domestic.”  I also really liked what he had to say upon learning about Edna Lewis, so add all that to the food and I was happy to see him get the win.

I was really sorry to see Brooke stumble, and hoped this was the “I wish I’d never come back” clip from the season promo I’ve been dreading (she said something similar, but in a light-hearted, joking way in the first episode; it’s not the same tearful clip that seems to be from a JT appearance), since I figured Amanda and Emily did worse than her, and we could get that out of the way with Brooke still sticking around.  But at least she's still here.

[bluepiano]

2 hours ago, Pickles said:

I was also sure that Jim was married to a man. 

I think the way they set that up they wanted you to think that and be surprised by the picture of his wife.

[GaT]

What was the point of making them get only one ingredient at a time? How does that prove what a good chef they are? What does it have to do with how well they cook? I hate bullshit tasks like this, I still haven't forgiven you for season 9 Top Chef, don't bring crap like that back.

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

What was the point of making them get only one ingredient at a time? How does that prove what a good chef they are? What does it have to do with how well they cook? I hate bullshit tasks like this, I still haven't forgiven you for season 9 Top Chef, don't bring crap like that back.

Cooking + contrivance + exercise theme = cooktrivancise

[Court]

Casey had the worst dish when she had immunity as well. Jamie didn't have the worst dish but didn't serve someone. It's happened before but I've seen the judges share plates then.

Both Emily and Amanda's attitudes were awful at JT. Neither one of them admitted that their dishes had flaws. 

[rho]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

Not many of the QF dishes looked particularly good to me, but that’s purely personal taste – I love vegetables, but I dislike tofu, seitan, and many other plant proteins, and, more relevantly, I really dislike vegetables/faux meat masquerading as quintessentially meat dishes.  Vegetarian lasagna, yay.  A veggie burger, nay (I don’t even like turkey burgers; if I’m going to eat a burger, which I don’t often do, I want beef).  I have issues.

This is my biggest pet peeve about veggie cuisine!!!! Whole, unprocessed veggies taste delicious and you can get protein from eggplant, mushrooms, lentils, etc. There are plenty of ways to get meaty texture without over-processed substitutes. Same goes for nut-based cheese. Just sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans on my salad instead of slimy cashew cheese. Also, I was totally expecting a sudden death quickfire the moment Casey said her pot pie was basically raw dough and stew. Kinda shocked we've gotten nearly halfway through this season without one. 

[spiderpig]

No snark here - I want to know Sylva's secret for frying that delicious fish to a sublime crunch without making it oily.  It had me hankering for a fish fry so bad...

Jim's consomme looked like the perfect choice for a starter to what is often a calorie-laden lineup.  The judges comments were glowing.

OK - back to snark.  Emily's blubbering at JT didn't generate one whit of sympathy at Casa Spiderpig.  She announced her multiple dismissals as badges of honor, proceeds to show us repeatedly what a pain in the butt she is, and then whimpers because she never expected to wind up at JT.  She makes me tired.

Glad to say buh-bye to Amanda.

[Rammchick]

But isn't it just classic that Emily showed us she isn't so tough afterall?  I ended up feeling a little sorry for her that she is actually very fragile in reality.

My question was, why did so many cheftestants make chicken?  Only one pork dish?  No shrimp, catfish, etc.?

[cooksdelight]

Chicken is big in the south. We have it at least once or twice a week. I also want to know the secret to Sylva's red snapper, as my boyfriend loves fish. I usually smoke or fry what he catches, but I've never seen a breading like Sylva's had.

I want Edna Lewis' cookbook now, as I could save a lot of money and still fix nice meals if I had more seasonal recipes under my belt. I was so happy to see Nathalie Dupree. I've hung out with her a few times as we have a mutual friend, and she's a delight. Really funny lady in person, not shown last night as she had to be a serious judge of the food, but she's a hoot.

I want Emily gone. Yesterday. When she started deep frying those livers I figured she was a goner, but Amanda's dish didn't have "heart" so she had to go, since that was part of the challenge, I guess.

[Empress1]

I LOVE red snapper and need to eat some of Sylva's immediately. I'm rooting for him because he's a Philly chef. 

