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The Food Network

jglass

jglass

New member
I am curious how you guys feel about the FN.
We have had members here in the past who seemed obsessed with a show or shows and flooded the forum with recipes and links to the FN.

I don't post a bunch of recipes from there because we can all obviously use the internet and you know where they are as well as I do lol. You want em..get them yourself :p Besides their websire is obnoxious to use.

I do watch the channel. I love Ina Garten's new show Back to Basics. Like any channel some of their shows stink and some don't. I think FN fills a spot for alot of people who are new to cooking or just curious about it. When I really first started getting into cooking it was nice to be able to see recipes being prepared right before my eyes. It pushed my interest even more. I had always been a decent cook. I made recipes we gew up with. I saw dishes I didnt even know were out there being prepared on the FN and they looked easy enough for me to try. That lead me to do more research online and finding this forum. I have learned so much from Brook, Kevin, Nan, Canman, Cathy, Mama and the others here. My cookbook collection has gone from 5 or 6 to around 70 or so.

Like any other channel some of the shows on FN are bad but I do think you can learn things from it. So what is your opinion on the FN? Love it or hate it?
 
:)I LOVE the Food Network and HGTV they are my very favorite channels. I do not watch as much of the Food Network as I used to. But they still have some good shows and they've expanded and added some new faces that I like. But like anything if you watch too much you get tired of it, so I just watch in spurts so I don't start to dislike it [that is just my philosophy]:);)
 
In all honesty- if I had cable or sattlelite tv I would likely watch the FN. But since I make lots less $ these days, I see cutting pricy tv as a great place to help my budget.

When I'm at my Dad's or sister's places I love watching Ina, Michael Chiarello, and even Paula Deene... But there are other popular shows/personalities, adored by many, that I never liked at all.

For instance, Emeril. Now, I recognize his contribution to cooking- and I credit him with a tremendous role in the field- but for ME personally- he just never reached me as a viewer. Something about his obnoxious "BAM!!!" pro-wrestling approach to cooking just went completely over my head, I guess! Ha! To each his own- we're all reached by different folks in different manners- I for instance LOVE Martha- while many despise her. Paula too.

These days I watch a few shows on PBS that I find easy to enjoy: I adore Lidia, Rick Bayless is pretty cool too. I HATE the set kitchen of the married couple from Oregon (I forget their names) but I like their cooking style, and I like the newer series on Spain of Mario's- tho I have to admit, something about Mario's personality kinda rubs me wrong. I also like the middle-aged Spanish dude- cannot remeber his name, tho- I love the travel/culture food shows most, I guess.

In the past I loved any PBS show with Julia... also Jacques. Of course I loved James Beard, and also the Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet- even though he ended up taking a turn down weirdo street!

My FAV cookbook authors? I have MANY! Martha, Ina, Julia, Edna Lewis, Lee Bailey, Jacques Pepin, Patricia Quintana, Christopher Idone, and many, many more.

In adition to travel and culture- I also like cookbooks that connect with ART and artists, like "Monet's Kitchen", "Renoir's Kitchen" and "Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminisces of Life w/ Frida Kahlo".

I also like several celebrity cookbooks- especially those written by Mo'Nique, Patti LaBelle and Sophia Loren.

Lastly, I really enjoy regional cookbooks because they detail and tell tales about life in kitchens in remote parts of often unexplored places, like "Screen Doors & Sweet Tea" by Martha Foose- the book about her Mississippi-Delta kitchen. "The New Low-Country Cooking" by Marvin Woods... Also the cookbook by "The Lobster Chronicles" author Linda Greenlaw, about life in kitchens on several islands in Maine.

Maybe I'm so fond of regional cookbooks because I myself hope to be lucky enuf to publish one, one of these days! I have recently completed a cookbook chock full of Alaska tales & recipes that I plan to start sending out to potential publishers and agents the first of the year. Please wish me LUCK! winks- k.
 
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Our cable is included with our rent lol. They only added FN to the lineup about 3-4 years ago. Screen Doors & Sweet Tea is one of my favorite cookbooks. Thank you for recommending it.
 
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Here's my two cents -
when the FN first started (and it was supposed to be for just a while because they didn't think there was going to be much interest in it!) it was very interesting to watch.
Of course - the changes started - and some of the cooks got worse.
Some things on there are a joke - I feel they've taken a good channel and they are slowly destroying it.
Some shows are worth watching - some aren't.
PBS has some really good cooking shows - and I would rather see them than some of what is on the FN now.
Just my opinion............
and I do agree with jglass - everyone knows where to find the FN - we don't need to duplicate their site for anyone.
 
