First Pics: Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson

The happy family.

[Pics via MSNBC]

Whistle me a Ditty, Duff

Sometimes I have to work really hard to find something to post about on this blog; I'll dig through hundreds of Google Alerts looking for something interesting or watch and re-watch shows on my DVR to inspire me.

Other times, I'll see something obvious (like Giada having a baby) that I just need to post.

And then other times, something freaky happens: I'll randomly turn on Fox in the morning (which I NEVER do-- I'm a Today show guy) and see Duff Goldman making a cake, or I'll stay home and randomly catch Mario Batali on Martha Stewart's talkshow (again, never watch the show normally).

Last night was even weirder.

I was working on my "Giada has her baby" post and the TV was on in the background. Suddenly I heard a very familiar ditty. It was a song I can only describe as "the whistle song" that's used in the background of Ace of Cakes from time to time.

You've heard it, right?


The same whistlin' ditty was suddenly playing in last night's episode of the ABC reality show Oprah's Big Give (not that I'm watching Oprah reality shows every Sunday night... I DO have a life. Or apparently not.)


After hearing and recognizing it, it was then that I realized I have a gift: I am Food Network's psychic friend.

I'm thinking of starting a 1-900 number. Perhaps I could give Rachael some advice on the future? Let Paula know if the butter she consumes today will contribute to her eventual cardiac arrest? Tell Ina that Jeffrey will be late for dinner?

I am to Food Network what Whoopi Goldberg was to Patrick Swayze in Ghost.

This could be very lucrative. I might have to put some feelers out to the infomercial agents of the world and let them know it's high-time we get another quality psychic infomercial on the airwaves, now that Miss Cleo is defunked. I'm sure Dionne Warwick is available to co-host.

And we know Rachael's got the $3.99/minute to spare.

I'll update you if/when I develop Carrie-like telekinesis powers. That seems like the next logical step. Paula Deen's perfect meatloaf won't get a rich tomato sauce topping but a bucket of pig's blood!

Giada Has Baby Girl!

Giada De Laurentiis gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Saturday, March 29 in Los Angeles, People magazine reports.


JADE MARIE DE LAURENTIIS THOMPSON!!!

The little mozzarella ball weighed in at a petite 5 lbs, 13 oz.

Hard to believe baby Jade was this tiny not too many months ago:


Congratulations, Giada and Todd! Don't be feeding her prosciutto just yet.

Robin Miller's Realistic Racetrack

At last month's South Beach Wine and Food Festival Robin Miller talked about one of the quirkiest aspects of her Food Network show: those cars that keep driving by!


You've seen them, right? The look has changed a bit from season to season, but those cars just keep on driving by, which is odd because her show is shot at Food Network studios in New York City.


Robin Miller revealed that these cars are, in fact, just video projected onto a screen. (Duh). They weren't always as seamless and realistic, though.

Robin mentioned that for a while they just had video of the same car passing over and over again, which looked strange. And in another, the cars looked like they was crashing right into the window. It took some adjustments to get the cars right.

In one video, a big HAZMAT truck pulled up and a bunch of guys in the full, protective body suits got out in the lawn-- that wasn't that good, either. Or appetizing.

I guess the cars give her show that suburban mom appeal they're looking for.

Robert Irvine: "It's Liberating"

Robert Irvine gave some of his first public comments to Us since the Feb. 29 announcement by Food Network President Brooke Johnson saying his contract would not be renewed.



"I made a couple of mistakes, and I'll stand by and take the beatings [...] I'm trying to move forward. I've had thousands of e-mails supporting me, and I am truly grateful."

While Robert probably won't return to Food Network anytime soon, he says he has "a couple of things in development" and will continue to do charity work with the military.

There are certainly lots of opinions on both sides of this issue. While I don't deny that he's a good cook and promising TV talent, I still feel like what he did was pretty slimy. Wasting a bunch of investors' money is one thing, but saying you've been knighted by the Queen and given a castle by Her Majesty is quite another. What if there were some real Knights out there who missed out of getting a show because Robby lied?!

"I'm human and I do make mistakes," he says. "It's liberating having this behind me."

SPOILER: AoC Avenue Q Cake

Playbill has a sneak peek of the cake Duff and the crew at Charm City Cakes created for the Broadway hit, Avenue Q. It's going to be featured on tonight's new episode of Ace of Cakes.






[Photos via Playbill]
I haven't seen Avenue Q, so I'm not sure if the backstage is part of the show or not. Still, it's fun that they worked that into the cake, too.

And in double-fun Ace of Cakes news, Mary Alice has updated the official Charm City Cakes blog:

"Happy spring, everyone! March has certainly come in like a Lion here in Charm City. This week we commenced filming our fifth season of Ace of Cakes. Holy cow, it's hard to believe. We're so happy to have the familiar faces of our crew back in the bakery, and already there are some pretty amazing cakes on the docket.

This weekend Duff and Geof will be traveling to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota where they will be participating in the Great American Bake Sale to benefit Share Our Strength. They will be creating, and I swear to god I am not making this up, the WORLD'S LARGEST CUPCAKE. As in, for reals. There will be a representative from the Guinness Book of World Records on hand to confirm its world's-biggest status.

If you are in the area, you should definitely stop by and say hello. The best part is, after they have finished the cupcake monster, it will be cut up and the pieces will be auctioned off to benefit Share Our Strength. A great big cupcake for a great cause! "

Any Minnesotans (sotians?) out there? If so, hit up the world's largest bake sale. Sandra Lee will be thereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. =)

And, yes, I'm still bitter that Aunt Sandy dropped out of the South Beach festival in Feb. I must see her before I die!

UPDATE: Rachael Saved from Hot, Boiling Water

See! I don't leave you hanging-- even if it takes nearly a year and a half to get the answer!

