Why I Dislike Alton Brown

I've been researching Thousand Island dressing. Won't bore you with it's interesting history, except to point out that it's considered to be a variation of Russian dressing, that uses mayo instead of yogurt.

Despite the seeming ubiquitousness of Ranch dressing, and the hopes of the folks at Hidden Valley, Thousand Island remains the most popular salad dressing in America.

There are hundreds of versions (mine appears below). Now comes the all-knowing Alton Brown, whose "my way or the highway" attitude about food has always bugged me. In his version (which is, of course, the only correct one---just ask him, he'll tell you) the dressing is made out of yogurt.

Well, Mr. Brown, if you use yogurt as the base you have a Russian dressing, not Thousand Island. It's the fundemental difference between them.

Just thought I'd point that out.

Thousand Island Dressing

2 cups mayonnaise (preferably homemade, but Hellman's will do)
3 tbls tomato paste
2 tbls Worchestershire
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced small
1/4-1/4 cup sweet pickle relish.
1 hard cooked egg, diced
Black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Most of the chefs/cooks on TFN are pretty full of themselves.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.

If you don't have sweet pickle relish handy, Janie, just take some of those sweet spears you made and chop them up. It'll work just fine.

I've made truckloads of 1000 using any number of recipes and NEVER have I made it using yogurt. (I have made it ONCE before though using RAW eggs. DON'T ASK!)

Alton Brown? Maybe run it by CanMan and get his take on it, since he prides himself on speaking nurd-lish Hee-Hee! (Joke, CanMan!).

My very point, Kevin. There are a lot of great salad dressings based on yogurt. Also on sour cream, and buttermilk, and a host of the usual suspects.

The very concept of Thousand Island, though, is it's mayonaisse base. One of many historical culinary facts that escapes Alton's attention.

BTW, if anyone is interested, the original recipe is again being bottled, near its originating location. They only do about 5,000 bottles a year, though. And, apprently, they go real quick.

One of my fav 1000 ingredients is Heinz Sweet Chili Sauce. I also use it in red seafood cocktail suace.

Yeah, I can see how that would work. Sub it for the tomato paste in my recipe, and you'd get the same color tint, plus an additional flavor layer that's right in keeping with the 1000 island.

Thanks for the idea. I'm gonna try it with the next batch.

KYHeirloomer said:

Now comes the all-knowing Alton Brown, whose "my way or the highway" attitude about food has always bugged me. In his version (which is, of course, the only correct one---just ask him, he'll tell you) the dressing is made out of yogurt.

Well, Mr. Brown, if you use yogurt as the base you have a Russian dressing, not Thousand Island. It's the fundemental difference between them.

Just thought I'd point that out.

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Just thought I'd point this out...
If you watched the episode you would have noticed Alton never called his dressing "Thousand Island" he referred to it as "Million Island Dressing."

As for your comment about his "my way or the highway attitude with food," if that's the way you see him, okay so be it. But what Alton is trying to do is teach people about cooking and food, I don't think he has ever said do it my way only. He merely points out a better way he's found to do something. Usually he encourages viewers to experiment with cooking.

Moreover, he is not at all "full of himself." In fact he's a very nice person. I've met him twice and both times I can say, without a doubt, he is down-to-earth and genuinely appreciative of his fans.

chubbyalaskagriz said:

Alton Brown? Maybe run it by CanMan and get his take on it, since he prides himself on speaking nurd-lish Hee-Hee! (Joke, CanMan!).

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Who is @#$%& is Alton Brown? Is he a rock star or something?

Oh gawd, I just looked him up. A fellow Los Angeles geek. Figures. Fortunately I do not subscribe to the cable channels so I don't get any of his shows or whatever. I guess that's a good thing. I'm not in to yogurt in my homemade dressings.

I appreciate the good one, but now I have to go searching my Russian Dressing recipe which I thought was something totally different.

Welcome, miseenplace! (great user-name, by the way!)

There's always room for another at the table- we're glad you're here! You'll find this to be a very cozy & comfy place with a friendly atmosphere that is truly casual and enjoyable. All perspectives are welcomed and anyone who can graciously present their side will definitely make a fine addition to our generous group.

Seems like Mr. Alton Brown has made a favorable impression on you- he certainly has a lot of fans... We'd all enjoy hearing about your meetings w/ him- please share!

All of us have food celebs whose style and personality we adore or abhore on personal levels for various reasons... I know I personally have some favs that of course have a following- else they wouldn't be celebs (!) but who often garner me snickers from others who might get a kick out of looking down on my choices- it's all in fun!

KYH, who posted about Alton has many favs himself within the food-network world... in fact, we fancy KYH one of our own neighborhood celebrated kitchen wizards with a certain degree of impressive fan-base, so he's no stranger to the likes and dislikes of an audience's members. As you grow with us, we look forward to knowing more about you and your own career and skill-level/experience too! (not that you're in the field necessarily- or that one who comes here needs to be.)

