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Archive through September 07, 2007

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2008 - 1: Top Chef - Prior Seasons: ARCHIVES: Archive through September 07, 2007 users admin

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Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 8:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
I'd watch Hermi! :o)

I'm glad Howie is gone & can't wait to see what happens next.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 8:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Prisonerno6 a private message Print Post    
Totally agree about the judges needing to be harsh. Tom's point about Hung not putting forth his absolute best was perfect.

Brian does, IMO, deserve a good part of the blame for not reining people in. They knew what the budget was, so it's better to do a few spectacular appetizers then a bunch of outdated squishy salmon on cucumber things that came out the 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook (right next to the jello fruit molds).

Casey deserved that win. Her dish was unusual and visually appealing, and not served on a hunk of starch.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 8:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Prisonerno6 a private message Print Post    
Oh, and Howie's parting comments were *very* classy. But then, I've been saying all along he isn't as bad as everyone thinks. :-)

Hermione69
Member

07-24-2002

Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 8:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hermione69 a private message Print Post    
I thought the comment to Brian about "You can't want to be the hero if it is a hit, but not want to accept the blame if it's not" (paraphrased) was right on.

I think Howie is probably a big, old teddy bear in real life. I liked him more lately, but he really just didn't seem to have his heart in it anymore.

Sara's bread pudding was the dish I want to try!

Cdbga
Member

10-04-2004

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 4:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cdbga a private message Print Post    
I agree about Brian, Hermi. He wanted credit for leadership, but didn't want the blame for the failures. Didn't like that whole You-get-to-choose-the-team-leader "prize". Seems like you'd almost have to make yourself the leader to be Top Chef (because as they say quite often, Chef means chief). Don't know why they actually needed a team leader. I also have a little Brian crush, but I blame that on Keckler from Television Without Pity. Very funny recaps where she talks about Malarkey and his many personalities.

I do think Howie knew he was going and was just quitting so he wouldn't be eliminated. His comment during judges deliberation about being in control of his fate (or something like that) sealed that for me.

Unfortunately I didn't enough attention to this episode to even notice any of the food. I'll definitely have to re-watch. With Brian, though...in the quickfire he talked about using Spam because Colicchio thinks he only does seafood. But didn't he do a seafood dish again for the elimination challenge? If he was trying to show Chef Tom that he could do other things, seems a waste to do that in the QF where Tom is neither judging nor tasting, but go back to seafood for the challenge he IS judging.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 6:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
This was one of the only times I liked Hung, in the quick fire challenge he was hysterical. His disneyworld concoction....brilliant and fun.

Glad to see Howie go. I think he knew that he was going because he didnt do the quickfire and he would have had to just blow everyone else away. I think the judges had enough of him to.

I am a big Padma fan and I also love Dale but I dont think he has much of a chance of winning. At this point, I think Hung will win.

It was a good episode though. Loved the Spam win.

Peeper
Member

06-14-2004

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 9:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Peeper a private message Print Post    
What is the deal with these "trained" chefs not being able to make a dessert?

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 10:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
I know Peeper.

Justpassingby
Member

08-14-2007

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 10:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Justpassingby a private message Print Post    
The dessert thing has bugged me all along. They might not be trained pastery chefs, but they all should have at least one dessert up their sleeves because this has happened every season.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 11:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
Yes but last week the team from Quatre had TWO good desserts - a pannecotta (how the heck do you spell that?) that Hung made and a dessert crepe with apples (I think) that someone else made. So some of them can make edible desserts, but apparently not all of them!

Sadiesmom
Member

03-13-2002

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 12:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sadiesmom a private message Print Post    
I am not sure what kind of limitations there are on ingredients and what they could afford. Since they were on the boat, did they know there would be staples there, or did they need to buy their own flour etc?

Sorry, buying mousse? I make mousse and I am not that great a chef - it is pretty easy, now it if were renet, that would be an issue on a boat, or a chiffon cake, but really, enough of these mixes, save some money and make your own basic stuff. I really don't like the taste of many of the commercial mousses. A dressed fruit dessert probably would have been better and easier.

