Food Culture

Harris Poll: Half of Americans Watch Cooking Shows Very Often or Occasionally

Half of Americans (50%) say they watch TV shows about cooking very often or occasionally, but half (50%) say they watch these shows rarely or never. Looking a little more specifically, just one in five U.S. adults (21%) say they never watch TV shows about cooking while three in ten (29%) do so rarely, one-third (34%) do so occasionally and 15% watch cooking shows very often.

These are some of the findings of the Harris Poll, conducted online between May 10 and 17, 2010, among 2,503 online U.S. adults ages 18 and over.

Certain groups are more likely to watch cooking shows. Over half (55%) of Baby Boomers (those aged 46-64) watch cooking shows very often or occasionally, compared to over half (57%) of Echo Boomers (those aged 18-33) who say they rarely or never watch these shows. While many of the great chefs are male, and men say they love to cook more than women do (32% versus 28%), women are more likely than men are to watch cooking shows very often or occasionally (54% versus 46%).

Besides trying to make the dishes shown on cooking channels, those who watch these shows can be influenced to potentially purchase some of the food they see being prepared, along with the gadgets the chefs use and even the cookbooks the star-chefs have written. In fact, over half (57%) of those who watch these shows say they have purchased food as a direct result of something they've seen on a cooking show. Over one-third (36%) say they have purchased small kitchen gadgets, 24% have purchased cookbooks and 6% have even purchased large appliances as a direct result of something they've seen on a cooking show.

Much as they are more likely to watch these shows, Baby Boomers are also more likely to purchase both food (60%) and kitchen gadgets (41%) because of something they've seen on a cooking show. Gen Xers (those aged 34-45) are more likely to purchase cookbooks (29%) and large appliances (9%) after seeing them on cooking shows.

Rachael Ray is the queen of easy meals and manages to get people cooking rather than dining out. According to Americans who watch cooking shows, 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray is their favorite cooking program. Tied at number two for favorite cooking show are two Southern cooks - Paula Deen with Paula's Home Cooking and the king of "Bam," Emeril Lagasse, with Emeril Live. At number four is the uber-cooking competition, Iron Chef, and number five is Good Eats.

In at number six is Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and number seven is Top Chef. Three females round out the top ten: the Barefoot Contessa hosted by Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, and Everyday Italian with Giada de Laurentiis.

Cooking shows are big business. They can boost viewership for networks and can also spur show collateral, such as cookbooks and kitchen gadgets. Additionally, many TV chefs have their own restaurants that can draw viewers and fans of the show to dine there. Besides business, cooking shows are also a form of escapism for many people. And, while many may have a little Martha Stewart in them, who can actually do the perfect souffle? However, watching these shows makes cooking look so easy, that it's likely many file away those recipes as something they would "love to make later."

For more information, you can read the complete press release.

Ted Allen's Kitchen Essentials

In the July/August 2010 issue of Food Network magazine, Chopped host Ted Allen reveals his 10 kitchen essentials:

1 Fish spatula

2 Restaurant food-storage containers

3 Wooden spoons

4 Magnetic knife rack

5 Cast-iron skillet

6 Pressure cooker

7 Vita-Mix Blender

8 Parchment paper

9 Heavy wood cutting boards

10 iTunes

Stir-Fried Rice Vermicelli with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables

I used to live in one of New York's Chinatowns -- Flushing.  Admittedly, it's more Koreatown these days, but I do miss the 24-hour markets and my gas stove, which could accommodate the ringstands for my woks procured in one of several 'shlock' stores in downtown Flushing.

In the mood to try my hand at a stir-fry noodle dish -- using my trusty Calphalon 12-inch hard-anodized skillet and ingredients from the local H-E-B (the only supermarket chain in San Antonio -- yes, that's right, the ONLY chain), I ventured forth with a book that hopefully promised what its title offered, Easy Asian Noodles.

