Alton Brown's Recipes are more than just Good Entertainment

According to my latest poll (thanks to everybody who voted) it looks like quite a few Good Eats fans actually try out the recipes Alton cooks up.  There were a couple of diehards who claim to test every one of Alton's concoctions, but I was more surprised not to find more people just watching Good Eats for the entertainment value.  Let's face it; it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare a meal you've never served before.

I have to admit, I haven't tried nearly as many as I would like.  However, now that I'm a stay at home parent, cooking has returned as one of my favorite hobbies.  Alton does come up with some great stuff, but sometimes I get intimidated by his long processes and decide I'd rather buy it than make it.

Dutch baby: Saturday morning treat
Ribs: failed first attempt (didn't taste quite right)
Baklava: I'm not going to the store with a cooler full of ice cream to buy some dough :-)

New Good Eats Episode: Oh My, Meat Pie

New Good Eats episode coming Monday night, October 27th!  "Oh My, Meat Pie"  Alton Brown will cook up some Shepherd's pie and mincemeat pie for this show.  Recipe links are below.


Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Mincemeat Pie Recipe

New Good Eats Episode: There Will Be Oil **SCHEDULE CORRECTION***

Alton Brown brings us yet another new Good Eats episode next week!  There Will Be Oil premieres TUESDAY, July 29th at 8:30pm EST  (Odd time slot, maybe a new trend?)


From the Food Network Good Eats listing:

"There Will Be Oil
Edible oils offer a wide range of flavors and qualities to confound any cook, so host Alton Brown untangles these potent hydrocarbons and puts them to good use in kitchen and car."

Good Eats Tuna

I can't say that I'd go through the trouble of finding specialized canned tuna, but it was a good attempt by Alton Brown to utilize everyday foods.  The tuna dressing sounds good; I'd probably use it for a cracker dip and add a little hot sauce.  The croquettes remind me all too well of salmon patties which I can't stand, but I'm sure the taste would be more along the lines of the tuna dressing with crackers with panko crumbs added.  I was hoping for one of my old, simple, favorites: cream tuna on toast.  You can easily get by with 'regular' tuna and it might have been a good demonstration of making a basic white sauce.

On the entertainment side this episode was a hit.  The Charlie Tuna knock-off was brilliant and really added to the informational dialog.  The twin Alton MIBs, coupled with the pregnant lady chowing down on potato chips (my wife was in that state not too long ago), was a great way to go in spilling the story on mercury instead of just a short interlude.  I also detected some Popeye themed music in the background which instantly made me think of Jean Claude trying to stomach the canned spinach in The River Run!

On the scale of creativity, science, and pure entertainment we've come to expect in a Good Eats episode: I'd rate this one pretty high.  The culinary aspect could have used a little improvement; I know Alton can do better than tossing together a salad.

p.s.  I'm still fighting my Dutch baby addiction which has lately been strengthened by my new iced coffee addiction :-)

Alton Brown's Dutch Baby Saves the Day

Finally! I escaped from fatherhood, at least for a few minutes, to attempt some Good Eats recipes from last weeks show (the last two shows were brilliant by the way).

First I tried Alton's fried chicken recipe from Good Eats: Fry Hard II. Sadly, all I have to show for it is a house smelling of crusty fried chicken and a few grease burns on my arm. Apparently the thermometer I bought was telling me that my oil temperature was way lower than it really was. I let the oil cool a bit before the second batch of drumsticks went in, but by that time I no longer desired a piece of fresh fried chicken. I'll have to regroup and find a new thermometer.

Secondly; I tried my hand at popovers. I haven't made them in years and I just happen to have the twelve cup version of the pan Alton picked up at what I think of as Miss Wong's Emporium of Cooking Gear. Well, I screwed it up. Either my oven runs a bit hot or I just need to check them earlier than the recommended cooking time like most baked goods. The insides were good, but a bit too crispy on the outside. My wife turned them into a wonderful hot fudge sundae base though :-)

For my next trick, I took a shot at the Dutch baby. How could I not after the wonderful skit and the giant clogs! Success at last! It was perfect and will likely be prepared again for breakfast again tomorrow; this time with some fresh local strawberries. If I had failed at this basic cooking task it would have been cold cereal and carry-out food for a while. Instead I was rewarded with a new tool in my culinary binder o' recipes.

New Good Eats Episode: If It Ain't Broccoli, Don't Fix It

Alton Brown cooks up some broccoli dishes Monday night at 8pm EST in the latest Good Eats episode: "If It Ain't Broccoli, Don't Fix It." Fresh, steamed, and roasted will be the preparation themes. Sadly, the Steel Lotus does not seem to be utilized in the steaming process.

In case you missed it, Apple of My Pie airs again Monday night at 11PM and the broccoli episode will run again at 3AM Tuesday morning. I need to watch the Apple Pie show again since I was busy doing things around the house while watching. From what i saw it looked like a good episode and a sound recipe/baking method; except I was a bit bewildered by his complaining about the traditional spices and then watching him pull out the grains of paradise. What?!

Alton Brown Coming to Chicago in March

Alton Brown will be giving a one hour lecture on the science behind your favorite meal at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry March 15th. There will also be a book signing afterwards; too bad this is before the FOA2 book is published. Tickets are $40.

From the MSI website:
"Television personality and self-proclaimed "food explorer" Alton Brown will present a special lecture at the Museum of Science and Industry that addresses the basic connection between the foods we eat and the scientific principles that govern them. An audience Q & A and book signing will follow...

The one-hour lecture will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 15 in the Museum’s auditorium, and a 30-minute Q & A will follow. Alton Brown will also meet and sign books (one per guest) for audience members until 2:30 p.m. Light snacks and beverages will be served during the book signing."

Museum of Science and Industry Website Link

New Good Eats Episode Tonight: Apple Pie

Apple of My Pie premieres Monday, February 4th at 8PM EST on Food Network. Check your local listings; they've been known to change things on me before!

While it's definitely not apple season out here in Michigan orchard country, a hot apple pie always sounds good; especially with ice cream! As always, Alton's take on a traditional recipe should be interesting since he's always trying to improve on techniques, cooking methods, etc. Click here to go to the crust and filling recipe from the show.

Good Eats -- Apple of My Pie is available on iTunes

New Good Eats Episode

Alton Brown cooks up some Buffalo wings in The Wing and I Wednesday night at 9:30PM! Don't forget to build your Steel Lotus steaming rig in preparation for the weekend!