More Food Network Awards Arrival Pics

I will continue my post about the festival itself later on today. Until then, you'll have to stay on the edge of your seats. Right. :-)

I just wanted to post a few more shots from the Food Network Awards. I am so bummed that I didn't get to see Sandra Lee the whole weekend. She must have just been there for the awards and then jetted back to wherever it is she tablescapes.

Anyhow, I think Aunt Sandy took the whole "semi-homemade" thing a bit too far when she showed up wearing this:




What is that? Out of EVERYONE on the Food Network, don't you think Sandra would be the one most likely to go all out any chance she gets? I'm sure there was a bar somewhere in there.

I picture her strapping on her Jimmy Choos and running down to Valentino to pick something up just to wear to the store to get some cans of spaghettios.

Maybe I'm wrong. I just can't believe it. NO CLEAVAGE, even?! Sandra... this was your big opportunity and you squandered it! Better luck next time.

In better outfits news, take a look at these fine folks:


Beautiful. I love Nigella now. More to come on that, but she is gorgeous.

Poor CZJ. She looks hot. Hope it wasn't a complete waste of her time. And Tyler really has that smug look down. Nice!
[Photos Yumsugar via Wireimage]
New FN star Ingrid Hoffman is looking great. No "Quick Fix" needed for Robin Miller. I didn't see her the whole weekend, either. She looks awful skinny in this shot.

The awards are slated to air in April, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they get axed. Who knows, though. Editing can work wonders!

I still would have liked to go and check it out for myself.

Thank You, Bobby Deen

[Photo]

No, I am not involved in an abusive relationship with Bobby Deen. But I just had to write about sleepy-eyed Bobby again due to the massive amount of hits and comments I have been getting lately about Paula's single son (sorry everyone, Jamie is taken and has a kid).

Just like mostly everything and everyone on the Food Network, I am able to see the humor and entertainment-value of these two boys. I may joke about their show and their "brothas" and high fives, but I know they are pulling in a lot of viewers. So, cheers to Bobby and Jamie.

Here's some of the great comments I am still getting on my post back on Sept. 5:

I don't understand why y'all are given Bobby Deen such a hard time. He's hot! What woman wouldn't want a good looking, hard working, successful man in her life? AND, hello- you'd never have to cook dinner!

Bobby is the perfect southern gentleman. His mother raised him and his brother well. They both seem like respectful guys. I just adore Bobby's accent, personality, and his ability to cook (he gets that from his Mom, of course.) I would have a blast hanging out with him. Southern accents are HOTT, not weird. I mean, I'm only 22 and I know he's 36 but does age really matter these days? Nah. Bobby, if you read this, you can take me home to mama! I'm a total sweetheart and I have a great personality. Take care!

Hello Everyone! Are you all nutz! He is fabulous! Absolutely wonderful. When he drops the brother and dude, that's him. That's who he is and it is nice to see someone be themselves. As a single female of the age of 28, I find him really attractive! You get to see his Momma everyday and you can tell that her sons have to be as wonderful as she is. Bobby you can call me anytime, Savannah is only a days drive from me!

Well I think that Bobby Deen is the hottest, cutest, boy from the South. I wish that I could meet him so we could hangout watch some football and chill. Maybe he could show me how to cook so good dishes. Maybe cook up some romance!

I'd love to meet & go out with Bobby. I've always thought he was the cutest of the Dean boys. I'm from SC & a little older but who cares.

I also get a lot of people searching for things like "Bobby Deen AND single" or "Bobby Deen, TV Show" and ending up on my page. DC blogger Jordan Baker has this hilarious Q&A section in which she comments on some of the weird searches people entered to get to her blog.

I don't get a lot of crazy search terms, but someone yesterday used "Nigella Lawson, bust" which I thought was nice. At least s/he used a work-safe term:-) Maybe just wondering if there was a bust statue of Nigella somewhere?

If Nigella told you to jump off a bridge...

