Alton Brown on Cooking to Reduce Stress

Do you find cooking to be relaxing?  Fun?  Exciting?  If you're a fan of Alton Brown and his Good Eats show, you can likely answer 'yes' to at least one of those questions.  I found myself giving conflicting answers when I read the article Cooking Away Stress by Judy Hevrdejs of the Chicago Tribune this morning.  It made me ponder: Do I really enjoy cooking and does it help me relax?  My first reaction was 'Heck no!  I'm tired of trying to crank out meals for my family and scrape together a menu and go shopping twice a week.'

In the article, Alton Brown describes the act of cooking as very relaxing and a big stress reliever.  This level of enjoyment obviously lends itself to his endless creativity with Good Eats.  Alton mentions, "Slicing, dicing and chopping — the rhythm of that is something I enjoy and find relaxing. But I also really, really, really like to knead dough. I like the physical action of getting my hands into it. … I find that physically rewarding."  This is the essence of a hobby and one that somebody truly enjoys.  Whether gardening, woodworking, or cranking a wrench on your old car's engine; we can all find a bit of solace in losing ourselves in a project for fun.  Thinking of cooking in this light made me think twice about my initial reaction.  Maybe I do really enjoy being in the kitchen.

When given the time by myself to cook I treat it as a hobby, even if I am preparing a meal for others. I love trying new recipes or just experimenting with what I have in the fridge.  I get excited when I pull out my shiny Wusthof blade from its case and going to work at the cutting board; all the while managing two or three things on the stove.  I get into my element and find my groove.  That is what I call the Joy of Cooking.  It's not without frustration, there are a few dishes that have gone directly to the garbage disposal, but the majority of the time I find satisfaction with the end result.  There is something more though.  When I can share my cooking with others, there is real pleasure when they say how good it is or ask me how I put it together.  Looking back on yesterday afternoon and I picture the look of delight on my grandmother's face and my daughter and I expressed how good everything tasted.

Good Eats has been a staple in my TV diet for years, not only because it is entertaining, but because I'm always learning something.  What I have learned this week is not about losing weight or what foods I should eat, but rather that if you want to get something more out of life or to reach a goal you really do need to focus a lot of energy into the process of change.  Alton did so with with his diet and I can see that I need to do the same when I think about cooking.  Chasing the next meal will never get me any satisfaction, but better planning and taking a little bit more time to focus on the actual cooking process I enjoy so much is a goal I need to work towards.  On that note I'll leave you with one more article quote from Alton Brown:

"In my business, it's really easy to get to the point where you hate food and hate all cooking.  Then I go cook eggs, and it's like wow, look at that little miracle. Look at everything that eggs do. To me that's a magic trick."

New Good Eats Episodes in the Works

According to Alton Brown's website there are several new Good Eats shows going into production this summer.  One that warrants particular attention is news of a 10th anniversary Good Eats special!  Other highlights include another Man Food show and a new Christmas Special (should be more enjoyable than the Food Network shows).

Episodes in production, August:
Pound Cake
Japanese Ingredients
Man Food- Breakfast
Christmas Special
Salty Sweets
Cooking with Alcohol
Tacos
10th Anniversary Special

New Good Eats Episode Monday: Orange Aid

Alton Brown brings us the perfect ingredient during the cold of winter: Oranges!  I have been going through several every week, but never give any thought to doing something other than peeling and eating.  Recipes in this Good Eats include orange marmalade, sherbet, and 'orange delicious.'  Could the Delicious be Alton's version of an Orange Julius?

Food Network's description: "Oranges aren't just for juice any more as host Alton Brown explores their symphony of flavors to create a classic drink , a tasty topping and a creamy cold dessert."

Alton Brown's New Hairstyle and New Good Eats Episodes

 In response to overwhelming long-hair bashing, Alton is sporting a new look for next season!  Well, not really, but I can't help noticing in all of the reruns this past week how much younger he looks with shorter hair.  (Sorry Alton; I couldn't help it!)

On with the news!