Just thought I'd update you on my November 8, 2006 post regarding the lawsuit against Rachael Ray's show Food Network show Inside Dish with Rachael Ray (and her syndicated talkshow Rachael Ray) in which two men alleged the show was a ripoff of the one they pitched to Food Network back in 2001, tentatively titled Showbiz Chefs.


Food Network's then-President Judy Girard returned the script, saying they had "no interest in celebrities at all."



I don't really remember any major celebrity moments in Food Network's history, but perhaps they all failed before they even aired.

From what I gather, the lawsuit eventually went on to include Rachael's talkshow, which the persons filing the lawsuit allege infringed upon their original idea of a 30-minute show in which celebrities would cook their favorite meals in their own kitchens.
Ummm... not really the same at all.

Luckily, the judge agreed:

"The generic talk-show format is not protectable, U.S. District Judge Audrey B. Collins said, and any similarities between Showbiz Chefs and the CBS-produced Rachael Ray are 'scenes a faire' that naturally flow from the interview and talk-show format ... Cooking segments may individualize the talk-show structure somewhat, but they still represent the outgrowth of the generic talk show, especially when the host can, in fact, cook."

This is a double-win for Rachael. First, her shows (and the people producing them) aren't going to be held responsible for any damages. Second, a judge actually said she can "in fact, cook"! To all the naysayers, be a naysayer no more. Be a...ummm... yeasayer.

Sunny Anderson Gets Bloggin'

Sunny Anderson, host of Food Network's upcoming show Cooking for Real, has hopped aboard the blogging train! Go to her blog at sunnyanderson.blogspot.com and read about her testing recipes for her new show, check out pics on the set, and get a little info on the first few shows.



I've written before about Food Network stars' blogging habits--or lack thereof--but think Sunny might just be able to defy the stereotype. She did work as Food and Lifestyle editor at Hip Hop Weekly, according to her bio, so she should know what's up and how to keep us engaged.

Sunny describes meeting some of the Food Network stars on set while filming promos on the ubiquitous Ellie Krieger set:

"The taping of the promos was a two-day event, I taped on the last day and was the second to last person, so I didn't really get to meet too many of the Food Network hosts, but I met Danny [Boome] and Robin Miller, both very nice. Robin was like 'You comin' to South Beach?' (referring to the Food and Wine fest that the network sponsors), i was like 'uhhh maybe', knowing i wasn't going. wanted to though, as an attendee, just too busy hustling in nyc. hopefully i can make it next year :-). She was sweet and Danny is just a cool dude."

Cooking for Real premieres Sunday, April 6 at 10:30am E/P. I should hopefully have a review up before the show airs. Be on the lookout.

[Photo courtesy Food Network]

Amy Sedaris on Paula's Party

I WANT AMY SEDARIS TO HAVE A SHOW ON FOOD NETWORK.

There, I got that out:-) She'd be a welcome addition to Food Network nighttime, and I think she'd really be able to pull off a great food-focused show.

If you haven't done so already, check out her awesome book and read my recaps (Recap 1 and Recap 2) of her appearances on Martha.

Unlike Martha Stewart--who doesn't seem to understand Amy's jokes and actually comes off as rude--Paula Deen celebrates Amy's zaniness and doesn't seem to mind the little jabs here and there. So funny!

Part I:


Part II:

FN: Porn for Fat People?

NBC reran the Tina Fey-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live last night. I missed the first airing, but had seen a few clips online here and there. Still, I had no idea that Food Network was parodied TWICE!


Ehhh... kinda funny. I think it's porn for a lot of people, regardless of body type.

If you haven't seen There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, or Juno this sketch won't make much sense. Bill Hader's impression of Daniel Planview is right on and Fred Armisen is nearly identical to Javier Bardem's freaky portrayal of villain Anton Chigurh. And Tina Fey is, of course, great as Juno.



Rachael Ray was also parodied in the Celebrity Apprentice sketch, but it wasn't that good... or funny. Rachael is surprisingly hard to impersonate. People either try to exaggerate the scratchy voice or just use the catch phrases over and over. I'd like to see a high-quality Rachael impression by the likes of Maya Rudolph or Amy Poehler.

Tyler Florence on Extra

Tyler Florence was on Extra last night to give us a tour of the Gianni Versace mansion that he (and I) partied at during the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Fest.




I'm glad this clip isn't much longer-- can't stand those Mark McGrath voiceovers ("Gianni spared NO EXPENSE..."). They should have let Tyler narrate!

An Ultimate Recipe Showdown Taste Test

Jordan Baker (JB) has her excellent review up from our recent Ultimate Recipe Showdown taste test. Check it out.

Mine will be more of the same. Sorry Friday's, but what was consumed this past Wednesday evening on a rainy night in D.C. was definitely not the"apex of eating." If it was, I think I'll switch to a liquid-only diet for the rest of my life.

First, a fun little guessing game:



Perhaps an enlarged cancerous mole? The surface of one of Mars' moons? Scabies?

(Click on the photo for the answer)

As JB points out, we chose to limit ourselves to only one menu option each and the dessert to share. I suppose the original idea would have been to have a part #2 of the taste test if we were blown away by #1, so we could try all of the "ultimate" menu options. I'll put it on my calendar for 2011. Hope they're still on the menu by then.

JB chose the Chipotle Grilled Steak Sandwich--winner of the comfort food challenge.

And here it is:



The marketing copy indicates that this sandwich has a "healthy helping" of onion rings, which I suppose could be considered true since she was served just FIVE! When I see "healthy" and "onion rings" in the same sentence, I'm thinking a generous serving-- namely 10 or more (plus the crispy bits).

Since the plate looked so empty, I added some extra rings.

I chose the Ahi Tuna Ciabatta burgers.