10 hours ago, avecsans said:

While I am not sorry to see Amanda go, because clearly she was cannon fodder, I was disappointed again that Emily and her petulance were allowed to stay.

Totally agree. How many times has Emily been in the bottom? And she's definitely not as tough as she claims. 

I, too, assumed Jim was gay.

7 hours ago, Bastet said:

Not many of the QF dishes looked particularly good to me, but that’s purely personal taste – I love vegetables, but I dislike tofu, seitan, and many other plant proteins, and, more relevantly, I really dislike vegetables/faux meat masquerading as quintessentially meat dishes.  Vegetarian lasagna, yay.  A veggie burger, nay (I don’t even like turkey burgers; if I’m going to eat a burger, which I don’t often do, I want beef).  I have issues.

I'm not a vegetarian but when I eat vegetarian dishes (my packed lunch today is vegetarian - soup and a veggie bowl with quinoa), I don't like most faux meat or cheese (especially fake cheese - the texture grosses me out) either. There's one brand of veggie burgers that I like but I don't buy them regularly.

I'm doing a "buy only the necessities" thing this January but I plan to buy Edna Lewis's cookbook next month (I'd imagine Top Chef spiked the sales!).

[hkit]

5 hours ago, rho said:

This is my biggest pet peeve about veggie cuisine!!!! Whole, unprocessed veggies taste delicious and you can get protein from eggplant, mushrooms, lentils, etc. There are plenty of ways to get meaty texture without over-processed substitutes. Same goes for nut-based cheese. Just sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans on my salad instead of slimy cashew cheese. 

I rolled my eyes so hard at this segment. Keep the surgeon general away from my food, please. I hate that the token "eat healthy" challenge denounces meat, but embraces frankenfood type proteins. I'd rather eat local, non-antibiotic, grass fed beef over any of these processed veggie proteins - not only for taste, but for health reasons as well. Want to have a vegetarian challenge? Please, do so without the gimmicks. Best meal I ever had in my life was L'Arpege in Paris, which is famous for vegetables. Challenge these guys to cook like that, without the silliness. 

[Primetimer]

The chefs pay tribute to revered Southern chef Edna Lewis, and get a blessing from the Surgeon General.

View the full article

[chiaros]

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

Not many of the QF dishes looked particularly good to me, but that’s purely personal taste – I love vegetables, but I dislike tofu, seitan, and many other plant proteins, and, more relevantly, I really dislike vegetables/faux meat masquerading as quintessentially meat dishes.  Vegetarian lasagna, yay.  A veggie burger, nay (I don’t even like turkey burgers; if I’m going to eat a burger, which I don’t often do, I want beef).  I have issues.

 

6 hours ago, rho said:

This is my biggest pet peeve about veggie cuisine!!!! Whole, unprocessed veggies taste delicious and you can get protein from eggplant, mushrooms, lentils, etc. There are plenty of ways to get meaty texture without over-processed substitutes. Same goes for nut-based cheese. Just sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans on my salad instead of slimy cashew cheese. 

 

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

I'm not a vegetarian but when I eat vegetarian dishes (my packed lunch today is vegetarian - soup and a veggie bowl with quinoa), I don't like most faux meat or cheese (especially fake cheese - the texture grosses me out) either. There's one brand of veggie burgers that I like but I don't buy them regularly.

 

37 minutes ago, hkit said:

I rolled my eyes so hard at this segment. Keep the surgeon general away from my food, please. I hate that the token "eat healthy" challenge denounces meat, but embraces frankenfood type proteins. I'd rather eat local, non-antibiotic, grass fed beef over any of these processed veggie proteins - not only for taste, but for health reasons as well. Want to have a vegetarian challenge? Please, do so without the gimmicks. Best meal I ever had in my life was L'Arpege in Paris, which is famous for vegetables. Challenge these guys to cook like that, without the silliness. 