Note that the recipe calls for both light and dark soy sauces.  I could only find 'regular' soy sauce -- and don't cringe -- by Kikkoman.  (Sorry, foodie friends.)  I did find mirin on the shelf, but not rice vermicelli, so I substituted wider rice noodles by mass market Thai food producer A Taste of Thai.  

It came out pretty good.  The taste was basic Chinese, but with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts and a few squirts of Sriracha sauce, I was on my way. 

Recipe from HELEN'S ASIAN KITCHEN:  EASY ASIAN NOODLES
(John Wiley & Sons, 2010, $17.95/hardcover)

12 ounces rice vermicelli (pho) or rice sticks
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry plus 1 tablespoon for the sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
1 teaspoon cornstarch
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, shredded, about 1 cup
1/3 cup canned chicken broth
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound napa cabbage, shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 scallions, bulbs split and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 In a large bowl, soak the rice vermicelli in hot tap water until soft, about 20 minutes; drain and set aside to drain again.

2 In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon wine, light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir in the chicken and mix until evenly coated.

3 In a separate bowl, mix together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon wine, and sugar.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

4 In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir until it sizzles.  Don't let it burn or it will be bitter.  Stir up the chicken again and add to the hot pan.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat turns white and separates, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

5 In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil.  When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the cabbage, carrot, scallions, and drained noodles.  Stir and toss to blend the ingredients together, about 1 minute, then pour the sauce over the noodles and cook, stirring, until the noodles have absorbed the cooking liquid, another 4 to 5 minutes.  Return the chicken to the pan and toss until well mixed, about 30 seconds. Drizzle with sesame oil and give the noodles a couple of big turns with the spatula.  Transfer to a platter and serve hot or warm.

Ted Allen's Rules of Food Blogging

In the "Ask Ted" column in the April 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine, Ted Allen offers advice on how to properly and professionally blog about an experience at a restaurant.  "In the age of Twitter, Facebook, camera phones and blogs, chefs have to confront the reality that anyone can publish withering report cards -- instantly, even in the middle of a meal," writes Allen.

Of course, everybody eats and everybody has feelings about food, so shouldn't everybody have a voice?  "Well, yes...I guess," continues Allen.  "But new-media foodies need to consider a few rules before tucking into a restaurant's work."

Here are some of Allen's suggestions:

1. Give new restaurants at least six weeks to smooth out kinks, and before going negative, try to make another trip.
2. Learn as much as you can about food and cooking -- read the work of established critics, study cookbooks, watch food TV -- and evaluate chefs with respect and sincerity.
3. Despite the anonymity the Internet affords, resist being sarcastic.
4. Don't expect to be fed for free.
5. Get a good camera and shoot one or two dishes, not everything on the menu (and never use a flash)
6. Don't expect immediate responses to inquiries you send to chefs.

Food blogging -- especially restaurant blogging -- is a double-edged sword.  With the demise of thorough newspaper coverage, and the simultaneous explosion of blogs, restaurateurs can certainly benefit from good, viral, word-of-mouth marketing.  However, one nasty review can do significant damage, and with no single blogger code of ethics, anything still goes.  Food Culture seconds Allen's opinion to think before one blogs about a dining experience.

Bloggers should consider themselves journalists -- committed to reporting the news with fairness, accuracy, and ethics.  The results of the 2010 PRWeek/PR Newswire Media Survey, released this past Thursday, found that 52% of bloggers consider themselves journalists, an increase from just one in three from the previous year's survey.  This is good news for everyone, as we can all be assured that we are reading higher-quality articles in the blogosphere, including food and restaurant reviews.

Recipe Contests: Menu Development or Publicity Stunts?

We currently live in an age of recipe contests.  Normal, everyday home cooks can now have a chance at money and stardom with a winning cookie recipe or creative use of some branded ingredient.  The Food Network, in addition to every cooking magazine, offers some type of recipe or cooking contest.  