I definitely didn't taste any soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in these babies. They tasted like... ahi tuna cooked too long (isn't tuna best served rare?) and placed on a bun with a tomato. Plus, there was no anaheim chili dipping sauce-- something I probably would have asked for if I had remembered at the time. Perhaps it would have helped mask the other blah flavors?



JB realized midway through the meal that her sweet plantains were most likely bananas. A cost-saving measure on the part of Friday's?

Read her review to see how she thought it tasted. There's a metaphor involving salt, armpit hair, and silly putty if you need some motivation.



Dessert was the dark chocolate cupcake duo. It's pretty hard to mess up a cupcake, but I think Friday's could have tried a bit harder with the presentation. Ours included no fresh strawberry (natch) and the raspberry sauce was drizzled in such a way that it made it really difficult to dip the cupcake. We had no separate plates, so we were left to breaking the cupcake up and dredging it through the little line of jam. The choco-mousse topping was just all right.

Overall, I've eaten much, much better meals and desserts--even at Friday's! Items were cold, pieces were missing, flavor was lacking-- it was just completely underwhelming.

I want to put it out there that the people who created these dishes probably did have some good recipes to begin with. I'm sure with the proper ingredients and technique this review could have turned out much differently. Having your special recipe churned through the "family casual" style, mass-produced kitchens of Friday's probably has some ill effects. There's also the very likely possibility that this particular Friday's in downtown D.C. just sucks. Politicians only appear to be choosy when it comes to picking their escort for the night. Food is the afterthought.

I love RedLasso!

I am in love with RedLasso-- the site that allows you to search live ("near realtime") TV and create video clips that can be tagged, embedded, emailed, etc. Many networks (including now Food Network) are allowing their content to be searched and viewed this way.

I just made this clip of Ina's friend Jack out getting popcorn!





I love the times when Ina's friends have to act. I could watch that "Microwave. It's easy; it's always good" line over and over.

In the past I had to worry about setting my computer's DVR to tape certain shows that I knew I'd want screengrabs from. Now (I think) I'll be able to just search for any show by keyword! So many possibilities!

Chefography Returns to Food Network

While no one can beat the Chefography of Sandra Lee (I love revisiting this post from time to time when I need another glimpse of Florence Henderson on that krazy Kurtain Kraft kouch), take a look at these upcoming Chefographies:

CHEFOGRAPHY: JULIA CHILD
Premieres: Monday, April 7th at 9PM
With her unmistakably expressive voice, Julia Child invited everyday people into her TV kitchen and introduced them to exciting new ways of preparing food. Julia was not a natural born cook … until one bite of a buttery French dish helped change everything. With passion, charm, and impeccable timing, Julia captivated generations of viewers and helped change the way America cooks.

CHEFOGRAPHY: WOLFGANG PUCK
Premieres: Tuesday, April 8th at 9PM
Wolfgang Puck – one of the most famous names in the culinary world who changed the way Americans eat. Mixing classical French techniques along with Asian and California influences and the highest quality ingredients, Wolfgang created a completely new style of cuisine. Once Wolfgang invented pizza with smoked salmon and caviar, contemporary fine dining in cities across the nation, and the world, would never be the same.

CHEFOGRAPHY: FOOD NETWORK
Premieres: Wednesday, April 9th at 9PM
It began as a humble series of instructional cooking shows with budgets so small that once the cameras started rolling they would not stop … for anything. But by tapping into America’s love affair with food, Food Network has transformed itself into the ultimate stage for superstar cooks and the fans who love them.

CHEFOGRAPHY: ACE OF CAKES
Premieres: Thursday, April 10th at 9PM
Before Ace of Cakes became an overnight sensation on the Food Network, Duff Goldman and his eccentric supporting staff, embarked on a unique journey to the spotlight. Chef Duff's background is a story of childhood rebellion, art, music and culinary adventures – including a raucous stint at Burger King, a wild ride at a prestigious pastry school, and a job at one of the best restaurants in the world. His diverse experiences and determination led Duff to hire his friends and open one of the most creative, successful and entertaining bakeries in the nation: Charm City Cakes.

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Very interesting! I'm glad they're highlighting Julia Child and Wolfie. And a Chefography on Food Network itself? We haven't had a good look into the network since the Unwrapped episode on Food Network, so that should be good.

Any others you'd like to see?

Sandra Lee... What the hell?

The latest installment of: Sandra Lee... What the hell?

I love this delightfully cheesy interview of Aunt Sandy with something called She Knows TV.




It makes me a tad misty to think Sandra subjects herself to interviews that utilize Microsoft Powerpoint as their primary editing tool. I guess all press is good press.

I especially love the heart transition. Be on the lookout for it.

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I'm still in recovery mode (as is Jordan Baker) from our Ultimate Recipe Showdown taste test last night, but will try to get a review up soon. Let's just say I wasn't left with my world being officially rocked, despite what the menu may suggest.

Ugh... I gotta go pick more iceberg lettuce strands from my teeth.

The URS Taste Test Is On, Baby!

...and it's going to be money!


A fellow D.C. blogger from Dealing in Subterfuges is accompanying me for this monumental event tonight. If you haven't seen Ultimate Recipe Showdown, check out my review of the premiere episode. The food better not suck, too.

Not that I'm going into this with any high standards. This is Friday's, after all. The last time I ate at a Friday's was in 2006 in Rockville, Md., but I enjoyed a chicken finger or two at the T.G.I's back in the day (like high school). Not gonna lie.

I'm worried that everything is going to be really salty and unnecessarily greasy. Prove me wrong, oh wondrous Friday's chefs!

In honor of G. F'eddy, I've dyed my hair the whitest of blond and donned my nicest rings and cargo shorts, despite the downpour D.C. is experiencing.

Wish us luck!

Change: They REALly Mean it This Time

Have you seen the Cooking For Real promos that have been running?