The issue really was the parameters of the QF challenge. They were tasked with creating a vegetarian version of many Western/European meat-focused dishes – like Beef Stroganoff and so on – but using vegetarian components. That implied their dishes also had to LOOK like the traditional dishes. Like how many "vegetarian-versions" of meat-based dishes are done in restaurants nowadays, exactly like what folks here complain about --- faux versions "looking like" and pretending to be what they are not.

Yes, it was a regrettable QF challenge. It would have been much better to challenge them to create vegetarian dishes with the NOTION of those meat-based dishes, avoiding even using the words "inspired by". But that also creates many problems too.

They should have simply asked them to make a vegetarian dish of their fancy, whatever they wished to - and let them go at it.**

But THAT removes the D-R-A-H-M-A-H that the show looks for now in its real character as a Reality TeeVee Show.

 

** And if they did do so, and the cheftestants had the imagination to move beyond the confines of Western cooking, there would have been SO MUCH to do in terms of vegetarian dishes in SO MANY non-Western global cuisines both Asian (that means East, Southeast, South (= Indian, Pakistani, etc), Middle-East (= West Asian) and African and South American cuisines.

Edited January 6, 2017 by chiaros

[pally]

2 hours ago, Rammchick said:

But isn't it just classic that Emily showed us she isn't so tough afterall?  I ended up feeling a little sorry for her that she is actually very fragile in reality.

My question was, why did so many cheftestants make chicken?  Only one pork dish?  No shrimp, catfish, etc.?

Jim made a shrimp dish, Sheldon pork, Amanda duck, plus the winning snapper dish

[Rammchick]

I think the reason I thought there were a lot of chicken dishes is that they came one after the other.  

[dgpolo]

The story/recap was so much better than the actual episode, running bats in a safe kitchen and all.

[Constantinople]

9 hours ago, Bastet said:

There are about ten people left competing, and not one of them recognized the U.S. Surgeon General?

Why is that surprising?

Surgeon Generals only get recognized if they talk about sex, such as C. Everett Koop or Joycelyn Elders.

[chiaros]

I can't say this was another exciting episode or even inspiring episode for me. The EC which seemed to focus on seasonality and "heart" --- eh, don't many of us cook seasonally anyway? As for the "heart" aspect --- that is VERY problematic and very subjective, depending on the viewpoint of the judger. (I am reminded again of Tom Colicchio blasting Hung Huynh for "not cooking with heart" – meaning he didn't cook, according to Tom C's interpretation, with the Familial blah-blah of his Vietnamese heritage and instead choosing to cook with what he chose to train in, French cuisine)

[bencr]

I interpreted Emily's tears as tears of frustration. She obviously feels she is a very talented chef and a serious contender for the Top Chef crown. Yet episode after episode her food is judged as either unexceptional or at or near the bottom. And she carries special pressure in this competition because she is representing the home city of this season's competition. I think her tough shell is starting to break down, and she may be wrestling with the doubt of whether she is as talented as she thinks.

(On the other hand, I haven't completely ruled out the possibility that she is just pissed that the judges don't seem to recognize her special talent.)

Edited January 6, 2017 by bencr

[hendersonrocks]

I adore Jim. I would like to carry him around with me in my pocket.

The Surgeon General is also kind of adorable. And I never would have said that about C. Everett Koop, that's for sure. 

The top 3 dishes seemed impressive. My view from the editing was that Gail preferred Jim's, Tom preferred Sheldon's, and the guest judge preferred Sylva's. They all looked great to me, whereas all three on the bottom looked pretty horrible. My expectations for Brooke are waayyyyy higher than they are for Amanda and/or Emily, so I was particularly disappointed in the lemon/blackberry/savory/sweet mess she put out. 

[Wouldofshouldof]

12 hours ago, Marmiarmo said:

The real surprise for me this week was the news that Jim is married to a woman.  He pinged my gaydar from episode one!  Beyond that, I got nothing.

There was a moment when he was speaking, but off camera, and I was thinking, OK, which woman is this?

[RealityCreator]

Quote

I hate that the token "eat healthy" challenge denounces meat, but embraces frankenfood type proteins.