The winners usually receive a cash prize, along with recognition in a press release, an introduction at an event, and the recipe posted on the website or perhaps in a cookbook.  But the ultimate prize:  getting your winning recipe on the menu of a national fast casual or casual dining chain.

TGI Friday's has long been involved in recipe contests.  In November 2006, TGI Friday's partnered with Bravo's Top Chef (currently in its sixth season), in which the casual dining chain's Executive Chef served as a guest panelist to identify a winning entrée that was then added to the TGI Friday’s menu.  In January 2008, the company partnered with Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown to launch six menu items inspired by winning dishes from the show. 

Janice Kollar was one of those winners.  Her "Really Good" Chocolate Layer Cake won the Ultimate Recipe Showdown episode on cakes, and in addition to the $25,000 in her prize package, the cake was to be added to the menu at TGI Friday's.

Well, not exactly.

For the winners, "these are not the actual recipes," explains Amy Freshwater, a spokesperson for TGI Friday's, "but rather inspired by winning recipes.  They are true to the spirit of the original recipe but had to be adjusted so we could introduce them to our 600 U.S.-based restaurants."

Everyday Food's List of 20 Foods to Try Right Now

Food Culture is always interested to see what foods food editors are saying we need to eat, cook with, keep in our refrigerator, or order from a menu.  From pages 34 and 35 of the March 2010 issue of Everyday Food magazine comes this list.  

Quite frankly, most of these have been in the food conversation for several years.  A few are "hot" at the moment -- quinoa, salted caramel, dulce de leche, anchovies -- and one -- Jules Destrooper Butter Crisp Cookies -- we've never seen before.

Turbinado sugar Dark chocolate

Sriracha hot sauce Sea salt

Israeli couscous Anchovies

Pomegranate juice Grits

Salted caramel Mirin

Lady Grey tea Quinoa

Capers Frozen fruit

Jules Destrooper Butter Crisp Cookies Broccolini

Anise Seed Dulce de leche

Tofu Flavored water

Ted Allen's Rules of Cheapskate Dining

In the "Ask Ted" column in the March 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine, Ted Allen offers advice on how to take advantage of -- but also be respectful of -- restaurants that are offering dining specials.  Every major U.S. city now offers a "Restaurant Week" (such events held in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. have already taken place this year, most likely to drum up business in the slow, post-holiday season), and most casual-dining chains are launching more specials than ever.  Here is a quick primer.

Ted's Rules of Cheapskate Dining

• Avoid discount menus for first dates, anniversaries or Valentine's Day.  Trust me:  It will cost you more in the end.
• Eat. Then, leave. Don't work on your journal when you're paying half of what the real estate normally commands.
• Don't penalize the waiter.  He's doing the same work, but now his tips are being calculated off shrunken checks.  Have a heart:  Base your tip on the regular price and give at least 20 percent.
• If you're getting an entree for half of what it would normally cost, don't be high-maintenance about substitutions, special requests or anything else.
• And, please: Don't steal the Splenda.

Battle of the Apps: AllRecipes.com Upgrades iPhone App 9 Days After Launch of Martha Stewart's

The battle of the food/cooking iPhone apps continues unabated.  Last Thursday, popular recipe website AllRecipes released Dinner Spinner Pro, its new iPhone and iPod Touch application. A build on AllRecipes' Dinner Spinner -- a food app with more than 2.8 million downloads worldwide -- Dinner Spinner Pro allows users to access the complete AllRecipes library, add recipes directly to personal Recipe Boxes, create interactive shopping lists, and more.

And it's cool.

The Gourmeting of America, Part 3

Marie-Louise Friedland, Contributing Writer, Food Culture

“Hand-crafted,” “artisan,” and “organic,” are words we are presented with every time we go to the grocery store. The one word we see more and more these days is simply “gourmet.” What does this word connote? What makes something “gourmet?” Everyday we are bombarded with this idea of gourmet food, drink, and restaurants. But has this word lost meaning over time? Is this gourmet movement all hype?