We're not given much details in them other than the host, Sunny Anderson, is a REAL Air Force Vet (I hope they ran that past the JAG verification system), a REAL DJ, and that she likes REAL good food.

One thing's for sure, this show could be a REAL change for the network.


Some people have e-mailed me saying they don't like the title, saying it implies the rest of the cooking on the network isn't "real." Others are worried this might be another show for "real" women (the ones Sandra Lee thinks she's reaching out to) with shortcuts, packaged products, and the like.

Having not seen the show, I can't really comment on the cooking focus. As far as the show's title, I think it was chosen primarily for its ability to pair-up nicely with plays-on-words. All of the press for the show indicates things are about to get real. Paging Dr. Phil.

I've received a bit more info on the show's focus which may help a bit:

"With an understanding of the need for uncomplicated dishes with affordable, easy to find ingredients, Sunny offers real food, for real life combining her approach to classic comfort foods along with her passion for unique flavors inspired by her many travels."

Well, that doesn't sound like much of a "real" change, but it's what works for the network so I'm not surprised.

The other obvious REAL change is the fact that Cooking For Real will become the newest African American-hosted show on Food Network. Over the years there's been some complaints in regards to the lack of diversity on the network. In response, Colombia-born Ingrid Hoffmann's show Simply Delicioso was launched in 2007 and married African American couple Pat and Gina Neely's Down Home with the Neelys premiered in February to record-breaking numbers.

Clearly, there's room (and a big need) for diversity on the network. A show's success is almost always proven by the host's ability to connect with their audience, though. In the cable TV game, it's about ratings. I'd like to think that the host's race doesn't affect a person's desire to watch or not watch a show. It certainly doesn't for me.

So what do you think? Is Food Network in need of REAL changes?

Cat Cora's Twin

Is Iron Chef Cat Cora the secret twin of E!'s Chelsea Handler?


Maybe?

I wasn't of a big fan of Chelsea before, but her current show on E!, Chelsea Lately, is really growing on me. I wish she would take over hosting duties for Conan after he moves to L.A. to do the Tonight show. But I love Jimmy Fallon, too, who is supposed to get the job. I'm torn.

Okay... I'm sidetracking VERY far from Food Network. Must remedy that. Ummm....Paula Deen did something today. Uhhh, Smithfield commercial. Buy ham in the pretty blue package with her picture on it.

There. I feel better.

Ted Allen Debuts New Blog

Ted Allen (Queer Eye, Iron Chef, Top Chef, et al), who I had the pleasure of meeting when I was down in Miami, just debuted a new blog on his personal website.



All righty, then: Helllooooo! Ya know, with so few options available to those of us who like to read about the minutia of other people’s lives, I thought it was high time I provided a fascinating glimpse into the glorious cycle of song that is my own. So, welcome!

In his first entry, Ted answers the question "What are the best and worst dishes you've tried on Iron Chef?" (Answer: both were prepared by Mario Batali. Who knew?!)

Ted is also blogging for Bravo's Top Chef, where he'll be serving as a regular judge this season. I love that he can be so frank in these blogs, even going so far to denounce the passé fauxhawk that several male contestants are still sporting. ("2003 called; it wants your hairdo back.")

Bravo has of course (hint hint Food Network!) nearly a dozen official blogs dedicated to the "#1 food show on cable," a claim that Food Network trys to dispute. Hmmm...

Well, TC's season premiere garnered more than 2 million total viewers. Let's see if this summer's The Next Food Network Star can beat that.

Food Network Addict Interviews Tyler Florence, Part 2

Check out part 1 of my interview with Tyler Florence if you're just stopping by for the first time.

Tyler's current show on Food Network, Tyler's Ultimate, features decadent, simple recipes of favorite foods. I particularly liked the beef taco episode where he fried his own tortillas.

"We just signed a new three year deal. We shot 13 new episodes last week… back in, uh, yesterday," Tyler said with a laugh. He and his wife Tolan were getting ready to return home to Northern California after the interview-- Tyler's first trip home in a month.

"I’m doing 26 more in the fall. I absolutely love it. My director of culinary and I just sit there and have these dream sessions… like this culinary volley back and forth. We stack recipes up and test them and once we get to the set we’re so excited about putting it all together."

"The show is very sensory. We try to create a very three-dimensional experience out of something two-dimensional. We try to give you brilliant recipes that you can make tomorrow night. Simple and clean. You get a really great ingredient, do a few steps, and get a masterpiece out of it."

Food Network Addict: One of my favorite things about the show is the lighting. (I brought up the How to Boil Water lighting, which Tyler likened to a "gymnasium.")



Tyler: We have one of the best Hollywood lighting directors in the business come out for it. The studio itself is a brick-by-brick mockup of my kitchen in my old apartment in New York City.

When I was still living in New York it was weird because I’d get up, have a cup of coffee, go to work, and walk back into my kitchen. We brought our dog once and had to watch him because he tried to go outside and pee in my fake backyard.

FNA: You competed with Robert Irvine on the Iron Chef All Star Battle this past winter. Any thoughts on the recent controversy?



Tyler: It’s a shame. I didn’t know the guy, but I had heard of him and always thought he was the former executive chef to the Queen of England. I don’t even know if that’s true. If his show is pulled, I think it’d be a shame because he is a good cook, but at the same time if you’re selling yourself as “this is who I am and this is what I’ve done” and then history is not exactly what you claim it to be... people aren't ever going to believe you.

Unfortunately these things get played out in the court of public opinion before the facts come out. I wish the guy well.

Over the weekend, Tyler had "won" the Rocco Award for worst career move, given out by Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman. During the poorly attended ceremony, they chastised Tyler for not showing up and accepting his award.

I didn't ask Tyler about Anthony Bourdain, but he didn't mind giving me his opinion on him.