Seitan and tofu have been in constant use in Asia for centuries, actually for more than 1,000 years in both cases.  They are, then, traditional foods, not frankenfoods.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_gluten_(food)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu

When we traveled in Asia, some of the best food we had was in vegetarian restaurants where the chef made all the "meat" out of seitan, but formed and tasted exactly like meat counterparts.  You really couldn't tell the difference, and it was fantastic.

Edited January 6, 2017 by RealityCreator

[Omega Mu]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I was so happy to see Nathalie Dupree. I've hung out with her a few times as we have a mutual friend, and she's a delight. Really funny lady in person, not shown last night as she had to be a serious judge of the food, but she's a hoot.

I was delighted to see her!  We used to watch her PBS show almost 30 years ago and remember her once announcing "I'm devoted to cheese!"  That's a line my husband and I have used ever since.

1 hour ago, hendersonrocks said:

The Surgeon General is also kind of adorable. And I never would have said that about C. Everett Koop, that's for sure. 

I assume we'll be getting a new one now?  Maybe the CEO of Chik-fil-a?

[Calamity Jane]

About Jim - I'm pretty certain that the official state chef of Alabama would not be an openly gay, married man.  The South doesn't seem to be ready for that. 

I figured that the winning dish probably would not be one of the chicken plates just because there were so many.  Just a hunch I had as the meal went along.  Sylva's personal info made me think back on his struggles with last week's challenge, and I think he was tangled up in the idea that barbecue would take him to that place of "domestic," barbecue definitely not being an upper-class dish.  Not sure I agree with his attitude now any more than I did then, but it makes more sense now.  

I guess the fatigue and pressure is starting to exert its toll.  Emily must be mortified at shedding all those tears at JT.  

3 hours ago, Omega Mu said:

I was delighted to see her!  We used to watch her PBS show almost 30 years ago and remember her once announcing "I'm devoted to cheese!"  That's a line my husband and I have used ever since.

I assume we'll be getting a new one now?  Maybe the CEO of Chik-fil-a?

I have comments, but probably I shouldn't go there.  ;-)

Edited January 6, 2017 by Calamity Jane
Sheldon and Sylva are different people.

[AriAu]

Wow, that was boring, made more so by prior previews which showed both Brooke and Emily upset about various things and we had not seen those things in an actual episode yet and therefore they were probably safe.

I was very glad this was not an elimination quickfire since that was all kinds of stupid. Not enough time, a difficult concept (how to make beef stroganoff etc without beef), the silly rule of 1 item at a time and did I mention only 30 minutes, they were destined to fail. On the otherhand, it would have been an interesting elimination challenge if they were given time to think through how they were going to make something like tuna casserole without tuna etc and get the same mouthfeel and comfort.

[HunterHunted]

35 minutes ago, Calamity Jane said:

About Jim - I'm pretty certain that the official state chef of Alabama would not be an openly gay, married man.  The South doesn't seem to be ready for that. 

I figured that the winning dish probably would not be one of the chicken plates just because there were so many.  Just a hunch I had as the meal went along.  Sheldon's personal info made me think back on his struggles with last week's challenge, and I think he was tangled up in the idea that barbecue would take him to that place of "domestic," barbecue definitely not being an upper-class dish.  Not sure I agree with his attitude now any more than I did then, but it makes more sense now.  

I guess the fatigue and pressure is starting to exert its toll.  Emily must be mortified at shedding all those tears at JT.  

I have comments, but probably I shouldn't go there.  ;-)

Do you mean Sylva?

[Tarasme]

15 hours ago, ProudMary said:

... Makes me really wish I could try Sylva's, which drew raves.  Must have been quite the standout.  Red snapper is high on my list of fish favorites and that crispiness sounded yummy.

I haven't watched yet- it's on the agenda for tonight after more season 13 re-watch.

BUT- I'm a little surprised at the red snapper love? I'm not really well versed in sustainable fish and over-fishing but aren't there only like two red snappers left in the whole world? My family fished in the Florida keys (Duck Key) in November and I was thrilled that we had a chance to catch and consume some yellow-tail snapper. Maybe red snapper in the Gulf have been replenished?