 The word gourmet comes from the French term for a wine broker. Over the centuries the word came to mean someone with a “refined palate.” In the eighteenth century the term gourmet and gourmand came to be associated with gluttony and overindulgence. But over the past five years the term gourmet has come to mean a whole different thing. Now it means the accessibility of high quality products made with the best preparation. 

In an article from the Summer 2009 issue of Cheese Connoisseur journalist Jacqueline Ross Lieberman said about pâte, “once the snooty reserve of the elite, pâte has regained its place as a regular food for daily enjoyment.” This is only one example that illustrates the growing sophistication of consumer’s palates, which fuels the increased demand for gourmet products. 

The Wait Is Over: 'Martha's Everyday Food' Now on iTunes

Last Tuesday, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE:MSO) announced the launch of the "Martha's Everyday Food^TM" App on Apple's iTunes App Store. The app gives iPhone and iPod touch users access to thousands of recipes from the MSLO Everyday Food magazine that can be shared, saved and organized into mobile shopping lists.

(Disclaimer:  I am a paid subscriber to the print edition of Everyday Food magazine.)

According to a statement, this will "make meal planning and grocery shopping easier and more efficient," which I agree, is a good thing.

How often are we at the supermarket, standing there, looking at Nutrition Facts labels, wondering how the combination of ingredients will contribute to the meal's bottom line?  A handy smartphone app would definitely seem necessary.

(And I have to learn to stop printing out recipes and bringing them with me into the store.  Does anyone else still do this?)

Paula Deen Abruptly Cancels Six-City U.S. Tour, Blames Promoter

Celebrity chef and iconic television personality Paula Deen today cancelled a six-city personal appearance tour that had been scheduled to begin on February 20th -- in two days -- and end on March 19th.

 

Paula Deen Enterprises announced that the promoter of the tour, Celebrity Chefs Tour LLC, was unable to meet its financial obligations, and that it was necessary to terminate the promoter and cancel the shows "Celebrity Chefs Tour: An Evening With Paula Deen and Family."

"We've done many of these shows around the country with other promoters and they've been wonderful," said Nancy Assuncao, the spokesperson for Paula Deen Enterprises, in a statement. "But there were apparently too many financial and logistical issues for this promoter to handle and we had to make a painful decision after they could still not perform after giving them additional time to meet their obligations. We're aware that Paula's fans will be disappointed, but we'd rather ask them to be patient than take a chance that they'll be unhappy."

The canceled shows were scheduled to begin on February 20th in Charlotte, stopping in Durham, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Cincinnati, before ending March 19th in Indianapolis.  The tour was to feature Paula Deen, her sons Bobby and Jamie, and other Food Network personalities as they told stories, cooked, and interacted with the audience.

According to the statement, Ms Deen said, "I love traveling the country sharing stories, cooking and visiting with folks, it's one of my favorite things to do.  That's why I'm so sorry that those who bought tickets or were planning to attend are going to be disappointed. I apologize for that and I appreciate their patience. Right now my team is working on an alternative plan with new promoters and we hope to announce the details in the coming weeks."

The statement did not give contact information for ticket holders regarding refunds or credits for future appearances.

The Power of Food, as told by Lidia Maticchio Bastianich

"I have always believed that food has the power to change the way we see things around us; it holds the key to our past, present, and ultimately, our future as individuals, a community, and a nation."

-- Lidia Maticchio Bastianich, in the foreword to "New American Table," by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley, 2009)

Even the Editor of Cooking Light Admits We Are Self-Conscious About Eating

 

In the January/February 2010 issue of Cooking Light, Editor Scott Mowbray proclaims in the Note from the Editor:

The problem is this:  We haven't lived "naturally" in 10,000 years, and with so much food processing, diet hawking, and nutrition hyping around, we're not going to be able to walk ourselves back to a simple, natural existence any time soon (we wouldn't like it, if we did, because there are no flat-screen TVs in the natural world).  We have to think our way to a healthy diet.  As Americans, in particular, we are very self-conscious about this, and that isn't likely to change.  So what in the world should we eat, and can we relax about it a little?

