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axleblaze posted:I...just don't get cupcake wars. Like I can understand the making unique flavors aspect (though they rarely actually do that) but the presentation part of it is always pathetic. No matter what the cupcake just looks like a cupcake with a thing sticking out of the frosting. My local Stop n Shop can pull that off. Then there's the final round where they have someone else make a display and it's always just a really ugly shelf that looks like it took the very limited time they were given to make. It's just all so unimpressive. It doesn't help that the host is awful and people that make cupcakes seem to just be awful people for some reason. In fairness re: presentation, it is a little trickier to have to decorate something on a much smaller scale than your basic full-size cake; that said, it's not impossible (I googled 'unique cupcake presentations' and many of them were of the 'stick something on top and call it done' stripe, but these two seem to at least have a better imagination with that sort of thing.)
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May 6, 2013 02:27
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Ugh, I was really hoping Scott wouldn't win Chopped All-Stars. I'm pretty sure a Chopped judge won last time, too Aaron, I think?).
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May 6, 2013 03:07
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Hey, I did recognize that awful haircut! It is Ashlee Merriman from Top Chef Las Vegas!
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May 6, 2013 03:10
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katium posted:Ugh, I was really hoping Scott wouldn't win Chopped All-Stars. I'm pretty sure a Chopped judge won last time, too Aaron, I think?). I think the last one was Marcus Samuelsson and, in fairness, they completely deserved it.
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May 6, 2013 11:40
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In regards to Chopped All Stars, while it would have been nice for Conant to lose, he really did pretty much destroy everyone. He pretty easily won the first two rounds and while he lost the last round he didn't gently caress it up either. I'm also kind of glad he won if only because he charity (Alzheimers) was one that doesn't get as much attention and funding as alot of the others. Though his influence over the judges kind of showed when Sunny was chopped in the first round partially for using raw red onion.
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May 6, 2013 13:12
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axleblaze posted:I...just don't get cupcake wars. Like I can understand the making unique flavors aspect (though they rarely actually do that) but the presentation part of it is always pathetic. No matter what the cupcake just looks like a cupcake with a thing sticking out of the frosting. My local Stop n Shop can pull that off. Then there's the final round where they have someone else make a display and it's always just a really ugly shelf that looks like it took the very limited time they were given to make. It's just all so unimpressive. It doesn't help that the host is awful and people that make cupcakes seem to just be awful people for some reason. If you remember Jones Bros. Cupcakes that competed on that show for I think Valentine's Day, they're a local cupcake bakery here in Omaha, NE. They're pretty overrated and are extremely expensive for not very good cupcakes. The owner was on the show. He's kind of stuck-upish but the only reason they get ANY business around here is because they're located smack-dab in the middle of the UNO campus. It's hidden in there and you can't really find it easily. $15 for four measly average cupcakes isn't going to fly around here. Especially when there's a family owned local bakery that will sell you a full dozen of much better cupcakes downtown. When he lost, he didn't even seem like he cared.
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May 7, 2013 05:44
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I'm surprised with all the dessert trend shows popping up that they haven't done one on frozen yogurt, considering how apparently there's shops for it popping up all over the drat place it seems. I found two in Iowa City this past weekend I had never heard of, bringing the total in town to half a dozen or so. 
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May 7, 2013 13:28
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iastudent posted:I'm surprised with all the dessert trend shows popping up that they haven't done one on frozen yogurt, considering how apparently there's shops for it popping up all over the drat place it seems. I found two in Iowa City this past weekend I had never heard of, bringing the total in town to half a dozen or so.  (I'm also waiting for the frozen yogurt bubble to pop when people realize that they've basically turned a healthy snack into ice cream, and that ice cream is cheaper and comes in a wider variety of flavors than frozen yogurt)
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May 7, 2013 20:19
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Haifisch posted:It's harder to make elaborate sculptures nobody would ever actually want to eat with frozen yogurt than it is with baked goods. Didn't we have this exact same bubble like 15 years ago?
