Feasting on Asphalt 2: The River Run

Alton Brown has the episode guide for Feasting on Ashphalt 2 on his site now! August 4th will be the kickoff for FOA2 on the Food Network.


Check it out here

Good Eats: Sub Standards

New Good Eats with Alton Brown airs Monday July 16th at 8:00pm EST.

Sub Standards
Whether filling in for your French teacher or your favorite spice, substitutes can be every bit as successful as the original. Join host Alton Brown and a handful of substitute chefs as they take on a few good recipes with one ingredient tied behind their backs.

Pretzel Logic Revisited: Alton Brown Scores

After my disappointment over the poor 'acting' in the coconut cake episode; Pretzel Logic reminded me of why I have been watching Alton Brown and Good Eats for so many years. The first thing that comes to mind is the witty way he uses props and integrates them seamlessly into the show. It may not have been quite as stellar as some of his previous work, but it was much more well executed than some of his recent flops. I also think he managed to stay focused and icorporated the additional material into the theme without wandering off to talk to some old lady in a dark alley. The lawyers did a much better job of adding to the entertainment value while Alton stayed with the cooking and science end of the bargain.
Speaking of entertainment and information, I really need a good dose of Deb and W soon! There's not enough of Chuck lately either. We'll have to wait and see what the rest of the season has in store for us!

Good Eats Coconut Cake

So, with all his time on the road between FoodNetwork events, presentations, and filming Feasting on Asphalt II has Alton had to cut down on production time? More specifically has his availability for filming episodes been cut short? What lodged this thought in my mind was Alton's noticable lack of composure in the Coconut Cake episode tonight. I believe it was the espresso show where this behavior first popped up. I don't mind it at all, seems a bit more natural for him to show a fun-loving side, but it does contrast to what we have been used to for several years.

Of course I could be way off track. The less serious Alton may be part of a conscious effort or a change in film style; that is his background after all. Enough analyzing the host on with the show! I enjoyed this one. It was creative and the entire show was devoted not only to a single ingredient but more pointedly to the cake recipe itself. And although we had a cake historian instead of a food anthropologist, it is clear that certain recipes and foods run deep in the veins of our culture; especially local variations and traditions. While living in Charleston I never had a chance to sample a homemade coconut cake but I did become addicted to she-crab soup and sweet tea and eventually I even warmed up to boiled peanuts. Back here in Michigan I miss the grand scheme of a single unifying culture but can enjoy several different ethnic cuisines within a few miles of home.

The coconut cake. Now I can't see myself going through the effort of making my own coconut milk and cream, but I'm sure it would taste darn good! I leave the baking side of the kitchen to my wife and mabe I can convince her of the need for a coconut sometime soon! Fo myself, pickling and grilling take up enough of my freetime. Speaking of pickling, I can't wait for that episode to roll around!

P.S. Looked like a new Viking stand mixer; needs some flames!

Good Eats Goes Prime Time

Whether it's just for the summer or if Alton's new 8:00pm slot will stick, it says something about the ever so slightly rising popularity of Good Eats. After years of having to stay up late to catch new episodes now the Food Network fringe can finally see their favorite host at a reasonable hour! Tonight kicks off the new time slot, sorry Emeril, with Coconut Cake Revivial and follows up Tuesday night with the recently aired Pretzel Logic.
So, sit back, enjoy, and don't worry about falling asleep during commercials!