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Good Eats' Alton Brown-I'd vote for him for President!

#1
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4/12/05 at 11:58am
  • Joined: March 2005
  • Post Count: 191
In all fairness to Food Network (we've snarked Sandra Lee and Rachael Ray so thoroughly) I think we should give the channel it's due for having the great Alton Brown on. :smoking:

Super smart, great info and excellent cooking instruction. Plus, he has a sense of humor, is a great chef and has not yeilded to FN's apparent "just be cute (loud, ridiculous) and it will be great" policy.

And let's not forget Ina Garten and Paula Deen! I hope FN doesn't decide to replace these real chefs with more "personalities".

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#2
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4/12/05 at 2:25pm
  • Joined: April 2005
  • Location: Brentwood, TN, USA
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I LOVE "Good Eats"! I have had dreams about making donuts after I watched his show, complete with chocolate glaze.

Sara
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#3
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4/12/05 at 2:49pm
  • Joined: March 2005
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He showed how to make a prime rib of beef once that broke rules and is superb! :crazy:

I tried doing prime rib on holidays before and it was O.K., but not great. I tried the Alton method for a special dinner (I'm brave) and couldn't believe how fantastic it came out. Everyone wanted to know how I got it that way. It was a proud moment for this Irish gal! :rolleyes:

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#4
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4/12/05 at 4:36pm
  • Joined: May 2003
  • Location: NJ
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Alton Brown is the best. Real instruction, not just the science but the "how".

And without an annoying personality.

Mark

Salad is the kind of food that real food eats.

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#5
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4/12/05 at 5:09pm
  • Joined: October 1999
  • Location: New Castle, De USA
  • Post Count: 2,708
I had the pleasure to meet and talk with him a few years ago. He is as he appears; grounded in fact, colored with whimsy and gloriously talented. For my 11th grade Culinary students, we use his book and practice his techniques. My students see him as an insightful cook rather than a televangeliculinarian (say it slowly... you'll get it!)

Who needs Emeril? A helping of Alton goes much further!

Invention, my dear friends, is ninety-three percent perspiration, six percent electricity, four percent evaporation, and two percent butterscotch ripple

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#6
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4/12/05 at 6:28pm
  • Joined: March 2005
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.................................................. ..................................................
Jim, you met HIM!? :bounce: He's my hero. I agree totally with your post. Glad your teaching his techniques, they do work.

But that word - televangeliculinarian. I know what it means, but it sounds like a Sandra Lee dessert (uh,oh! Better not give her any ideas). :D

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#7
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4/12/05 at 6:55pm
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Wisconsin USA
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I've got to admit I've become an AB groupie. I even stay up past my weekday bedtime (9:00 :eek: ) to watch his shows. I trust his recommendations on equipment as well as technique. As I consider a successor to my aging food processor, I will look to him for advice.

Thanks for starting a great, positive thread, Kerryclan. :bounce:

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#8
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4/13/05 at 7:37am
  • Joined: March 2005
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Saw Alton's Fish & Chips episode last night. This will be my Saturday dinner adventure. He solved a problem I've had when frying battered fish - the fish should be partially frozen before coating and frying! Stops that yucky too well done or mushy thing from happening.

I love AB! ;)

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#9
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4/16/05 at 7:15pm
  • Joined: October 1999
  • Location: New Castle, De USA
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Kerryclan,
When I met him, he was very down-to-earth and humble. Very insightful individual. And, yes, his techniques do work... and my students get a kick out of all his goofy-ness.
If you are interested in ever meeting him, keep an eye out for FoodTV events in your area. Often, he does signings or demos throughout the country.

Invention, my dear friends, is ninety-three percent perspiration, six percent electricity, four percent evaporation, and two percent butterscotch ripple

My Author Page

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#10
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4/18/05 at 7:30am
  • Joined: April 2005
  • Location: Brentwood, TN, USA
  • Post Count: 21
Yes! They DO work! I wear glasses, and Alton Brown's Good Eats Fish & Chips episode suggested wearing a hat when frying to prevent oil droplets from collecting on your glasses.

I tried it with shallow and stir fry and it works! How simple!

Sara
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#11
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5/3/05 at 9:53pm
  • Joined: October 2004
  • Location: new york
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Yes, he's the only non-pro-chef who's remotely watchable on the Food Network (well, Giada DiLaurentis is watchable, but not for the food)
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#12
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5/4/05 at 7:54am
  • Joined: January 2005
  • Location: Madison, WI
  • Post Count: 86

Alton = Good Eats

Yeah, I got introduced to Good Eats a couple of years ago by a friend. We currently don't have cable, but do take every oppertunity we have to go visit friends who do have it... I know it's cheap, but it's killing two birds with one stone. Anywho, when we move to Madison in a few weeks, we get digital cable and Good Eats will be mine. And I would like to second the Giada DiLaurentis motion :D :lips: :D

"A brave man likes to feel the rain on his face." "Yeah, but a wise man knows when to get in out of the rain."