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May 7, 2013 20:45
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Dogdoo 8 posted:Didn't we have this exact same bubble like 15 years ago? Pretty much. We had a TCBY growing up and they catered for school and public events all the time because of how "it's ice cream but healthier!"
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May 7, 2013 20:54
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iastudent posted:I'm surprised with all the dessert trend shows popping up that they haven't done one on frozen yogurt, considering how apparently there's shops for it popping up all over the drat place it seems. I found two in Iowa City this past weekend I had never heard of, bringing the total in town to half a dozen or so. Because the producers all live in NY, and the korean frozen yogurt craze has already died off there. Cupcakes are mostly dead or dying, too, but there hasn't been much emerging to replace them yet.
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May 7, 2013 21:45
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Boardroom Jimmy posted:So I'm sure people have seen the commercials for the Iron Chef Tournament of Champions they're doing right? Well, if you have any interest in it whatsoever, DON'T LOOK AT THE EPISODE GUIDE FOR THE SHOW. Why? Well, the idiots who set up the site put up the final match episode description not as Tournament of Champions Final but as the chefs who are involved (i.e X vs. X). I couldn't help but laugh hysterically at it for removing just about all the tension from it. They spoiled Chopped All Stars by playing a scene from the final round showing two contestants from rounds that hadn't aired yet. They also spoiled Next Iron Chef by featuring Alex G. on all the holiday promos.
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May 8, 2013 01:03
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Haifisch posted:It's harder to make elaborate sculptures nobody would ever actually want to eat with frozen yogurt than it is with baked goods. I enjoy going to our local frozen yogurt shops but you are dead on about the price. Spending $12-$15 on frozen yogurt for 2 people is outrageous, but when all the ice cream shops have closed up except one highly overrated local institution that I think is utter poo poo, it is the only real place to go! That and Dairy Queen.
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May 8, 2013 05:04
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Verdugo posted:They spoiled Chopped All Stars by playing a scene from the final round showing two contestants from rounds that hadn't aired yet. They also spoiled Next Iron Chef by featuring Alex G. on all the holiday promos. They showed Alex G. in all the holiday promos the year she didn't get it too though.
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May 8, 2013 05:34
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Late DVR finding here, but Travel Channel is actually still trying somewhat in the form of Andrew Zimmern's The Border Check http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/the-border-check Thank you random this past Sunday afternoon premier! Show was good stuff, some assorted facts that were unknown to me, and I really hope this is going to be a proper series as opposed to just a special on account of the nifty premise---the little intro sequence gives me hope but alas those have wound up dashed before.
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May 8, 2013 23:49
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axleblaze posted:The problem really is that the cooking shows just aren't that popular and the only cooking shows that get any people watching them at all are watched by people trying to cook the easiest thing possible rather than something that requires effort. I mean it sucks that cooking shows are only on during the day on Food Network, and most of the ones there suck but I think that really is because no one is watching them. Not that these new shows look like they're going to get many people to watch them either... At least they should pay for another chef's vacation aka go to exotic restaurant locales to dine on REALLY expensive food.
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May 16, 2013 18:58
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http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1ezj1c/im_alton_brown_i_cook_stuff_and_write_and_shoot/ Alton Brown is doing an AMA on Reddit right now. 
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May 24, 2013 21:33
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They are having a Pioneer Woman marathon thingy on Food Network today, because Food Network hates its viewers. Is it me, or does she have some weird looking children? Like they all look like they got kicked in the head by a horse or something. They also ACT like they got kicked in the head by a horse, but that's because they are home-schooled by the frigging Pioneer Woman.