Tyler: I think that salacious, chef attack thing that Gordon Ramsay and Tony Bourdain do all the time is a shtick. I think people are tired of hearing it. With Tony, it's like... those who can't teach, criticize [those who can]. I don’t know what he does honestly. When it’s all about ripping up another chef, you should rise above it.

With his show, restaurant, kitchen store, and baby on the way, Tyler Florence still seems content amidst the busy life he's acquired.

"It’s my 12th year on television, and I’m still happy to do it. I never want to spike… never want to be the biggest thing in the world, because I think that only lasts five minutes and you’re right back down again. It happens to so many people."

I couldn't help but think of Rachael Ray, Tyler's Food Network colleague, who basically is the biggest thing in the world when it comes to TV chefs. Last year at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Rachael did a cooking demo on Sunday morning, got on a plane to L.A., attended the Oscars to film segments for her daytime talkshow, and then returned to New York.

While fast-paced and exciting, Tyler's Oscar experience sounded pretty enjoyable too:

"Oh yeah...we were definitely there for the Oscars… we were just laying in bed in Miami watching them, eating room service."

*****************************************

Thanks so much to Tyler and Tolan for speaking with me!

Rachael's NOT Leaving Daytime TV

Page Six reported this morning that "an impeccable TV source" revealed Rachael's daytime talkshow would be taken off the air at the end of her contract.

Not so, says King World--the company that distributes her talkshow.




The problem is Ray's ratings. When she debuted two years ago, she had a meager 2.5 rating, which her syndicator, King World, nonetheless trumpeted as "The biggest syndicated debut since 'Dr. Phil.' " In fact, one insider said, "They had hoped for more. 'Dr. Phil' beats 'Oprah' and gets like a 5.0 rating - and Rachael's set is very expensive and elaborate; his is just chairs."

The Huffington Post has a statement from King World: "The Rachael Ray show is one of the best talk show performers and during the recently completed February sweeps period there was only one show performed better — Dr. Phil."

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From everything I've read in Broadcasting & Cable, Rachael's show is one of the few to be doing "well" in the daytime TV game. Her show is distributed across nearly 99% of the country and is in all major markets. Conversely, Martha Stewart's show is only seen in "over 85%" of the country.

So does any of this matter?

Yes, actually. I'm sick of hearing the reports about Rachael being a tough, hard to work with, bitch. How does anyone think Martha Stewart ended up being worth like a billion dollars? Because she's been a bitch throughout her entire career to all the people who claimed she couldn't do something.

You know what? Bitch is the new black!




I'm sure working with Dr. Phil is no picnic. You never see any news reports about horrified staff members complaining about just how tough their lives are with that man in charge.

I'm not even defending her talkshow here, just the double standard. It's just so crazy that report after report comes out about her increasing her ratings, only to have stuff show up in Page Six claiming otherwise.

Nonsense!

Food Network Addict Interviews Tyler Florence, Part 1

It’s hard to believe that 2008 marks Tyler Florence’s 12th year on television. The charming celebrity chef has starred in multiple Food Network shows, written several bestselling cookbooks, appeared with Shaquille O’Neill in a TV special focusing on teenage obesity, and even found some time to get married and grow his family.

The now 37 year old star was kind enough to sit down with me recently to talk about his experiences as a celebrity chef and the joys and challenges that come with being one.


I began by praising Tyler’s performance--and it really is a performance--at the 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Fest. Tyler had one the busiest schedules during the festival, yet each time he took the stage he was engaging, personable, and charismatic—never missing a beat. You can usually judge how well a demo is going by counting the number of people who stand up and leave after five minutes. Folks get their picture and quietly shuffle their way through the chairs back to the wine tent. At Tyler’s, people withstood the glaring sun on the outskirts of the tent just to watch. And they stayed, too.

Even in 90 degree heat and dripping with sweat, Tyler seemingly denied no fan an autograph or picture.



Food Network Addict: How did you get so good at these demos?

Tyler: I started working in restaurants when I was 15, and it was a bit of a difficult transition to downgear and start actually producing entertainment cooking that people could really follow and have a good time with. I remember when I first starting doing demos I’d just put people to sleep. People would get up and walk out. I didn’t know how to do it. But after a while you learn how to really get them involved in the cooking process and really have a good time with it. And you constantly remind them we're here to have a good time. You don’t have to throw in a lot of catchphrases, just give them some great information that they can walk away with.

FNA: Some celebrity chefs probably wouldn’t want to deal with the intense heat and stand up there on stage for hours, yet you seem to really enjoy it.

Tyler: I really enjoy doing what I do for a living. Very different from what the Hollywood community offers—a chance to escape for two hours, but you can never experience that—what we [as celebrity chefs] offer is something you can actually enjoy in real life. So it’s a much more approachable type of entertainment. I don’t take it for granted. If they weren’t watching, I wouldn’t be here.

FNA: You recently moved from New York to California. A big change?

Tyler: Not so much a big change, in all honesty. I was really shocked because we were actually looking for a big change. I’d been in New York for about 13 years and was ready to experience something different.

We looked around Los Angeles for a while, but decided to settle in northern California. As a chef, it’s what I call the American Provence. It’s the wine community, it’s the chef’s community, it’s the farm community. And for me it’s really the only place you can have a phenomenal eating experience at a very simple level. The produce is so wonderful. The weather is so warm. They have a very long extended growing season. It’s almost like a European experience. The tomatoes stay on the vine until you eat them, and you can really taste that.

When I moved out there, everything I tasted was like tasting it for the first time. The peaches are just sensational. The figs are great. The tomatoes are amazing. And a lot of this stuff is just growing wild on the side of the road. It’s a wonderful place to be.

FNA: You have two big projects coming up: a restaurant and a cooking store. Tell me about them.