After news in the UK broke that Nigella Lawson had started promoting the joys that is goose fat, millions upon millions of ravenous Londoners (and other people in the UK) stormed to their local supermarkets, waited in line for hours and rampaged through every aisle, bin and freezer case in an effort to hoard every gram of available goose fat, with the hopes of making the ultimate roast potatoes. Containers of goose fat, when we last checked, are selling on eBay for up to $1000 British pounds!

Several unlucky shoppers, arriving late at the market, only to find goose fat-free shelves, even engaged in violence in their quest to obtain this holiday's must-have cooking item. A woman who had spent 5 hours in queue was robbed at gunpoint outside her east London home of her two sacred jars.

Oh wait, I think I'm describing the US's reaction to the sale of Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Story still applies:-)

NOW, it looks like another delectable delicacy is "sending shoppers potty" (have no idea what that means) in the UK: prunes. Once again, because of Nigella's promotion.



I wonder what other "delicious" items Nigella might announce as the thing to purchase for the holidays... maybe horse testicles? Monkey brains? Black licorice-flavored gum?

But seriously, the goose fat news is starting to get real gross. Sorry to the goose fat lovers out there. Someone make a "Team Goose Fat" t-shirt, please. But this article in the London Telegraph says to:

"Use it instead of olive oil to cook with (it makes fantastic fried eggs), or simply eat it on toast in a 21st-century version of bread and dripping."

A 21st-century version of bread and dripping?!?!? Yuck.

"And, should you be contemplating a Christmas-morning swim, a thick layer of goose fat rubbed over the body will keep out the cold. It might be a bit whiffy by tea time, but at least you'll get the sofa to yourself."

Hmm.... perhaps a good idea if the family starts to drive me over the edge. I'll keep that in mind.

Nigella Lawson's Goose is Cooked

Well, you know it's the holidays when the only big news I have to report is that goose fat is flying off the shelves in the UK, and it's all thanks to Nigella Lawson!



FIRST it was Delia and cranberries, then came Jamie's endorsement of nutmeg. Now Nigella Lawson's revelation that goose fat is the secret ingredient behind the perfect roast potato has sent sales rocketing as cooks strive to make the ultimate Christmas dinner.

Okay, I like potatoes. And I like roasted potatoes. But I don't think I'm dying to eat a roasted potato cooked in the fat of a goose.

Is this a common cooking method in the US that I'm just unaware of? I tell yah, I'm just not going bonkers over Nigella yet. Sorry everyone! My friend Amanda seems to have figured out what it is about Ms. Lawson that just isn't rubbing her the right way.

I tend to agree with her, but will take it a step further to say that Nigella just seems a little too overt for me and less playful than Giada or (gasp) Sandra Lee, who each have their own quirky sexiness about them. I don't see Giada or Sandra Lee taking themselves all that seriously when it comes to being sexy (as they shouldn't have to be; they're on food tv), but Nigella seems to bear that "domestic goddess" label wherever she goes.

I know there's lots of people out there who would argue the exact opposite. I will continue to watch Nigella and all will be fine in the world.

Got all your Xmas shopping done?

Nigella and Tylenol PM

BLAH! I have not been feeling well since Friday and haven't really been able to make it to the computer. Sooooooooooooorrrrrry!

I did manage to take in several Food Network specials over the weekend, including Nigella Bites Christmas fun holiday surprises special (or whatever it's really called).

It was pretty good... filled with ideas and recipes that tend to just make me feel more overwhelmed and frightened about the lack of time left before the holiday.

I also watched a bit Iron Chef America last night. Joel McHale from E!'s The Soup was a guest judge and provided some awkward humor per usual. The challenger (guy from North Carolina... forget his name... cold medicine making me lose it) won and his dishes did look a lot better than Cat's (sorry Cattie Cat!).

I would have no idea what to make with ostrich, though, so whatever. Good job for making it edible, both of you.

