chocolate cheesecake

[staceyv]

i have to stop watching the DAMNED food network. last night they had a special on cheesecake...ofcourse, i HAD to make one. 3 packs of cream cheese, 16 oz sour cream, 1/2 lb chocolate, sugar...all topped with chocolate ganache (equal parts chocolate and heavy cream) and rich chocolate mousse on the side....i am WIRED. i feel like running around screaming "I AM CORNHOLIO!!!I NEED SOME T.P. FOR MY BUNGHOLE!!!" anyway, it was great, if anyone wants the recipe, let me know. it is egg and gluten free. only 60 grams of fat per slice.... i'm never going to get to sleep because of all that damn sugar and chocolate. please learn from my mistakes.

[staceyv]

damn, it's 3 am and i am the ONLY one here...i will never eat large quantities of sugar and chocolate before bed ever again.....i also will not be held responsible for irritating, hyperactive posting resulting from the side effects...

[ladysycamore]

Originally posted by staceyv
i have to stop watching the DAMNED food network.

Heh, I know, it's addictive, innit? Most of the stuff they make on those shows I can no longer have (or I would have to chase it all down with a ton of phosphate binder pills, which is no fun). So, I just watch and torture myself..haha. Actually, I like watching people cook...it seems to relaxes me, if that makes any sense. Plus, I like watching recipes being created and learn how they are made, etc.

[perth]

Seems like a lot of people who watch Food Network have never seen Alton Brown's "Good Eats". If you haven't seen it yet, watch it next time it's on. The single finest show on that station.

I'm not a huge fan of most of the cooks they air. But I can watch and enjoy damn near everything on that network. Except for Emeril Live. Ugh, that man annoys me.

[staceyv]

the ONLY time i ever watched good eats, he had a special on beets. like i want to know how to make pickled beets!!!much less, eat them. ugh. i love emeril -BAM! oh yeah babe, he kicks it up another notch. i learned about chocolate ganache from him...
he's from fall river, which is about 20 minutes away from where i live. he knows all about the world's best foods like chourico (aka chorizo or portuguese sausage) and kale soup..what a guy.
i have a million food intolerances /allergies, so it's usually not a problem for me to watch the show, but, i worked my way around my allergies and made the cheesecake with no crust and found a recipe which didn't use eggs. i love to cook for my husband, though. he's gained at least 8 or9 pounds since we got married

[wolf]

The cool part about Alton Brown and Good Eats is that he goes into the science behind the food ... and discusses the merits of various ingredients and implements (butter vs. margarine vs. crisco in cookie making for example).

Emeril cooks food that "normal" people don't eat. Or take time to make.

Alton's stuff is everyday normal food ...

Yeah, the fancy stuff is nice, and can be more fun to watch, but I've made more use of what I've learned at Alton's knee.

[kerosene]

Alton had a good special on onions the other night, in which he made a french onion soup. I never knew there was so much to know about onions. Unfortunately, perth and I missed the part where he told us how to keep from crying while we cut them.

I saw another one once where he talked about artichokes. He always has such interesting tips and his shows are fun.

I wouldn't mind Emeril so much if it weren't for his obsession with strange combinations and the constant saturation in his "essence." It seems to me that his shows are more about him than the food.

Of course, my favorite on Food TV is Jamie Oliver. He comes up with some odd combinations, too, but his sound really good most of the time. Plus, he has an astoundingly cute accent.

I think most of us can agree that Bobby Flay is a putz.

[perth]

Bobby Flay is a hack. I can't stand that guy.

Wolf is right on. Alton Brown brings the science. Recipes are great, but the things Alton discusses empower you to create, not just follow directions. If you understand *why* an ingredient behaves the way it does, you can use that information to change a recipe, or create a whole new one. The best example of this is his cookie episode. I learned more from that one episode than in creating 100 batches of cookies.

Emeril gets on my nerves because he is always breaking his arm congratulating himself on his food. His other show (don't remember the name), before he got big, was much better, because he explained things (much like Alton's show). Things like the difference between the balsamic vinegar you get in the grocery store and real balsamic, the kind you have to hunt down. But now its just "Bam! It's a pork fat thing! Kickin' it up to notches unknown!". It's become a cult of personality. And I can't stand that particular personality. Not bashing those that love him, because I can certainly see the appeal, especially if you like cajun, seafood and salt.