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#13
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5/4/05 at 11:35am
  • Joined: June 2001
  • Location: Minnesota
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I still like that cute sara girl. ;)

What about Jacques Torres, he hasn't dumbed down his show has he?
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#14
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5/4/05 at 12:22pm
  • Joined: March 2005
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A word from the other sex - I'm glad Dave Lieberman is on now that Tyler Florence got puffy, greasy and annoying. We like the eye candy too! ;)

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#15
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5/6/05 at 7:20am
  • Joined: October 2001
  • Location: Fond du Lac, WI
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I love AB!!! Years ago, a friend of mine, when I lived in Atlanta, and I wrote up a bunch of outlines for scripts of a cooking show we wanted to do. It was very much along the lines of "Good Eats". A lot of serious instruction, presented in a very tounge-in-cheek way. I hate Alton for beating us to the punch, but I love his show. Now my goal is to become the first cartoon chef on FNTV

From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus
http://www.onceachef.com/

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#16
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5/6/05 at 12:16pm
  • Joined: March 2005
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Alton showed how to brew the perfect cup of coffee last night. It was great. Now I know what I do wrong.

Love the idea of a cartoon chef! :bounce: Don't let it get around or someone might beat you to that one too. (I won't tell anyone, promise.)

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#17
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7/5/05 at 3:12pm
  • Joined: June 2005
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Alton Brown is one of the best things on FoodTV.

I do wonder about something, however. I met him at a San Francisco book signing earlier this year and I asked him if he got to eat the food made on Iron Chef.

He said no because on the pilot he ate something that had oyster in it and he had a horrible allergic reaction, so now he steers clear of all the food.

But... I just saw an episode of Good Eats where he prepares and eats oysters. What up with that?
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#18
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7/8/05 at 11:00am
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Wisconsin USA
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I, too, am an AB fan. I'm looking to buy my first one of his books, and am browsing them to see which one will be the lucky winner.

As for the illness: it could have been any of several things.

First, he could have shot the oyster episode some time ago, but developed a sensitivity or allergy to the shellfish later on. My own brother used to enjoy cranberries, until one time he broke out in nasty hives. Now he avoids them.

Second, in spite of all precautions, the critter could have harbored smaller, illness-causing critters.

Third, it wasn't the oyster at all, but some other ingredient or pre-existing illness.

Fourth.... well, I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV... :D

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#19
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7/8/05 at 7:04pm
  • Joined: June 2005
  • Location: St. Louis. For the young ones, that the Lou.
  • Post Count: 78
Alton Brown is in deed not only one of the best things on FNTV, but TV at all. I really dig his show(s).

I don't blame him for not doing oysters, Can't stand them myself. I had a bad reaction to shrimp one time, and steered clear of it for a year afterwards. But eventually it got the better of me, and I gave in and tried it again. Everything was fine after that. Musta just been bad shrimp.

BTW, I've been on TV, and I've played doctor, but that's another story. Never put the two together though. :eek:

Life without broccoli isn't really life, is it?

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#20
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7/18/05 at 10:40am
  • Joined: July 2005
  • Location: Chicago
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fn and ab

well, I must say that the first time I saw food tv about 4 years back, it was emeril, sara moulton and martha stewart with others.

I enjoyed them but what got me stuck to foodtv was Alton Brown. I was a big Mission Impossible fan and happened to watch the rerun of his 'poaching' show - which was based on Mission Impossible theme.

Love what he does with food - and his insight and research are good too.
For a converted non-veg eater, I really appreciate how he makes 'science' to the 'art' of cooking meats.
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#21
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8/12/05 at 5:03am
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Alton Brown IS my favorite of all the people from the various shows; that Chef, Tyler Florence is next but I also like the ladies you mentioned above.

I, uh ... won't say WHY I like em so much though.
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#22
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8/25/05 at 1:38pm
  • Joined: February 2004
  • Location: Dover, Tennessee
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I agree

AB is good and I watch him almost every night. I have used his way of doing things more times that I can remember. But he is not always right. A fire extinguisher is a better tool to crush things that anything I have in the kitchen.

The view is better at the edge.

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#23
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8/26/05 at 2:22am
  • Joined: August 2005
  • Location: Memphis, TN
  • Post Count: 127

AB & others

I've learned a lot from Good Eats and try to record them. Even if I don't use the technique I always learn something. Have also learned from Mario B. Not sure if I've learned anything, but do enjoy looking at Giada D.

If you're interested in but not already expert at Latin American ingredients I recommend Daisy Cooks on PBS. I've only seen 3 or 4 episodes but have learned from each one.

just an old guy learning to live off his own cooking

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#24
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8/26/05 at 11:00am
  • Joined: March 2005
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Daisy Martinez is terrific. I love her recipes and her unsnobby, natural persona. ;)

"Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks." -Lin Yutang

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#25
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8/30/05 at 2:30pm
  • Joined: August 2005
  • Location: Charlotte, on the Iga Province side ..
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Hahaha, Experience is truly the best teacher! Even better than Alton. I've read that he isn't the expert he purports to be .... he has very good advisers on that show, however!

He sure plays the part though ... very informative episodes.
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