Tyler: The kitchen store is going to be called Tyler Florence Mill Valley. It’s going to be not so much like what Williams Sonoma does for kitchen stores, but more like what Ralph Lauren does for fashion. So you’re going to walk in to a very stylish place. We plan to open this May.

I’ll probably do cooking demos a couple times a month, and open it up to all my colleagues when they’re in town. So Bobby and Giada and Paula might be coming to my place.

The restaurant is going to be called Bar Florence at the Hotel Vertigo. It’s going to be as California as it comes. We want a destination place. I don’t want to create a homogenous, big city restaurant that could be in Philadelphia or Chicago and you’d not know where you are. I want people who come to San Francisco to taste San Francisco.

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Be sure to come back tomorrow for Part 2 of my interview with Tyler Florence.

He discusses his future on Food Network and his thoughts on Robert Irvine, Anthony Bourdain, and more.

More Sandy Sadness

First Sandra Lee gets brutally rebuffed by her own network, and now this!!!


A special sign at Barnes & Noble discounting only her cookbooks?!? You don't see any Rachael Ray cookbooks being discounted. Outrageous!

Granted, I don't know anyone who's ever bought a Sandra Lee cookbook, but that's beside the point.

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I know some people who randomly stumble upon this blog assume that I'm completely straightforward and sincere in every post. In case you were wondering, this post was an example of sarcasm... as are about 99% of the other posts on this blog:-)

A URS Taste Test?

The GUY-FEE-EDDIE hosted commercials for the Ultimate Recipe Showdown menu at Friday's have been running nonstop.

I'm curious, though... has anyone gone and tried any of these winning dishes? I don't remember the last time I ate at a Friday's.

Perhaps I should hold a little DC-area taste test. I'll even drag along some reluctant fellow-bloggers.

Because, as F'eddy says, the menu is "gonna be money."

I just hope the food is better than the show.

Paula Deen's Dirty Joke

WARNING: Only play the embedded YouTube video if you want to hear dear ole Paula Deen's dirty joke that she used to close her cooking demonstration at the 2008 South Beach Wine and Food Fest. Ignore it if you care to think of Paula as just a sweet and innocent Southern lady.

Sorry for not getting the entire audio, but it was a long joke.

The setup is:

Three old couples were driving across the country to go to an AARP convention. They had been driving all day and were getting tired, so they decided to pull over and spend the night at a hotel.



There was this weird combination of laughter and shock that came across the crowd when Paula said "hardon." Who knew Paula was such a dirty bird?!

UPDATE: Aunt Sandy Gets Denied by Alford

Sandra Lee just can't get a break!

After I reported that Food Network Test Kitchen's Director/Ultimate Recipe Showdown judge Katherine Alford listed Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee as her favorite show on the "Meet the Food Network Kitchens Staff" site...

... she went and changed it!


[Click on the image to see her ORIGINAL choice]
I suppose Jamie at Home is a more appropriate choice for someone working as the director of a test kitchen.

Still... poor Aunt Sandy!

Ina Phrase of the Day

Ina wants you to have a good weekend!

A New Look!

Hey! Check out the new look! I've been meaning to give this site a "refresher" for quite a while, but it's, uhhh, taken quite a while. We've still got the same look and feel that we're used to, but with some added features like the menu bar up top and flickr section at the bottom.

Special thanks to Matt of mattislostintv.com for creating what you see here. He's been too busy to blog for quite a while, evidently working on this site:-)

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Food Network Addict Interview: Ace of Cakes' Duff, Mary Alice & Geof

Duff Goldman, Mary Alice Yeskey and Geof Manthorne—stars of the hit Food Network show Ace of Cakes—were kind enough to sit down and chat with me before their Q&A at last month’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami.


As the self-elected president of the Mary Alice fan club, it’s always a treat to sit down with the club’s honoree. Plus, I was thrilled to finally meet Duff and Geof, who are just as funny and likable in person as they are on TV.

After four seasons on the air one might think the gang from Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes would be tired of the major attention (and its subsequent pressure) placed upon them and the show, but after speaking with these three I see a group truly hitting its stride—brought together even closer with their successful show and promising side projects.

(That was my official-sounding intro. Here’s where I mention the fact that as we walked into the private green room/makeup area to do the interview, Ellie Krieger was sitting all done up on one of the couches. She is really beautiful in person, and even though I had already spoken to her the day before and saw her at the Amex party, I was still kinda awestruck. I wasn’t able to be awestruck for long—we basically kicked her off the couch so we could do the interview. Sorry Ellie!)

I began the interview on a bit of a sad note: In Canada, Ace of Cakes has only been running Monday mornings at 4:30 a.m. A few frenzied Canadians have emailed me asking me what was up. Not being sure myself, I asked them. What that aboot, eh?

Duff let out one his loud, charismatic laughs and just said, “Well, it’s not exactly a family show.” Mary Alice has since followed up with Food Network Canada, and we hope to have it back on the air at some more normal hours soon!

Not a family show? Perhaps. Ace of Cakes is the first show on Food Network to have bleeped out words. Any favorite bleeped moments?

Mary Alice: I know in particular when Elena did the Beaver cake… there was actually a lot more beaver talk. The original cut had to be censored down a little bit.


Duff: I think I said the word beaver 7,000 times that week all with a straight face. I was like: all right, if I say it this many times at least one or two of them will get in there.

Upcoming Projects?

Duff: We have a book coming out in the fall. It’s pretty exciting. It’s a book about us and the cakes and the show and where we were and where we’re going.

Will it detail the craft of cakemaking? (Something some viewers wish there was more of on the show.)

Duff: It’s really hard. The cakes that we make take like a week. To condense that down into 23 minutes is pretty tough. There will be some technical stuff, maybe a couple recipes. It’s not so much a cookbook though.