Okay, the salt bit was a cheap shot. Sorry.

[Slartibartfast]

Iron Chef!

I find it fascinating to watch someone make squid ink ice cream and then have other people eat it and judge it. Japanese cooking is too bizzare.

[wolf]

Bobby Flay is an ass. What grown man allows himself to be called "Bobby"?

And I absolutely thought he was inappropriate in the Iron Chef New York ... He behaved like a cocky asshat, and topped off his performance by standing on the cutting board. Horrifying.

Now, in terms of showmanship, I wouldn't have minded seeing a battle between one of the Iron Chefs and Emeril. I think that would make good television.

[Beestie]

I can't get into Emeril - too full of himself. BAM!

My favorite is the French guy Jacques. He makes great food with normal ingredients. It never seems to fail that whenever I tune into the food network its:

"Now, add 5 cups of sugar, 3 cups of condensed heavy cream, 12 sticks of butter and the yolks from one dozen eggs, ..."

I don't think so.

I don't really pay attention to the specific recipes that Jacques uses - I just pay attention to how he does what he does and with what ingredients. Once, Jacques and Yan from Yan Can Cook teamed up for their own Iron Chef. They both went to the market , picked out some common ingredients and went back to see what they could do with them. Not as esoteric as the Iron Chef (which I love) but very instructional and inspiring because that's pretty much what the rest of us do - go to the market and try to pick out some stuff to make something good with in about 30 to 45 minutes.

I don't know Alton Brown but, from what y'all are saying, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for him - sounds like my kind of show.

[kerosene]

Originally posted by Slartibartfast
Iron Chef!

I find it fascinating to watch someone make squid ink ice cream and then have other people eat it and judge it. Japanese cooking is too bizzare.

The greatest element of Iron Chef would have to be the dubbed over voices. They are just too good. Oh, yeah, and the fantastic chef work that goes on.

Alton Brown's shows are a riot.

[BrianR]

I agree with wolf as well...except for one little detail. Emeril Lagasse isn't as bad as you all make him out to be. You simply watch the wrong Emeril show. Try Essence of Emeril at 1600 (4 pm for civilians) right before Molto Mario (another good show IMO).

I enjoy the Iron Chef as well...and the American version died a well-deserved death with William Shatner. Thank you Lord!
There are times that I would like to do something like that for the "normal" people. You know, have wings as the secret ingredient and let two "regular" cooks (as opposed to chefs) cook it out!
And let the judges have at least SOME expertise in food... actresses and politicians don't cut it with me. I'll save that idea for when I get my own cooking show.

Oh, Emeril's "essence" is just a spice mixture that you can make on your own. I admit to having some in my cupboard. It beats "Italian seasoning", "Cajun seasoning" and the ever-mysterious "Five-Spice Powder". And I've been known to BAM in my kitchen too.

Brian

[perth]

You simply watch the wrong Emeril show. Try Essence of Emeril at 1600

Exactly. The show that is about cooking. Not the show about Emeril.

[ladysycamore]

Originally posted by BrianR
I agree with wolf as well...except for one little detail. Emeril Lagasse isn't as bad as you all make him out to be. You simply watch the wrong Emeril show. Try Essence of Emeril at 1600 (4 pm for civilians) right before Molto Mario (another good show IMO).

I was thinking the same thing (about the Essence show). I don't like the live audience on the other Emeril show. Too "game show-y".

I enjoy the Iron Chef as well...and the American version died a well-deserved death with William Shatner. Thank you Lord!

LOL, boy oh boy you said it! The US version is crap.

There are times that I would like to do something like that for the "normal" people. You know, have wings as the secret ingredient and let two "regular" cooks (as opposed to chefs) cook it out!
And let the judges have at least SOME expertise in food... actresses and politicians don't cut it with me. I'll save that idea for when I get my own cooking show.

It's good fun though!! They always seem to make the actresses sound like vapid airheads...all giggly and shit.

Food Network rules.