I also watched the holiday cookie special. Lots of cookies, none of them sound all that great. Does anyone havea surefire, delicious, easy cookie recipe for me? I need it by, oh, tomorrow:-) I appreciate it!

My head is about to explode, so I think some chicken noodle soup and Tylenol PM is in order ASAP.

Hope everyone's doing better than me!

Oh, PS- Nigella did a Celebrity Q&A with People Magazine that's up on their Web site. Fun stuff!

Nigella and her Cookery

Hello. Happy Monday. Perhaps you are "on holiday" today (doubtful if you are living in England). Anyhow, I would have tried to make it to the computer this weekend and post, but the nice weather got the best of me. Gotta enjoy those weekends while they last.

I did manage to catch the 2nd episode of "Nigella Feasts" yesterday, though. I'll apologize in advance and say that I am admittedly biased in my review as I wasn't given the chance to experience Nigella and her other television shows before viewing the oft-compared U.S. programs on the Food Network.

That being sad, I still don't really dig the opening animated theme.



There's floating peas and asparagus in it; it doesn't seem to fit the overall theme of the show. Perhaps I shouldn't care so much, as the majority of the FN's opening themes (i.e. - Semi-Homemade's, 30-Minute Meals', Paula's) are pretty awful.

Speaking of, I wonder if the FN will catch on to the trend of not having opening titles. As you may have noticed in network sitcoms, dramas, etc., few have the "Mary Tyler Moore"-like openings anymore. A full 30 or 45 seconds of characters turning toward the camera with that "oh, hello!" look on their face while their name flashes underneath. Maybe that was Full House. Or 90210. Still, it's gone.



So, after the brightly colored opening, we see Nigella in front of this incredibly bright background. Was it frosted windows or something? It was so bright I couldn't even tell. It made it hard for me to even look at her or the food. I need to figure out the brightness settings on my TV or something.

The food in this episode--a chicken & sausage bake (no thanks), garlic roasted potatoes (perhaps), some lettuce and pea concoction (too much butter and other things), and a chocolate honey cake (now we're talking)--just didn't really do anything for me. It reminded me of exactly what I expect the food in England to be-- a little heavy and unimaginative. Sorry!

Call me a stuck-up American, but something else that bothered me was the non-stop conversions Nigella had to keep referencing when adding any ingredient. Is it a teaspoon or a milliliter? An ounce or a gram?



I do feel bad for Nigella, as she probably has no idea what the conversions for her recipes are or how to accurately guess what a "cup and two tablespoons" really is. Not a major deal, but for a cooking show where so much importance lies upon the recipe and the measurements, it kind of got in the way. In my humble (and correct) opinion. :-)




Not even going to go there.

Nigella's kids are amusing. The little boy has some spunk and could possibly be his own television personality.




Her kids definitely seem willing to try new things. At one point, her son actually ate a cooked clove of garlic.



I know, I know. They say they're "sweet" after cooking that long. Still, no American child would do this:-) (Do they?)

Finally, Nigella is credited for the way she speaks about food while she's cooking, and how soothing, relaxing, etc. it all is. She even likes the way lettuce "squeaks" while cutting it.



Ummm... I'll buy that. I don't know if I'll ever just drift off by staring into a "relaxing pot of green," though. Maybe just Americans inability to relax.

I do admit that Nigella is a talented TV personality and I understand why she has such a following. For me, the show didn't exactly thrill me the way I hear others speak of her. Still, I will continue to give her a chance and try to understand why so many people love this crafty cookery of Ms. Lawson.

"You've Gotta Come Back With Me"

Okay, I am back from the tropical locale I went all last week. Hope you enjoyed the three posts I was able to whip up in advance. I would have tried to do more while there, but the 15 hour work days combined with the ever-near ocean got the best of me.

But I'm back at it! Or will be, rather, once I sort through the 100+ emails and get back adjusted. Sadly, I was without Food Network all week long! I was not able to catch Paula's Party, Nigella Feasts, or even Calorie Commando (okay, wasn't that worried about missing that one)!

