Don't you just love this party? Everything's so fancy, and there's some kind of hot cheese over there.

Kaylee ,'Shindig'


Non-Fiction TV: I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own

This thread is for non-fiction TV, including but not limited to reality television (So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef: Masters, Project Runway), documentaries (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel), and sundry (Expedition Africa, Mythbusters), et al. [NAFDA]


Lee - Mar 27, 2008 7:01:51 am PDT #4110 of 23273
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.

Veggie corndogs are yum though.


le nubian - Mar 27, 2008 7:07:08 am PDT #4111 of 23273
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."

megan -

I truly envy you - you who did not know what a corndog was.

I wish I had never encountered one.


lisah - Mar 27, 2008 7:09:59 am PDT #4112 of 23273
Punishingly Intricate

I love a corndog. so there!


Jessica - Mar 27, 2008 7:11:59 am PDT #4113 of 23273
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

I have to say, I do agree with this blog:

Erik was eliminated because his corndogs didn't weather the trip to the block party so well. They were soggy once they were served. Fair point, but we are starting to get frustrated with chefs being axed because their food doesn't travel well. Valerie had the same problem last week.

These contestants aren't full-time caterers. Can't we let them serve the food hot from the kitchen?

On the one hand, the chefs should really learn to think ahead when it comes to the catering-type challenges, but on the other hand...catering is a different gig than restaurant cheffing. It doesn't really test the skillset they've come to compete with.


Vortex - Mar 27, 2008 7:15:12 am PDT #4114 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

Yes, but a lot of the mistakes are basic cooking issues. Yes, the chefs aren't caterers, but who doesn't know that fried food needs to served immediately and can't sit around or it will get soggy?

There were also taste issues at stake. Yes, the blinis didn't travel well, but as I recall, the veggies on top weren't cooked well.


Amy - Mar 27, 2008 7:16:35 am PDT #4115 of 23273
Because books.

On the one hand, the chefs should really learn to think ahead when it comes to the catering-type challenges, but on the other hand...catering is a different gig than restaurant cheffing. It doesn't really test the skillset they've come to compete with.

Very much so.

Rick Bayless even said (I think) that it looked great, and might have been great, right from the fryer. Whereas Zoe's pasta salad was an unqualified disaster, and if anything, any flavor in it should have sunk in the longer it had to *marinate* before serving. I didn't get that at all.


megan walker - Mar 27, 2008 7:17:19 am PDT #4116 of 23273
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

As much as I haven't been impressed with Erik and felt he should go, I can't believe that someone made a bad pasta salad. Unless they got no herbs at all, that's pretty hard.

ETA: Hah! Pasta salad x-post!


Amy - Mar 27, 2008 7:18:41 am PDT #4117 of 23273
Because books.

::high-fives megan::

Even *I* can make a decent pasta salad.


Vortex - Mar 27, 2008 7:29:07 am PDT #4118 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

Whereas Zoe's pasta salad was an unqualified disaster, and if anything, any flavor in it should have sunk in the longer it had to *marinate* before serving. I didn't get that at all.

yes, the only issue with pasta salad is that it can get soggy. That's why you dress it lightly ahead of time so it won't stick together, then bring the rest of the dressing and dress the salad right before you serve it. Again, BASIC.


Frankenbuddha - Mar 27, 2008 7:29:11 am PDT #4119 of 23273
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

Even *I* can make a decent pasta salad.

Really, you don't need much more than a bottle of decent Italian (or similar) dressing, some pasta and a mix of veggies that will hold up to a dressing over time. A few more things if you're going to do a creamy salad (and not use a creamy dressing).