This urging of personal attitudes towards a healthy diet is suffused throughout the entire issue.  

Don't let the name fool you:  the magazine offers lowfat recipes and exercise tips a few pages away from an exhaustive review of bacons.  French fries fried in duck fat come later.  

Rather than cast this magazine off as hypocritical, it is the opposite:  it accurately reflects our attitudes about eating and living, with boldness and clarity.  It's rather refreshing, as we don't always exercise and watch our calories, and we don't always reach for the greasiest of foods.  Cooking Light presents an array of recipes and ingredients that most match our collective, modern psyche of a food-obsessed nation.

More from Cooking Light later.....

Easy Hungarian Goulash Soup

It wasn't just because paprika was on sale at the local grocery store:  I had been wanting to make Hungarian Goulash (gulyás) for some time now.  

As such, I was pleased to learn that in the new Culinary Institute of America's New Book of Soups, there was a recipe for Goulash Soup.  

Goulash can be prepared as either a thick stew or as a soup.  This recipe is rather straightforward -- keeping with the heritage of the gulyásleves (leves meaning soup) -- and surprisingly, does not require a long list of ingredients.  

However, I used boxed, low-sodium beef broth, rather than make beef broth from scratch from another recipe in the book.  I also batch-cooked the beef, to prevent crowding in the pot which steams the meat, and also increased the simmering time by an additional 30 minutes because I like my meat and potatoes softer than most.  The beauty of this recipe -- and with most soup and stew recipes -- is that you can adjust ingredients, seasoning, and cooking style to suit your needs. 

 Served with the requisite dollop of sour cream and green onions

Recipe from THE NEW BOOK OF SOUPS by The Culinary Institute of America
(Lebhar-Friedman, December 1, 2009, $35.00/hardcover)

• 6 tbsp minced salt pork, slab bacon, or fat back
• 1 lb beef or veal chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 1/2 cups minced onions
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp hot paprika
• 3/4 cup tomato puree
• 1 qt Beef Broth (recipe also available in the book)
• Sachet: 1 tsp each caraway seeds, dried marjoram, and thyme, 4 fresh parsley stems, 2 cloves peeled garlic, and 1 bay leaf enclosed in a large tea ball or tied in a cheesecloth pouch
• 2 1/2 cups cubed or diced yellow or white potatoes
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely sliced scallion greens or chives

1. Saute the salt pork in a soup pot over medium heat until the bits of pork are crisp and the fat has rendered, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the cubed beef or veal and saute in the fat until the meat begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the onions and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the vinegar and boil over high heat until the liquid begins to reduce, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 more minute.  Stir in the paprika, then the tomato puree, and mix thoroughly.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the broth and the sachet.  Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the meat is almost tender, about 30 minutes.  Add the diced potatoes and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove and discard any fat on the surface of the soup with a shallow spoon.
5. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Serve in heated bowls, garnished with the sliced scallions or chives.

Make It Different

Replace the beef broth with 1 quart of dark beer.  Add 1 finely diced red bell pepper at the same time as the onions.  Substitute sweet paprika for the hot paprika, and garnish with chopped dill or scallions.

An Obsession with Junk Food and Porn

A friend of mine just pointed out the book and companion website, "This is Why You're Fat," a self-proclaimed ode to "junk food porn."  Page after page of the absolutely most outrageous concoctions that would make anyone reach for both the Alka-Seltzer and the Lipitor, the book is more humor than try-this-at-home.

One of my favorites:  The Icingcano:  Bottom layer of brownies, topped by a layer of chocolate cake and a layer of red velvet cake, smothered in Oreos mixed with frosting, rice Krispies, marshmallow fluff, meringue and chocolate pudding. 

Great for a tween birthday party, I'd say.