Edited January 6, 2017 by Tarasme

[LisaBLingLing]

Episode related trivia - those who work in the National Health Service do, in fact, wear navy uniforms. I remember when I worked at the CDC in Atlanta (I was not at the level of requiring a uniform) many of my colleagues had to show up for work in uniform one day a week and for more important meetings, they wore their dress uniforms. The Surgeon General position is part of the National Health Service.

[some1105]

1 hour ago, AriAu said:

On the otherhand, it would have been an interesting elimination challenge if they were given time to think through how they were going to make something like tuna casserole without tuna etc and get the same mouthfeel and comfort.

Unfortunately, this challenge has been botched before as an elimination challenge (comfort food done healthy, though not necessarily vegetarian) in Season 3, with Alfred Portale as the guest judge watching a sad parade of tasteless, disgusting and often UNhealthy glop force fed to a room of unsuspecting elderly.  

[worleybird]

While watching the Quickfire, it finally hit me. Jamie (immunity guy) could be a double for Michael Rosenbaum (when he played Lex Luthor on Smallville.

[Kickboxer]

2 hours ago, Omega Mu said:

I was delighted to see her!  We used to watch her PBS show almost 30 years ago and remember her once announcing "I'm devoted to cheese!"  That's a line my husband and I have used ever since.

I assume we'll be getting a new one now?  Maybe the CEO of Chik-fil-a?

I was having a rough day and your last line there made me bray with laughter, thank-you. It did seem like an awful lot of fried chicken dishes in a row, I hope they weren't really served like that.

[sourpickles]

6 minutes ago, some1105 said:

Unfortunately, this challenge has been botched before as an elimination challenge (comfort food done healthy, though not necessarily vegetarian) in Season 3, with Alfred Portale as the guest judge watching a sad parade of tasteless, disgusting and often UNhealthy glop force fed to a room of unsuspecting elderly.  

Aside from the Meat Natalie challenge I already mentioned, and this one I had forgotten about, I vaguely remember All Stars (?) trying to serve healthy stuff to a cafeteria full of kids, and also in Texas where they did that street party or whatever (sponsored by Healthy Choice, I think).  This is all rather fuzzy for me, and I think I'm also straying from vegetarian challenges to healthy.  But you see my point.  It's been done, badly, before.

[sourpickles]

2 hours ago, Wouldofshouldof said:

There was a moment when he was speaking, but off camera, and I was thinking, OK, which woman is this?

This.  Mr. Pickles and I both said that.  And I cannot tell you how awful I feel thinking that now.  He is just too cute, I really like him!

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Constantinople said:

Why is that surprising?

Surgeon Generals only get recognized if they talk about sex, such as C. Everett Koop or Joycelyn Elders.

With all the ideological brouhaha over his nomination (because he had the audacity to say guns are a healthcare issue) and thus the long time we went without a Surgeon General before he was finally confirmed (which was only a couple of years ago), I thought maybe one of ten people standing there staring at him in uniform might have a flicker of recognition.  Not identify him by name, but, "Oh, I think that's the Surgeon General."

[some1105]

Ashamedly, I must admit that I somehow thought that the duties of the Surgeon General had been competently assumed by Michelle Obama and hot Sam Kass, lo these many years.

Edited January 6, 2017 by some1105

[spankydoll]

15 hours ago, Marmiarmo said:

The real surprise for me this week was the news that Jim is married to a woman.  He pinged my gaydar from episode one!  Beyond that, I got nothing.

My MIL who knows exactly ZERO gay people said the same thing. Why did you think that? Because he is slight? Or dresses like a Southern gentleman?

I am fairly mortified not to have recognized the Surgeon General. I am thinking that it may be because the First Lady was the health crusader so she did much of the health related press and events.

I am even more mortified at not knowing who Edna Lewis was. I have over 100 cookbooks, watch every food related show I can (Seriously - I even watched that Bourdain's horrible The Taste) and lived in the South for many years. And here I sit clueless. I have already ordered her cookbook on Amazon.

I love this show. Is it some of the Best competitive reality television out there. The they have an ad for Andy Cohen's gross drinking show. I hope that this show migrates to a more reputable network a la Project Runway and  can just leave Bravo behind.