I did laugh over their 350 dollars for 60 guests how can they afford it! I gave an open house once and spent just over 100 dollars for all the appetizers and main meals for 12 hours and 50 people, many who just stayed for 2 meals. Granted I had a full day to pre cook and prepare everything, but I was doing it alone and made some complicated dishes, and am not a trained chef, so it takes me over an hour to prepare a few pounds of cocktail shrimp. I know they want high quality stuff, but still, it is hard to believe they can't do it cheaper. I always thought the biggest expense in restaurant food was for the labor. I did make a variation of crab impereale stuffed between large grapes halves, very popular until my very young niece decided to help and dropped the plate and gstuffed grapes on the floor, sigh.

I guess I need a chef to correct me on this.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 12:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
where's Gail?

Tntitanfan
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 2:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tntitanfan a private message Print Post    
Sadiesmom - I salute you! Less than $6 per guest for a 2-hour event is a pretty tight budget here in middle TN. It would be an advantage to know your grocer/butcher so that you could take adventage of what was on special that day/week, but the contestants don't have that connection.

As an example lamb is Waaaaay cheaper at the ethnic markets that it is at the "main stream" stores! Spices are another great way to save at ethnic groceries -

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 2:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
i truly would like to see what the judges would come up with under the same circumstances as some of these challenges.

Cdbga
Member

10-04-2004

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 4:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cdbga a private message Print Post    
Me, too texannie. They should do an episode like that! An "extra" ep like the 4-star All-star challenge.

Bombaycat
Member

07-21-2007

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 10:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bombaycat a private message Print Post    
Just got back from grocery shopping and thought about Top Chef while I was going up and down the aisles. Even bought a can of spam.

I think the decision to send Howie home was the right one. I was hoping maybe Hung was starting to change when he did his quick-fire dish and seemed to be having a lot of fun. But then the Hung attitude kicked in. Saying the quick fire judge was "closed minded" was just wrong.

Then his condescending attitude about his cucumber dish being for the "average palette", and talking about things being "very common" put me over the edge. I'm so ready for him to go home.

Not sure why they have so much trouble with desserts. I'm a below average cook, but I can certainly whip up a dessert. I've been making bread pudding since I was a child, and I couldn't believe in the previous episode, Tre had so much trouble with a simple dish.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 1:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
Oh, bread pudding is a *snap*. Just ask Tre!

Seriously, you can make a fairly edible bread pudding just by jazzing up the bread with jam or using cinnamon rolls for the bread or whatever. Just don't try to serve it with gorgonzola-encrusted filet and smoked potatoes.

Tntitanfan
Member

08-03-2001

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 2:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tntitanfan a private message Print Post    
Most chefs do not make desserts as part of their job. They probably had classes about desserts in culinary school, but what you aren't interested in and don't practice doesn't always stick with you. The Pastry Chef (or dessert guru by whatever name) is a VERY specialized position in commercial kitchens.

I cook with two professional chefs at First Cafe (the Second Harvest Food Bank weekly buffet,) and we buy four of our desserts that we serve! We do make tiramisu or panna cotta for the Italian menu and "fancy up" vanilla pudding mix for the banana pudding Fosterier for the Cajun menu. I have been BEGGING to have bread pudding for the Cajun menu with no luck so far!

Bombaycat
Member

07-21-2007

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 3:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bombaycat a private message Print Post    
Alisons you are so right. Paula Deen even has a bread pudding recipe that uses Krispy Kreme Donuts as it's base.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 3:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
I have made that recipe and it's great!!! the recipe i used called for a can of apple pie filling in it too. oh yum. served it with ice cream rather than the rum sauce

Bombaycat
Member

07-21-2007

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 3:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bombaycat a private message Print Post    
Texannie - between this thread talking about desserts and the daily poll talking about Chinese food, I'm crazy hungry.

(Sorry to get off topic)

Cricket
Member

08-05-2002

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 4:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cricket a private message Print Post    
I, too, was glad to see Howie go. He only told them he wanted to go because he knew he was going to get the boot; rather immature.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 4:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
LOL Bombay!!!

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 7:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
I also wondered about them saying that the whipped cream totally flattened the mousse. Why would whipped cream do that? Unless it was not real whipped cream? I mean isn't the point of whipping cream that it - uh - whips?

Hermione69
Member

07-24-2002

Friday, September 07, 2007 - 7:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hermione69 a private message Print Post    
Mods, Sara N. is gone and she left before Tre. Can her picture pleeeease be darkened and put in the right spot? I know I sound anal, but it is bugging me.