Thursday, August 20, 2009

What's For Dinner? Vices.

The thoughts and prayers from a few days ago worked because Facebook friend JG’s tests showed no cancer. YEA!! Now we need to send some good vibes, good thoughts, and prayers S.D.’s direction. She is one of the blogmeisters of a blog that I go to and is having a colonoscopy today. So lets root for an easy day for her, some peaceful rest afterwards, and a clean bill of health!

Top Chef Masters the final was last night. The challenge for the master chefs was to cook a four course meal that would tell the story of their cooking lives. The first dish was the dish they remembered as a child. The second dish was the dish that made them to want to be a cook. The third dish was from the first restaurant they opened. The fourth dish was to define what they see the future of cooking as being. Michael was definitely the best story teller and it brought him in second. Hubert went the easy route and it hurt him finishing last. Rick Bayless was the best cook and he took home the title of Top Chef Master. The three chefs in the finals cooked amazing dishes and only one and a half stars separated the three. It was really enjoyable for me to watch the comrade that the three chefs developed among themselves.

After the final of Top Chef Masters, Top Chef Las Vegas made its debut. The elimination challenge was to cook a meal that defined the chefs’ vices. Kevin’s ingenious riff on procrastination took the judges breath away and he won the night. Jen Z.’s Chile Relleno Stuffed with Seitan & Tomatillo Salsa got her sent home. I did think the challenge last night gave some Interesting questions to discuss here. What is your vice? What meal would define it? I am afraid I have so many vices that I would have had to cook a buffet. Gambling, chocolate, temptations, excesses and the list goes on. I would have gambled and cooked something new, then promoted excess by cooking something chocolate based, defining temptation I would have cooked something very unhealthy but very tempting like an amazing cheesburger and homemade fries. Your turn? What is your main vice or what are you main vices? What dish or dishes could you prepare to define that vice or vices?

TRIVIA:

YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS

Turkeys, statues, initials. CARVED

A tie, a nervous stomach, a piece of lumber. KNOTS

David Letterman, Alfred E. Newman, Lauren Hutton. GAPS BETWEEN TEETH

Beaver State, Webfoot State, Pacific Wonderland. OREGON

It’s A Hard-Knock Life, Tomorrow, New York City. SONGS IN ANNIE.

TODAY IS A WHO AM 1?

I was born in 1823 and married at the age of 17. I rented my tavern to a man that later would be one of the reasons I was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. Despite the juries plea for leniency and a request for a life sentence the president at the time signed my death warrant and I was hanged. My attorney tried hard to get me off arguing that the tavern keeper was not to be believed because he was a drunk and couldn’t properly remember anything. It was a little harder, however, for my attorney to discredit a secret agent for the other side, my son. The murder that I was said to be a part of took place in April and became big news again one hundred years later when another murder had several similarities with the one that I am said to have helped with. I was hanged on July 7 together with David, Lewis, and George. I was the first woman hanged by the agency that found me guilty. The actual murderer met his death earlier. Some people think there should be taverns with a Booth named after me. There is also a rumor floating around that Robert is going to try to make me more famous. Who Am I?

8 comments:

Pat said...

I'm not listing my vices in a public forum, thankyewverymuch. And I'm not a sufficiently clever cook to illustrate any of them anyway. I thought the contestants were for the most part quite clever in their choices.

I was perfectly happy with Rick being the Top Chef Master, though I'd have been as happy with any of the others. I will miss their civility and cooperation with each other.

Now here's an admission: Before the Top Chef shows came on, I watched about the first half-hour of the Octomom special, but then channel-surfed over to watch Gordon Ramsey berate a chef on "Kitchen Nightmares". One of my vices may be masochism.

William J. said...

Awww Come one Pat, if I can tell you my vices you can tell me yours!

I also thought the contestants were clever and even the one that really didn't know what a vice was had the most touching story.

I would have been fine with any of the three winning Top Chef Masters I just liked Hubert the best and Michael the lest, although the later increased my like of him with his childhood story.

I have never watched Ramsey and not to long ago didn't know who he was.

Bill

Lady DR said...

Yea on JG's tests (as you know) and definitely holding good thoughts for S.D. Been there, done that, hope it goes well. Yesterday's prep was, from my experience, worse than today's procedure.

Since I have no vices (koff, koff) -- well at least none that I can figure out how to replicate in cooking (which I don't like to do to begin with, unless the mood strikes) I'll abstain from the question.

William J. said...

Hi Dr

We make a good team then, I have enough enough vices for both of us so you don't really need any!

And I've heard the prep is worth then the procedure. I should get mine but there is no history of colon cancer in my family so I've been putting it off

Bill

Mary said...

You know, I don't usually email you with the answers to your questions, but I always enjoy trying to answer them. The one today took me awhile and was really interesting, I had never heard of that person before. So thank you for that!

Not gonna list my vices on the internet either. Sorry.

William J. said...

Hi Mary

But you are such a good cook I thought for sure you could would give us a recipe for a vice!

What I try to do with the trivia questions (not so much with three of a kind) is to make them fun and to maybe pick unusual ones where we might all learn something.

I hadn't heard of that person either until I read an article in the paper this morning that R.R. was making a documentary about here.

Bill

Unknown said...

Hello, I'm just leaving a comment to say hi. I drop in now and then but not as often as I used to since my ISP suspended it's dial-up services at the end of June. Guess it wasn't worth servicing a dinosaur like me. And we still haven't got round to broadband because of the procrastinator I live with. We want a cable TV plus Internet broadband package but before we even get that, we need a cable-ready TV. And I haven't got a proper TV, we never got one when we move and are still making do with a spare portable that my parents gave me (out of pity) that gets its reception from rabbit-ears antennae. Such Luddites in my neck of the woods! Don't believe all you hear about modern, wired Singapore etc. :)

Anyway, we're all doing well here. Dad's doing OK too. Wishing you well.

William J. said...

SNUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is so damn good to see you here!

Sorry about the dial up but am glad you and your parents are doing well.

We missed you! Tell the procrastinator to get it in gear and get broadband!

Bill