Taking the Food out of FoodTV
I feel as if I was given the best present ever and then forced to watch it run over by a semi-truck. I watched 30 minutes of heaven – Jamie at Home – and then transitioned into the brain-sucking Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. While Jamie prepared several mouth-watering, simple, real-food dishes from winter veggies, the ditzy blonde was more focused on getting to her cocktail and table-scape.
The cause of this painful jolt? The clock had just ticked to that 10 am marker where the revenue-generating masses have awoken, finished watching the anti-news that is the Today show and switched to FoodTV.
I am in no way against time-saving shortcuts to great meals; in fact I greatly appreciate those tips and my microwave. However, couldn’t the Food Network just insert these tips during breaks and get back to showing me how real chefs create real food? Just take 5 minutes off the show and call it even. I know how to throw food together to get my family fed; I want to see new ways of combining ingredients, relishing in fresh flavors and finding comfort in food everyday.
Truly, the best shows on FoodTV are shown outside of prime viewing time, including anything with goddess Nigella Lawson and our favorite orange-Croc-wearing Mario Batali. Instead, we are gorged with challenges, reality-programming and the truly horrendous Showdown with Bobby Flay. I remember watching Bobby back in the day on PBS, when he was on in between Yan Can Cook and the Frugal Gourmet. What happened to you Bobby?
Watching food programming should be a nourishing experience for the mind, body and soul. My favorite Brit chef did that for me today – thanks Jamie! It’s just sad when its more exciting to watch a commercial by the California Food & Wine Tourism folks than to watch the only channel supposedly dedicated to foodies like me:
FoodTV is quickly going the way of MTV and I’m sure we’ll all be forced into premium-cable-purchasing to see a single recipe on the inevitable FoodTV2. I’m not alone in my longing for the past and changing my channel to PBS:
Posted on March 1st, 2008 under Food by StarXLR8.
Comments
Comments
Comment from amy
Time: March 1, 2008, 12:45 pm
Thanks for posting one of many of my Food Network-ranting posts! I really liked your post. It was thoughtful and well-written. I completely agree with everything you said. I honestly barely watch the network anymore… I feel like I loose brain cells by the second. I’m sick of being talked-down to as if I’m some stupid person unaware of that the corporate machine is trying to do to me when I watch! I’m glad there are many others who are sick of all they stand for nowadays… PBS cooking shows is really where it’s at! – amy @ http://www.weareneverfull.com
Comment from Vicki in Seattle
Time: March 5, 2008, 2:52 am
I totally agree with you. I also like Ina Garten. As loveable as Paula Deen is, her food sucks … it’s why America is obese … please Paula, STOP IT! Nigella is a goddess. We call Giada “the boobie girl.” Honestly honey, you don’t have to sell us “the girls” every time!!! I really hate the baking contests, who can create the tallest castle?!? arghh Please just show me new ways to put ingredients together!!! There are so many cuisines out there that we can learn about. When was the last time you saw someone on TV cook a national dish from Burundi or Algeria … there are so many countries to choose … please people, lets get cooking!!!
Comment from StarXLR8
Time: March 5, 2008, 6:58 am
Thanks for dropping by Amy & Vicki.
I like Ina’s approach, but I so rarely have dinner parties that the show doesn’t turn me on. As for Paula, her comfort food concepts are great, but she really should update them for this century. You can use 1/4 of the butter and it will still be rich and delicious. Agreed on the baking contests – so silly!
Comment from TBTAM
Time: August 15, 2008, 6:17 am
You need to be singing the Sandra Lee song –
http://theblogthatatemanhattan.blogspot.com/2008/02/look-at-me-im-sandra-lee.html
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