Mary Alice: We’re also going to feature a couple of customers—our supercustomers—that have ordered like 10 cakes from us over the past five years. So I’m excited that it’s going to be like 20 different voices, not just “this is me and this is my cake.” It’s a really big collaboration.

Duff: It’s very indicative of how the bakery works—it’s a team project. The place couldn’t function without [it]. It’s not my book, it’s our book.

On fame and people’s interest in them, the bakery, etc.:


Geof: Every time I go check out that video it’s like 20,000-something views. It’s crazy.

Sadly, Geof hasn’t been playing too many live shows these days. “I’m too busy making a television show” he responded in his endearingly deadpan style—frequently showcased on the show.



Duff: [The attention] can get overwhelming at times, but not in a negative way. It’s like: I’m late or... my thumb is cramped.

Mary Alice: There’s a lot of “Duff will you marry me” emails, “Geof will you marry me,” “Are Ben and Anna together?” I normally ignore all that stuff ‘cause you never know where that’s coming from. That’s honestly one of the main reasons why we’re doing the book. It’ll hopefully answer some of the deep, probing questions.



On Baltimore fans:

Geof: Most of them are very supportive. It’s like home for them.

Mary Alice: It’s not like "Oh my god you’re on the show," it’s "thank you for putting Baltimore on the map for something really cool."

Geof: People come up to me in the grocery store and just tell me [the show] is great. It’s not like they’re trying to get anything from you.

Mary Alice: It’s appreciation.

Duff: That’s why we do Q&A’s when we come to food festivals. We’re not going to sit there and demo a cake. People can see the cakes on TV or go to the website and see tons and tons of cakes. Here, it’s a chance for the fans to have a personal interaction with us and actually have a conversation with those people they see in their living room. We actually learn quite a bit from doing these things. Someone once suggested using piping gel, which I hadn’t thought about [before]. Now we’re ordering it by the case. It’s really cool. It’s nice for the fans because it’s gives them that personal reaction. [They see] we really are the same as we are on TV.

On the staff’s work ethic:

The crew at Charm City Cakes is known to stay at work extra-late to finish last minute details, fix massive accidents, and even start over when nothing else can be done. Duff describes Geof as “one of the most severely internally motivated people” he knows.

It’s this kind of hyper-dedicated work ethic that occasionally prompts them to even miss their own show. Hard at work, they’ll realize it’s 11 p.m. on a Thursday and the show just ended.

Geof: When I go into a project I have an idea of how I want it to look in the end. I’m always trying to achieve that as well as I can. It’s a level of perfection.



On being renewed for seasons 5 & 6:

Mary Alice claims the decision to renew Ace of Cakes for a second season was “surprising.” Now they’re being asked to do 26 more episodes to be split into seasons five and six. Are they up to the challenge?

Duff: If we have to up the ante from what we’ve already been doing…

Mary Alice: It’s going to be pretty damn high.

Duff: … it’s going to challenging, but I think that’s what we like. [We’ll continue the show] as long as it’s fun and as long as it doesn’t really interfere with us running the bakery and us staying friends.

On expanding:

“Are you looking to expand?” Duff gets asked this all the time, so I didn’t intend to ask the question. It’s clearly something on his mind, though, as he’s no doubt presented with lots of opportunities. At this point, Duff seems cautiously interested in the possibility, which I think is a fine place to be.

Duff: I’m definitely not looking to dilute. If there’s a way to expand that wouldn’t dilute, then I’d entertain the idea. At the same time… I don’t know. When you think about what makes the shop special, and then you try to spread it out too thin is it really that special? The opportunities are definitely there, but I’m not really sure at this point. I wouldn’t even know how to go about it. When I first started the business I was decorating cakes out of my apartment on my coffee table. The business just totally blew up. It’s not like I’m some insane entrepreneur—it just happened.

With a thriving bakery and hit TV show under his belt, Duff appears focused on making sure his next move is just as successful and isn’t comfortable leaving it up to chance. While the temptation of expansion is great, making sure he keeps the good thing he’s got going seems paramount to Duff.

If in the future Charm City Cakes is just a Baltimore-based bakery that expanded to include a Food Network show and book deal, I bet Duff would still be damn happy. And that’s awesome.

Ace of Cakes airs Thursday nights at 10:30pm ET on Food Network.

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Thanks so much to Duff, Mary Alice and Geof!

UPDATE: Mary Alice just let me know that Food Network Canada will begin airing a new season (not sure which one) of Ace of Cakes Thursdays at 11pm ET and Sundays at 4:30 pm ET. Canadians rejoice!

Aunt Sandy Gets Some Love from an Unlikely Place

Foodnetwork.com has a new feature called "Meet the Food Network Kitchens Staff" where you can check out bios and little factoids about the various food professionals who work for the network.

I was quite surprised when I checked out the page for Katherine Alford, test kitchen director and current judge on Ultimate Recipe Showdown.



Sandra Lee wins the coveted spot of Food Network's test kitchen director's favorite show?! Is it because they never have to test anything Sandy makes on Semi-Homemade?

I'm not trying to bash Sandra here. I'm just shocked. Aunt Sandy has a very specific, unique purpose on the network (hiLARiousness). That purpose has nothing to do with testing recipes or having food professionals even acknowledge the show's existence, though.

Dave Does Today

I'm woebegone over the loss of Dave Lieberman at Food Network, but it's these little video tidbits that keep the hope alive. Here, Dave shows Giada De Laurentiis (and 2 other greedy ladies) how to pick eggs and make an omelet.


Back off girls! Why they gotta throw all of them in there?

You'd think after all the shows he's done he'd be better about the "uhhs" and the nervous sounding voice. Don't get me wrong... I know it's tough to do these segments. Plus, Today typically has a much bigger audience than Food Network's. Dave's got lots of eyeballs on him!

Giada wasn't much better-- "Dave Lieberman is here with ha help us?" What?