It was neat that Mr. Brown impressed you so... I agree that first impressions are very, very important and telling, as well. Again- thanks for offering your premiere post here at our l'il corner of the culinary world! Please visit and post often- we look forward to the possibility of you becoming a regular!

CanMan,

I don't watch much of the tube either, and I don't have cable or sattelite TV but I've seen Alton around. He's kind of a cross between The Deen Brothers- as far as culinary level and cuteness (in a quirky sort of manner)- and Bill Nye 'The Science Guy'. He explores food and cooking from a very unique angle- from the side of the laboratory- from the science perspective.

While I prefer a warmer hospitality-based, people-approach to food, Alton definitely has a lot of knowledge for folks to sift through and consider accepting. Much of it is stuff I've learned from- some of it is stuff I hold different ideas about. He's just one more cook with a great gimick to offer and his approach is one of the more unique ones out there.

To my personal taste- I prefer him over Emeril , Rocco, and Gordon Ramsay (who I don't care for much at all- 'tho I recognize their contributions) but I don't feel his approach or knowledge can touch that of Ina, Michael Chiarello, Lidia, Martha or many others. What little I know about you makes me think he just might could be right up your alley! Afterall, you defnitely share that geeky/nerdiness quality! Ha! Give him a whirl- he might impress you!

Now that I've got the guy's name on my brain I guess I'll be seeing reference to him everywhere. I'll withhold whether that is good or bad for the moment.

Thanks for the welcome chubbyalaskagriz!

I hope to find this place a regular stop on my daily haunts


I'd love to share my meetings with Alton... what would be the proper forum for that? Don't want to threadjack as a noob.

Welcome to SpicePlace, Miseenplace.

No, I never saw the episode, as I try and avoid him as much as possible. But at the FoodNetwork website dealing with that show it is called Thousand Island---that's where I got the info.

I don't know anyone who is indifferent to Alton Brown. People either love him, and think he's the greatest thing since sliced bread, or hate everything about him. You can put me in the latter group. I don't think he's at all funny. He contradicts himself at every turn. And, yes, everything he does screams "this is the only way to do it."

Obviously you feel otherwise. And that's OK too.

And, like Chubby, I love your screen name, reflecting as it does the single most important thing in good cookery.

The one thing this group has never worried about, Miseenplace, is threadnapping. When you spend some time with recent threads you'll see how true that is.

You can share your experiences right here and nobody will mind. Or maybe start a new thread in the Chatter forum, if you're more comfortable with that.

Were it me, FWIW, the discussion started here, so that's where I'd continue it.

Hey KYHeirloomer, I'm cool with you (and others not liking Alton) and understand he isn't everyone's cup o' tea There are plenty of Food Net people that I loathe... to each his/her own.

So the problem is that Food Network called the recipe thousand island and Alton actually didn't... we need to have a talk with them


BTW, I learned about Mise from Alton.

>There are plenty of Food Net people that I loathe<

Oh, yeah! If we started to list them we'd be at it the rest of the night, I reckon.

KYH is defintiely correct about thread topic-ing here, mise!

Sure there's a casual loose frame of guidleines as far as where to post what- (see the drop-menu at bottom of each page entitled 'forum-jump') but they're more a compass to go by- rather than a map.

For instance- one wacko thread gone awry that we're all enjoying the helll out of right now is called 'volcanoes'- which is where the conversation started- and has now evolved to talk of Sasquatch and being abducted by aliens! What does any of this have to do with food and cooking- u may ask? Well, give us a minute... we're gonna bring it all full circle before too much longer!

Also- we realize you like Alton- totally cool. But don't get your feelings hurt when one of us knocks someone or something you dig. Like I said in an earlier post- ain't no big thang. Elsewhere in other forums folks are harassed and ridiculed for their personal preferences... but here the most one endures is some gentle ribbing. I love me some Paula Deen for khris-sakes! If I can deal with all the elbowing I get for feeling drawn to her- you can certainly deal with jabs about Mr. Bown! Hee-Hee! The truth is, we're all reached in a different manner by various components to one's character. My all time fav food personality ever is Diva/Dame/Goddess/HRM/Mrs. Julia Child... so how can I at the same time dig Paula Deen? Who the helll knows? But I ain't got time to explore why. See what I mean?

So c'mon in- the water's fine! And though there are sharks-aplenty, even in the shallow end- their teeth for the most part tend to be filed-down!

It'll probably come full circle, Chubbs, with a discussion as to whether alien abductees are better roasted, poached, or stir-fried with some ginger and daikon.

KYH,

I enjoy my alien abductees just like I like a yappy l'il foo-foo dawg... in cream-gravy on TOAST!