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May 27, 2013 22:38
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Jamesman posted:They are having a Pioneer Woman marathon thingy on Food Network today, because Food Network hates its viewers. She still weirds me out. I'm not trying to start feminist food chat or anything but I've noticed this Pioneer Woman seems way too into pleasing "the guys", like she doesn't take time off for herself or something. I haven't seen her do anything like make one of her own favorite dishes. It's always something for her kids or her husband and usually it's something her husband likes. It really makes me uncomfortable to watch her show and I'm a guy...
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May 27, 2013 22:56
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The guy who served in Afghanistan was really uncomfortable to watch on Chopped.
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May 29, 2013 06:55
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One of the contestants in the current season of Masterchef US is a vegetarian, and it got me to thinking: Has a vegetarian or vegan (or someone who keeps kosher or halal, for that matter) ever won anything major on any of these shows? I can see it happening on a show like Chopped or maybe Iron Chef, where each episode is it's own self-contained competition but not in a season-long "winner takes all" thing. Though it might be doable on a baking or dessert themed show where the lack of experience with meat isn't an issue.
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May 30, 2013 15:46
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I can't remember if Robin from Top Chef was a vegetarian or not. I remember she prepared shrimp at one point. She didn't win bit got farther than most people did.
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May 30, 2013 15:55
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Only vegetarian/vegan I can recall from Top Chef was a guy in the season 9 qualifier who didn't plate in time or make it into the house. Was Gina ("I'm a movement") a vegetarian too or just health food?
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May 30, 2013 18:02
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jscolon2.0 posted:Was Gina ("I'm a movement") a vegetarian too or just health food? I think she was just a localvore.
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May 30, 2013 20:44
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Am I the only one who's been irritated at the fact that every Chopped episode this season apparently needs to have some sort of 'theme' to it? Like, I can understand the mom episode, since it was aired close to Mother's Day and all. But we had an Australia episode, an all-women episode, an amateur episode (and holy poo poo, the 'ALLELUJAH!!' guy was annoying and I'm glad he got chopped first) a grilling episode and now we're getting a weightloss episode. Would it give FN an aneurysm to just take four random chefs and four random baskets without feeling the need to tie everything together somehow? (and yes, I am aware that there's some precedent for the grilling episode at least, since they've done it a few times before, but it's just the concentration of all of them like this that just boggles me.)
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May 30, 2013 23:54
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Miss Kalle posted:Am I the only one who's been irritated at the fact that every Chopped episode this season apparently needs to have some sort of 'theme' to it? Like, I can understand the mom episode, since it was aired close to Mother's Day and all. But we had an Australia episode, an all-women episode, an amateur episode (and holy poo poo, the 'ALLELUJAH!!' guy was annoying and I'm glad he got chopped first) a grilling episode and now we're getting a weightloss episode. Would it give FN an aneurysm to just take four random chefs and four random baskets without feeling the need to tie everything together somehow? I think they're actually going through a list. My wife saw open call for the amateur episode months ago and said I should sign up for shits and giggles. I remember looking at the sign up site and there being about 5-10 different "theme" shows you could apply for. I haven't watched much Chopped lately because I haven't had the time but holy poo poo it doesn't sound like I'm missing all that much.
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May 31, 2013 00:01
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Miss Kalle posted:Am I the only one who's been irritated at the fact that every Chopped episode this season apparently needs to have some sort of 'theme' to it? Like, I can understand the mom episode, since it was aired close to Mother's Day and all. But we had an Australia episode, an all-women episode, an amateur episode (and holy poo poo, the 'ALLELUJAH!!' guy was annoying and I'm glad he got chopped first) a grilling episode and now we're getting a weightloss episode. Would it give FN an aneurysm to just take four random chefs and four random baskets without feeling the need to tie everything together somehow? I don't really see what difference it makes. Like the themed episodes are still pretty much the exact same show, just a with a theme placed on top of it. It allows them to create a forced narrative but they do that no matter what and the themes really don't change much about the show, so who cares?
