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Monday, February 2, 2009

Cast Iron Love (with some Hell's Kitchen recap)

In case anyone is interested in how my baeckoffe turned out last week, here's a picture. Isn't that the cutest pot? My mother-in-law gave it to me a few years ago; I'm not sure where she found that sweet little heart-shaped cocotte, but I've used it happily many times.

Personally, I adore cooking with cast iron. It's partly a remnant of my childhood, watching my mother make cornbread in her ancient cast-iron skillet. And partly, it's my love of France and all things French--Le Creuset's gorgeous enameled dutch ovens, skillets, sauciers, and casseroles make me happy just to look at them. The cast iron holds heat better than any other material, and conducts heat evenly and efficiently. I love the substantial weight of the pots, and their graceful shape. We have a nice All-Clad stainless steel set, too, but I confess I use the Le Creuset whenever feasible, purely for the hedonistic pleasure of it. They're soothing.

Maybe someone should invest in Le Creuset for the set of Hell's Kitchen! This season is looking to be explosive. Gordon got more shouty than I think he's ever been for a first episode. Usually he starts out disgusted and darkly amused, and it takes a while to build up to expletive-hurling insanity. Not this time! This bunch of self-impressed loser chef-wannabes ratched up Gordon's hate index from the very start. And I'm right there with him. 75% of the women, and 95% of the men, are pure waste-of-space idiot monkeys, flapping around the kitchen. A guy named Giovanni who doesn't know what polenta is? That Seth, with his howdy doody looking expression and utter lack of experience! Pompous Executive Sous Chef Ben, ludicrous cammo-trucker-hat-wearing Danny who likes to hunt 'gators, and poor, token gay boy Wil. This is a Fox show, y'all. Big surprise who got booted off. If I were LA, who's already admitted to liking girls, I'd be nervous. Of course, she's got Lacey on her team, which must feel like some sort of insurance. Don't get me started on Lacey. YIKES. If Hell's Kitchen were ruled by laws of rationality and logic, she'd be next on the chopping block. But all you have to do is remember how long Psycho Mattie stuck around last season, and you'll be as worried as I am.

Buckle up, guys, looks like another stormy season. I love this show!

6 comments:

I *love* Le Creuset. The bottom of my favorite pot--a 4 1/2 qt orange French oven--is lost in storage from our move. The top is in my kitchen.

I have absolutely no idea how they came to be separated. Nor do I understand why we can't find the bottom anywhere in our storage unit. :sigh:

I'm almost ready to buy another--except I know that as soon as I do my pot will suddenly reveal itself.

Love your pretty pot. I don't have a Le Crueset but I've been dreaming of one.

I'm very excited about Hell's kitchen this season. What a bunch of ding dongs. I really think I could do better and I know you could.

Take the plunge Gina! So what if you wind up with two?

Kwana, Kristen and I were talking just the other day about what we'd do for our signature dishes! Maybe we should all enter...

I'd enter, but poor Gordon wouldn't be able to do the show properly because of his lust-addled brain.

looks yummy, Louisa!

Nice recap. In addition, have you noticed Colleen? The "alleged" cooking instructor who charges $300 / session but can't even cook a salmon right? She really got into Gordon's nerves! What's bad is Ji, one of the rare ones that Gordon gets to like and praise, had to leave by volunteering to be ousted off the competition due to her injured ankle. Colleen and Lacey, two of the girls from the red team were the ones who we're nominated but at the last minute when Gordon was about to choose whom to eliminate from the two girls, Ji courageously volunteered to be eliminated. What she did was very noble and I do hope that they'd bring her back to the show. I found that she has a website, http://www.chefji.com with photos and you can email and even vote as to whether to have her back to the show.

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