In the meantime, please enjoy my friend Amanda's musings on the famed British TV host known as Nigella. As I may have mentioned, I have very limited exposure to Ms. Lawson. The majority of what I hear is always good. However, Amanda gives us a different take:

This entry, entitled "Feast on This" comes from her blog BingBongBoom!!!

Who's excited for Nigella to come to Food Network? Nigella Lawson is the British version of Sandra Lee. Very skinny, low-cut tops, busty bust (look out Aunt Sandy--someone's gonna give you a run for your money on the beach), and bulging eyes so excited about the last dish she just prepared. I don't know if she loves the drinky, like Aunt Sandy, but I do know she has her own personal quirk: her uptight, posh accent. She has also coined herself "the domestic goddess." Ugh.

Oh, I know some of the peeps out there will be thrilled with her. "She's so Britishy and cute!" some will say. I have seen clips of her shows while in Scotland, and I've looked through a couple of her cookbooks. She always seems so stuck up and full of herself (oops, that was repetitive, wasn't it?). All's I want to know is where is my Jamie Oliver??? He still does shows in the UK. Why didn't FN air his four-part series on school lunches and how to make them healthier? It was groundbreaking important food information our country needed to hear. Why do they only show him at 3 am every other Friday?

So many people are going to hate on me after this post, but like I said, this griping won't be a habit. You'll also probably think me a hypocrite for loving Brit chef, Oliver, and hating Brit Sandra Lee, Lawson. To appease you, I'll tell you the time of her new show: Nigella Feasts will air at 1pm/noon central starting Sunday, October 1. Maybe I'll try her out, try to get over this dislike of her, but I can't promise you anything.

Thanks Amanda! I think she'll appreciate this unrequested posting of her writings:-) Just think of me as the Associated Press.

Stay tuned. I'll be back at it with pics and fun later on today or tomorrow. 'Til then, enjoy your Monday!

Never more than 30 minutes away (from seeing RR on TV)

The Rachael Ray talkshow Web site has been updated with lots more videos, information about the show, and a chance to join "Club RR" (haven't had a chance to check out what that is, yet). Be sure to check it, and the show, out today. Diane Sawyer is today's guest. Rachael will also prepare a 7-minute Meal and jump out of a plane. Sounds like she's going a little overboard!

haha... hmmm. Anyhow, I have it set to tape.

In other Food Network news, Nigella Lawson-- her promos for "Nigella Feasts" have been running nonstop-- was just eclipsed by "Posh Spice" Victoria Beckham as Britain's "yummiest mummy." Dang! She was robbed. Posh makes GDL look plump.

UPDATE: Even Page Six, the New York Post's notorious gossip column, has gotten on the Rachael train, although I wouldn't believe most of what appears on that page. Evidently, Martha Stewart is "obviously concerned about her new rival" Rachael. According to Page Six: "Four Stewart staffers using fake names tried to infiltrate Ray's audience at a taping last week, a source told PAGE SIX, but the spies were recognized by a security guard who also works for Stewart."

Yikes! Who knows if that really happened. There's about 15 spelling errors in the article and headline, and they refer to Rachael as the oft-mispelled "Rachel" several times.

Nigella Creates Crafty Cookery

This kind of lead from a UK paper makes me realize once again how boring we Americans often are when it comes to journalism: "TELLY chef Nigella Lawson is staging a TV comeback with a Christmas cookery series."

Telly? Chiristmas cookery? Why don't we have any cool expressions like this in the U.S.?

I really know very little about this "uniquely talented and distinctive cook," as she is often referred. "The interesting thing about food is that it's both reality and escape. …Before you know it, you have made something that seduces people," says Nigella.

There's been a lit of chitter chatter on these blogs about her competing with GDL. Is this going to be a competition for best cook, best show, or best cleavage? You never hear about Tyler Florence competing with Emeril for best cleavage, but it might be just the time for that! =)

But seriously, let me know about Nigella and her cookery.