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May 31, 2013 01:04
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axleblaze posted:I don't really see what difference it makes. Like the themed episodes are still pretty much the exact same show, just a with a theme placed on top of it. It allows them to create a forced narrative but they do that no matter what and the themes really don't change much about the show, so who cares? I do because I'm a crab about that sort of thing apparently! Nah but seriously, it just feels like they're trying much too hard to draw in viewers than they usually do and they choose to do so by making it 'all theme weeks all the time'. I dunno, I guess it is kind of irrational to complain about it to some, but I just wanted to get that off my chest considering how prevalent it's been now. 
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May 31, 2013 01:11
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jscolon2.0 posted:Only vegetarian/vegan I can recall from Top Chef was a guy in the season 9 qualifier who didn't plate in time or make it into the house. There was the one tattooed girl who made an inedible seitan stuffed pepper and was kicked off Top Chef immediately.
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Jun 1, 2013 03:48
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Anyone else watching NFNS? I thought it was funny that they had no problem with admitting that about least half of the contestants they want to make into stars are unlikeable.
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Jun 3, 2013 07:58
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I watched about 10 minutes before I remembered that Bourdain's show was on at the same time so I switched, but YIKES. I will go back and watch later but no one in that group seemed even remotely OK.
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Jun 3, 2013 16:46
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Shouldn't Justin's show have aired and failed before Food Network rolls again?
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Jun 3, 2013 17:28
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Is that one blog/site or whatever (blanking on the name) covering this season's NFNS?
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Jun 3, 2013 18:24
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We must be nearing the point where you can look in your pantry and fridge to see what's on hand and then look up the corresponding Chopped segment.
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Jun 3, 2013 18:39
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odiv posted:We must be nearing the point where you can look in your pantry and fridge to see what's on hand and then look up the corresponding Chopped segment. I'm all set for the gummi worms comps :v
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Jun 3, 2013 19:03
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jscolon2.0 posted:Shouldn't Justin's show have aired and failed before Food Network rolls again? I don't know if it failed but it did air one Saturday and it was aggressively odd. Either way most NFNS winners shows are on in daytime, but I'm not sure they took that risk on Justin.
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Jun 3, 2013 19:11
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So really it should be the Next Food Network One Hour Special. If FN is moving away from real cooking shows and focusing on 6 hour Triple D/fake Mystery Diners reality TV type deals, then why even bother with a NFNS. It really feels like only Bobby Flay and that Deen boy can get 'new' episodes of a 'teach me to cook' sort of show.
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Jun 3, 2013 19:18
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Christopher Irvine posted:I don't know if it failed but it did air one Saturday and it was aggressively odd. Either way most NFNS winners shows are on in daytime, but I'm not sure they took that risk on Justin. I'm not sure that they did, either, and yes- the one time it did air on a Saturday it was so bizarre that I had to change the channel because I started blushing FOR him. I will say this about NFNS: at least they didn't start with the stupid audition stuff this time as much (unless that aired last week somehow). I know that this is apparently what is really appealing about something like American Idol but I hate it with cooking shows. Master Chef started up again and I didn't even pay attention to the first two episodes because it's all audition stuff.
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Jun 3, 2013 19:24
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Miss Kalle posted:I do because I'm a crab about that sort of thing apparently! This is how marketing works. Someone found something that was successful once (ie. Discovery Channel "Shark Week") and resulted in like a 0.1%-2% increase in some metric. Your average marketer thinks "more = better" and runs that poo poo into the ground. They're more concerned about getting eyeballs on the product than the actual product itself.
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Jun 3, 2013 21:16
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Lord of the Bones posted:If FN is moving away from real cooking shows and focusing on 6 hour Triple D/fake Mystery Diners reality TV type deals, then why even bother with a NFNS. Basically, FN's competition-style shows blow everything else on the network away in terms of viewership, which is why there's always some permutation of Food Network Star / Next Iron Chef / Worst Cooks airing at any given time.
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Jun 3, 2013 21:39
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