They've apparently given up even referring to him as "Food Network's Dave Lieberman," which is odd because I still read articles about "Food Network's Sara Moulton" and she hasn't filmed a new show in years!

Breathe, Dave, breathe!

2 Dudes Craving Attention

I've honestly given 2 Dudes Catering about .325 seconds of my time and attention since I watched the first episode back in October.

I'm just not captivated by the concept, and the production value of the show is just not up to par with other shows like Ace of Cakes. I feel like I'm watching Cops, with its grainy, shaky camera moves, minus the shirtless drunk dudes. Oh wait... there's probably shirtless drunks on 2 Dudes, too.

ANYhow... Chicago Trib's blog The Stew brings word of a publicity stunt of massive proportions: Food Network 'Dudes' + big brat + John Hancock = wacky publicity stunt

Okay, so this is a publicity stunt. It’s the very definition of one, in fact. A giant grill on North Michigan Avenue. A massive (fake) bratwurst dropped onto it by crane. Two guys from Food Network there to “set the grill up”-- whatever that means -- and “kick off grilling season.” People chanting “drop that brat!”

All this to get you thinking about Johnsonville brats and Food Network’s “Two Dudes Catering” show.
So here are the details, in case you’re hankering for a publicity stunt or a brat or just want to see a big grill and a big, inedible novelty sausage. Or in case you dig those guys from Food Network.

Where: John Hancock Plaza, 875 N. Michigan Ave.
When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., March 7. The brat “drops” at noon. With all of this snow we’ve had this winter, March 7 could prove pretty early to usher in a new grilling season.
What: A 24-foot, two-story grill. A 14-foot, 250-pound "sausage" made out of steel. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, stars of “Two Dudes Catering.” Random people off the street chanting “drop that brat!” Maybe a bunch of snow and ice and sleet. Free samples of normal-sized, real edible brats.
Why: Johnsonville wants to sell more brats. The Food Network wants more people to watch its show. Free sausages.

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I actually kind of wish I could be home in Chicago just to see how this thing pans out. To my Windy City brethren: please take pics! Let me know if it's a disaster.

Danny Boome's Reel

Why wasn't this man in South Beach?

A Very Versace Evening

I'm sorry it's taken so long to cover the very fun event I was lucky enough to attend last weekend in Miami, but it's not every week that one of FN's biggest stars effectively gets fired and I have a review to write for a brand new show.

Anyhow, to get to it... on Feb. 23 I was extremely fortunate to attend the FNSBW&FF Amex After Party as the guest of Ace of Cake's Mary Alice. This ultra-exclusive party was held at Casa Casuarina, also known as the Versace Mansion.



As soon as we walked into the mansion, we were completely awestruck. The main foyer featured an extremely ornate fountain surrounded by Spanish/Italian style columns opening up the biggest "skylight" (the roof actually opens completely to reveal the night's sky) that I've ever seen.

One of the first people I saw was Tyler Florence, who said hi to Duff and let him know he was a fan of the show. Awesome.

We made our way outside to the pool & garden area, which Gianni Versace added to the estate after he purchased it in 1992. It's hard to even describe this area with words. If you've seen and understand the grandioseness of Versace and his fashion line, you'd understand.

Ted Allen of Queer Eye, Top Chef, Iron Chef, etc. and his longtime partner Barry Rice moseyed over and let Mary Alice know he was a big fan of the show, too. I felt like a proud parent! ;-) I ended up having a long conversation with both of them about Ted's experiences judging Iron Chef, living in Chicago, their opinions on Rachael Ray, and our collective feeling of disbelief that we were standing in the Versace mansion. They're great guys and I'm so honored to have met them.

I convinced the Amateur Gourmet Adam Roberts to stop by, who had already had a big night interviewing Mario Batali, Giada De Laurentiis and Anthony Bourdain. He introduced me to Pat Neely of Down Home with the Neelys, who was chilling inside with his brother. Pat was very funny and kind in person. I brought up his record-breaking debut on Food Network, which Pat kind of brushed off as something he wasn't going to let get to his head.

Pat reminded me of Duff in that they both built their careers with a personal business that they continue to run. While a successful show on Food Network is great, it's hard to get that caught up in the hype when you're still running your business every day. It was refreshing to see just how down to earth both these guys are.

It was at this point in the night in which the celebrity sightings just became ridiculous. I try to remain cool during these situations, but it's hard when Padma Lakshmi, Ellie Krieger, Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray's husband John Cusimano all walk by within a matter of minutes. I never actually saw RR, but was told she did arrive with the hubby.

Near the end of the night, I mustered up the courage to say hello to Tyler Florence and thank him for blogging so well and let him know I was a fan. When he asked me who I was "with," I was totally taken aback when he called out to his wife, "Hey, Tolan... it's the Food Network Addict!" who I later found out was a big fan of this blog! :-) So very flattering.

Tolan, who is pregnant with their second child together, was as nice as can be and didn't even get that mad at me for comparing her wedding dress to the Bjork swan dress, a comment I didn't even remember writing at the time. Woops.

While these celebrities were great, the main star of the night was definitely the giant, multiple showerhead shower, located immediately next to the pool area. I can't even begin to imagine what went down there during Gianni's day. My oh my.


That should give you a pretty good idea.

It was a truly awesome night. Thanks so much to Mary Alice for inviting me!

Would You Watch: Sweet P & Mary Alice

With the Project Runway finale just a few days away, I've been thinking a lot about the potential awesomeness of a Sweet P / Mary Alice collaboration. A TV show? Weekly column? Arts and crafts kits?


I'm not sure what said collaboration would be, but it would surely rock, right?

They're both used to working in super-busy workrooms with the goal of making a beautiful product for the client, so I'm sure they'd get along.

So whaddya say Bravo & Food Network? Can you make this happen?