Alton Brown's website lists some new Good Eats episodes in the works!
Topics include:
Pork tenderloin
Tamales
Parsnips
Crawfish
Punch
Pasta and Meat Sauce

Food Network also lists "A Cabbage Sprouts in Brussels" airing January 26th.  I'm hoping to see a large Brussels sprout with a bad talent agent in this show :-)

Next Food Network Star

I found out that the brother of a friend at work has his sights on the Next Food Network Star competition.  Follow this link to Joel Zeidman's video audition at the Food Network Site

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 :-)

Alton Brown Performance in Miami December 13th

Alton Brown will be in Miami at the Adrienne Arsht Center Saturday, December 13th at 8:00pm for a cooking demonstration and limited meet and greet for VIP ticket holders.  Tickets range in price from $25 all the way up to $150 for the VIP package.

Good Eats Episode Tonight: Cran Opening

Whew!  The holiday crush has been keeping me busy lately!  While running around trying to clean the kitchen, run some laundry, and keep and eye on my daughter rolling around and chewing on everything within reach I realized it was Monday already!

Monday!  Time for some new Good Eats adventures!  Tonight's feature is cranberries.  I don't recall this episode though it is listed as a season 11 show on the Food Network website; maybe it slipped past me or could it be one of those strange cable season delays that they like to confuse us with?  Anyhow: cranberries.

I'm picturing Alton Brown up to his waist in a bog with Deb Duchon ala the Ocean Spray commercials.  Maybe he'll pick up a new juice contract!  Looks like we're in for a treat with a cranberry cosmopolitan recipe mixed with some homemade cranberry granita.  Then, of course, the holiday cranberry sauce.  Luckily, I already have a bag of cranberries in the fridge.

Tonight's Good Eats Schedule:
8:00pm The Alton Crown Affair (lamb crown roast)
8:30pm Cran Opening
11:00pm The Icing Man Cometh (buttercream and ganache)

New Good Eats Episode: Switched on Baklava

New Good Eats episode coming Monday night: Switched on Baklava.  It will be interesting to see what Alton Brown has in store with an entire episode dedicated to one dish.  I would imagine a good dose of cultural or historical info as filler; maybe an interlude with Deb Duchon.  Hopefully it will be as good as the red beans and rice show.

Good Eats and Holiday Treats

Whew!  The rush of relatives is gone and while I can enjoy some peace and quiet, many of you are just gearing up!  If you haven't caught an episode yet, Food Network has been airing the "Dear Food Network" series featuring many of the regular show hosts.

    I haven't watching any of the holiday cooking shows in a while and it was noticeably different from past years.  Gone was the strange 'family' gathering of FN hosts replaced by more informative and mixed cooking segments.  Each episode has a main host and then a one or more others present an added dish to spice things up.  Thanks to the Blessed DVR, I was able to watch a few minutes between cleaning, cooking, and entertaining this week.  The Guy Fieri feature was good, but a little disappointing since I had just watched the Big Bite show where he prepared the same turkey pastrami.  Ina Garten still isn't my taste, but Alton Brown topped it off.

The turkey episode which Alton Brown hosted was a treat.  Besides providing a nice peek into the Good Eats studio kitchen, we had almost a full hour of Alton and his usual antics.  He seemed to be in what I imagine, having never seen him in person, is his natural personality.  Not too much new in the show for those of us who watch GE all the time, but it was noticeable that Alton, and not Emeril, was featured prominently on FN.  Years of consistent quality and variety finally has paid off for him.  My only worry is that soon he will outgrow Food Network as Emeril and Mario have done in the realm of cooking.

I also, finally, had a chance to watch the latest Good Eats episode.  Bowl of Creole was what I think of a classic Good Eats: witty yet focused on the food, enough science to give some background but more food preparation for the substance.  I never heard of using pickled pork in the mix; anybody from the Bayou agree with that one?  I kept waiting to see somebody dressed in the sausage outfit from the River Run.

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

Alton Brown: Salty News

Diamond Crystal has signed up Alton Brown as their Kosher salt spokesperson.  An excellent choice as we all know how much Alton loves dipping into his glass cellars for a pinch of that flaky goodness.  Keep an eye out for commercials, ads, or even some product placement on Good Eats.

And speaking of Good Eats; there may be some meat pies in your near future.

