Foodies Make Great Lovers
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 9:40AM 
One of my most-viewed, most-searched posts on P&C is this one about Giada de Laurentiis. People typically seem to come to this post after searching "Giada cleavage" or something equally smarmy. I only bring it up because I read this great post from Daddy Likey about the Food Network being akin to pornography, which is very much like my thoughts on Giada.
Despite the sexified food porn, the Food Network does have some good stuff going on. If you take out the big cake bake-offs, Iron Chef panic attacks, Paula Deen's endless supply of butter, and Guy Fieri chomping on every burger in America, you're left with some quality programming with quality recipes. In fact, most of my favorite recipes are from Food Network shows and chefs...er, the ones that know how to cook...
Giada may be all busty, but her recipes are always solid: easy to make, impressive, and super-flavorful. I recently showed off to some friends on a Friday night with her Baked Artichokes with Gorgonzola and Herbs. So decadent and delicious, and I don't usually like artichokes! Her Lamb and Mint Ragu is fantastic, and even though it isn't winter any longer I still make her Holiday Salad all the time - it's great for dinner with a little grilled chicken breast.
Then there's Jamie. How much do I adore Jamie Oliver and his scruffy, golden-boy pukka tukka? It cannot be quantified. I will say that my verdict is still out on his new Jamie at Home show; I love the food he makes, but the outdoor kitchen in the English winter seems more than a little contrived. If I wanted to cook outdoors I'd go camping - and camping isn't my favorite pastime. But I digress. Jamie's recipes are likewise simple and delicious. I recently made his Green Beans with Olives & Tomatoes (that you're supposed to tray-bake with salmon filets,) for a potluck and there was nary a bean left to take home. He also got me over my fear of Indian curries and Japanese tempura, and where all other risotto recipes fail me his is a success. His Leek & Chickpea soup is a fast, comforting fix, and I love his mixed greens, peach and mozzarella salad - addictive!
Ingrid Hoffman's Simply Delicioso is likewise moving into the sexy-delicious space. Lucky for me I usually watch her show on Saturday afternoons while on the treadmill at the gym! This is good because her Latin-inspired Miami grub looks so incredibly melty and delicious that you feel the need to go exercise without even tasting it. I've flagged a few of her recipes (in my FoodTV.com virtual "recipe box" - I'm a dork, I know,) but haven't yet gotten to them. Looks like the perfect crowd-pleasers for summer!
But as far as sexy chefs go, Nigella Lawson is definitely at the top. Her voluptuous look and supreme pleasure-seeking in the kitchen make viewers settle into a kind of mesmerized slack-jaw stance. I wish her show were still on air! It would be fun to see a show down between her and Giada; while I think Giada has better fare, my money would be on Nigella just for the sex-appeal points.
And why is it that old food shows are no longer on TV? Personally, I'd love to see re-runs of The French Chef with Julia Child - talk about Cooking 101! I've had a lot of jobs in my time, but the one where I absolutely learned something new every day was when I worked as a line cook in college. Even just basic things like knife cuts, how to make a sauce, how to grill something, how to compose a salad - all these little things build confidence. This is why I'd love to see old cooking shows - there's always something to be learned or re-learned. And the old shows weren't about the food porn, it was about learning, tasting, experimenting, and building the confidence to use one's own kitchen.
Overall, I love that the Food Network has propelled the food culture to the masses; it has people eating better, experiencing new flavors, opening themselves up to new regions, and exploring their own abilities. They promote gatherings, friendships, and family get-togethers, which is really what good food is all about: generosity and fun. It's too bad then that they dumb-down all of these great factors by selling it in the sex-wrapped package. To the Food Network it seems the sizzle is more important than the steak.
Reader Comments (3)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ex
Nigella Express
:)
So glad Nigella's back!!!