SYTYCD - I think the Mia Michaels routine would have been interesting with better dancers that could stay in synch. And were closer in size. And it was totally unfair that Hok got dinged for not having "interesting" moves when it was the cheorography! ARG! I want to watch the Mandy Moore one again because I may like it after seeing it a few times.

Top Chef - I'm watching the episode tonight. I missed last week's. As for cooking rice, I have two saucepans at home, one I can make rice in and one I can't . The one I can't is wider than it is deep and somehow I always end up with rice that's undercooked but weirdly mushy. It's mush but raw in the middle.

I know I can't taste the food, but those chile rellenos looked awesome.

I totally thought she'd make it into the top picks based on the reactions they were showing from the diners. Man, that looked tasty.

I think I can make pretty decent rice (with no rice cooker) but lately I've been using TJ's precooked frozen or vacuum-packed rices. Lazy! but always perfect!

Top Chef: It's just baffling to me. I dunno. I mean, I'm sure I eat more rice than any of them, but it's pretty basic. It seems like something that chefs would have to do. Yeah, yeah, rice-cooking monkeys. Where can I get those, again?

I agree about Lia's ability to improvise. When I had my nightmare that I was a Top Chef contestant, in the end I decided to cook my aunt Eu Me's salmon. Which was something I already knew how to do. Not that I'm a comparison, but I can see how you could be used to thinking of yourself as a good chef, but not have a lot of experience with working up new flavors on the fly.

Still, I think that's what separates out the best chefs. They understand the ingredients, they understand the chemical processes in cooking, and they're able to create something that they know will work together, even if they haven't done it before. Because they understand food.

For connie neil and others who are watching (or want to watch) the Simon Schama's Power of Art series, there's an excellent review of the DVD here.

Also, don't misunderstand me. I don't think cooking rice is hard. I think cooking perfect rice that is going to satisfy Colicchio et al is probably not the easiest thing in the world. Especially when I imagine that they do use rice-cooking monkeys, or at least rice cookers, on a regular basis.

They understand the ingredients, they understand the chemical processes in cooking, and they're able to create something that they know will work together, even if they haven't done it before. Because they understand food.

Yes, absolutely!!

I loved Joey's choice of and explanation of how he made his dish. Acknowledging who really make restaurant kitchens work. Also, it did sound delicious!

Sara's (not the cheesemaker) dish sounded good to me (i'm a whore for an avocado) but I wondered about her not making an entree! But good on her for having the foresight to buy premade tortillas. Think of how fucked she'd have been!

Top Chef: It's just baffling to me. I dunno. I mean, I'm sure I eat more rice than any of them, but it's pretty basic. It seems like something that chefs would have to do. Yeah, yeah, rice-cooking monkeys. Where can I get those, again?

I don't understand. Add water to pan. Bring to boil. Add 1/2 the amount of rice than water in the pan. Cover. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. how is that hard?

After 20 minutes take off heat and let sit until needed.

Not difficult at all.

Not difficult at all.

In theory. I don't really know since I never cook white rice at home. But I'd guesstimate that in restaurants or takeout, I'd call the rice "good" only about 50% of the time.

Amusing commentary on last night's TC.

And I could swear that Casey's rice was supposed to be "saffron rice" - did you guys see any saffron at all?