Diamond Crystal press release here

Alton Brown on Local Farmers Markets

Just a little piece of an article in the USA TODAY paper that reminds me of home.  The topic is local farmers markets and there is a quote from Alton Brown.  I am lucky to live in an area surrounded by orchards and farms and, currently, there are several places chock full of produce.  I load up on as much as I can eat during the summer and fall harvest seasons.  The dreary cold weather the past two days has served as a reminder that I'll be shopping at the grocery store and defrosting the few things I have made.  Maybe Alton will put together a show on making meals from what you can get during harvest.

"Mine is in Marietta, Ga., on the town square, and it's held on Saturday mornings. It has folding tables, cash boxes — as homespun as it gets. I like to take my daughter there so that she can learn what seasonality looks like.

"The offerings aren't shocking, but nice — 75% of the produce is grown from within 10 miles, and the rest within 50 miles. Right now, our market features a massive array of heirloom tomatoes and a lot of squashes people may not have seen before. We have a lot of beekeepers here, so you find a lot of regional honeys. And we have a lot of local bakeries represented. Artisanal bakeries are realizing that exposure at the farmer's market is a great point of advertising for sales."

Follow this link to the original article 

Feasting on Waves: Catching up

I was pleasantly surprised with the third installment of Feasting on Waves.  Not only did they get rid of a lot of the unnecessary travel clutter, but the parts of it they did show were more fluid and cohesive.  The content was also presented in a way that you could actually follow and Alton Brown himself was in much better form.  Ironically, this was the episode in Anguilla for which I found out they had made arrangements with the local tourist board.  Maybe that was what was needed to get this show rolling; more of a plan.

My favorite part was the hydroponic garden at the Cuisinart resort which reminded me of something you'd see on Good Eats; learning something new about food other than just how to cook it.  The lobster roast was also enjoyable from a Feasting series perspective in that it brought out the group mentality of the adventure.  No longer was it just Alton Brown with a hand-held camera; now it is about a group traveling in search of good, local food.  The essence of the Feasting theme.

Feasting on Waves: The Plan

Well, as many of us have noticed, Feasting on Waves definitely has a more 'planned' feel than the wandering based on tips and suggestions seen in Feasting on Asphalt.  Today I ran across this article in an Anguilla news site that mentions how their tourism board and a NY public relations company set up the FOW team visit.  This just reinforces my opinion that Feasting on Waves should have been more removed from the Feasting line and marketed as a different type of series.

Click here to read the article

Feasting on Waves: Episode Two

Well, still not feeling the 'open road' sense from the Feasting on Asphalt series with this take.  It seems more like an unedited version of a 'Best of Caribbean Local Cuisine' show with all of the disjointed travel.  Maybe it would be better without the traveling aspect since there is no flow.  In FOA there was a sense of a group of guys on a road trip; seeking out adventure and classic road food.  With this series there is not really a group feel; just Alton being obnoxious and interrupting the people he's interviewing; seems a bit impatient and left out trying to hold his own.  Doesn't seem himself; as in comfortable self or anywhere near Good Eats self.  [Weather's bad, he's got a printed off piece of paper of things he'd like to see while dressed up as a stereotypical American tourist with a video camera]  A visit from Deb Duchon would do this series well and slow the pace down.  I don't feel I remember much of what I just watched.  Not that it isn't interesting, but it's just too random.  How many islands were in this episode?  I lost track.

Good Eats: Frozen Cache

Frozen Cache will be airing Monday, August 11th at 8pm.  For all of you lucky souls, like myself, who have fresh local fruits and vegetables in season and need some inspiration on storing them well into the winter.  I'm seriously considering the purchase of a dedicated freezer to keep a few batches of grape juice and peaches for those icy days in January.

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 :-)

New Good Eats Episode: Tuna, Surprise!

What's Alton Brown up to this week?  Well, looks like he'll be getting a visit from an old commercial icon to see what Good Eats he is able to create with a can of tuna.  A little Sandra Lee influence after her weekend marathon?  We'll have to wait and see :-)

Tuna, Surprise! airs Monday, July 7th at 8:00pm with a follow up at 3:00am.