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chubbyalaskagriz said:
Maybe I'm so fond of regional cookbooks because I myself hope to be lucky enuf to publish one, one of these days! I have recently completed a cookbook chock full of Alaska tales & recipes that I plan to start sending out to potential publishers and agents the first of the year. Please wish me LUCK! winks- k.
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Kevin Best of Luck in ever way on getting published, I wish you GREAT SUCCESS!!!!! And yes of-course I will buy a copy it is going to be a great read!!!:)
 
chubbyalaskagriz said:
tho I have to admit, something about Mario's personality kinda rubs me wrong.
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I really like Mario but it's funny because I feel the same way about Martha she completely rubs me the wrong way. Unfortunately they took Molto Mario off the food channel. I used to LOVE the food channel. I watched it all the time when it first started but I really think that they are not trying to market themselves to cooks any more. They are trying to do cooking as entertainment and don't really care very much if serious cooks watch or not. I hardly ever watch it anymore. I TEVO Jamie Oliver's show and that's it.
 
jfain said:
I really like Mario but it's funny because I feel the same way about Martha she completely rubs me the wrong way. Unfortunately they took Molto Mario off the food channel. I used to LOVE the food channel. I watched it all the time when it first started but I really think that they are not trying to market themselves to cooks any more. They are trying to do cooking as entertainment and don't really care very much if serious cooks watch or not. I hardly ever watch it anymore. I TEVO Jamie Oliver's show and that's it.
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Jfain I do agree with you that they are trying to market their network for Entertainment more than anything else oh and and advertising! Too Bad!
 
chubbyalaskagriz said:
RE: "Thank you for recommending it. "

Absolutely, janie! What are some others you have that you like a lot?
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Paula Deen's books, Art Smith's Back To The Family, Nigella Express, and Barefoot Contessa at Home are a few favs. I love southern & Italian cookbooks most of all. Maybe Santa will bring Ina's new cookbook lol.

Someday I know I will have a copy of your book on my shelf with all the others Kevin ;)
 
cookie said:
I can't watch all those cooking shows it gets me to hungry. I just want to EAT!! lol Cookie :)
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I know what you mean. sometimes I think about what it would be like to work someplace like food tv or Food & Wine magazine. You might think it would be wonderful but it would be a HUGE struggle to go to work everyday and it's your job to try all kinds of wonderful food. Can you imagine how hard it would be to stay a reasonalbly healthy weight? I don't know if it would be heaven or hell.
 
I worked 2 years at Longhorn Steakhouse and as an employee we were allowed to eat all the salads, potatoes, and some sides that we wanted. Well everyday I ate a baked potato smothered with all the "goodies" on top and a nice big salad....our cook nicknamed me "Tater- head" but let me tell you that was good eatin' and I never got tired of it!!! From that time forward I have always carried around about 15 extra Lbd. over my pre-Longhorn days....Those Baked Taters will stick to your ribs:D but yes if you work around food daily there is always the opportunity to eat and indulge and you most def. can pick up some additional weight:(
 
RE: jfain: "it's funny because I feel the same way about Martha she completely rubs me the wrong way..."

RE: janie: "Kevin Best of Luck in ever way on getting published, I wish you GREAT SUCCESS!!!!! And yes of-course I will buy a copy it is going to be a great read!!!"
RE: Cathy: "Kevin Best of Luck in ever way on getting published, I wish you GREAT SUCCESS!!!!! And yes of-course I will buy a copy it is going to be a great read!!!

Lotsa folks dislike Martha... and what's funny is- I completely understand WHY- Ha! She has an awkward personality- but it just doesn't wear on my like it does some... Plus, when I say "Martha" I don't always necessarily mean "Martha Stewart" the person... often times I mean "Martha- the BRAND". And MSLiving" is a tremendous conglomerate that includes SO many people- a whole, huge organization, really. SO much knowledge and info available when watching "Martha"...

And Cath & janie- HOW SWEET, thank you both! smiles & hugs- k.
 
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Add me to the list of your Fans Kev.....wish you much success with the Book.
We cut Sattelight tv off months ago because we got bored with all the same old same old junk on all the time.But we gave in to daughter and turned it back on last week.I watch foodnetwork sometimes but do dislike all the glib entertainment it is turning into.
 
Awww, shucks, Francie... Thanks!

I like lotsa stuff on TV... the problem is, it provides distraction that I don't always want. When I have constant access to TV I can't always discipline myself properly and I find I'm not doing other valuable things nearly enuf like reading, writing, listening to NPR and news and such. I wish I could have like 3 FANTASTIC TV channels- but who can cope with 100? Heck- I even got rid of the internet at home, partly because I was devoting too much time to it... So for me the answer is- don't spend the money.
 
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