9 month old bok choy? Bok Choy would be like a romaine/celery cross.
The stalks are like a crispy, wider celery - they are very good raw or cooked, like in a stir fry!


First,
Cassiemom, What do you do for excitement?

This is your homework. One day take an hour of your time and go to the Asian market. LOL-think about the problems I had when I went into an Asian market for the first time! Imagine a tall, scruffy Mexican dude that looked like a cross between a hippy and a football player roaming the aisles! That was fun-for me!

Don't freak because of the 'bustle', take your time and check everything out.
Pick a part of the store and do that section -start with the produce!

Here's a clue about the fruits and veggies section- Most of the stuff is just like what you find in a regular store, but with a foreign accent.

Although this isn't the time to waste money, I learned about food by buying a can or a few pieces of produce or veggies that looked like they were good, took them home and cooked/opened/prepared it.....but not before looking for some recipes or ways to prepare them-that is one thing I love about the 'net! Food at your fingertips.

Food shouldn't be intimidating. Imagine all the good stuff you'll never try if you don't take a chance.

Like cactus.
Have you ever eaten cactus? With a scrambled egg and some red or green chile sauce? Like, who thought of that one? My RB GF couldn't get enough of nopales or menudo once she tried them. Nopales (No-pah-less) is paddle cactus, boiled and drained-taste like green beans! Menudo (Meh-new-doh) is tripe soup-pepper pot soup-made of tripe and hominy.That's really an aquired taste-I love it!

Take a chance, you won't regret it!

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Karen.....LOL, what better thing to do than to go into the produce section of an Asian store, walk around, looking at things and saying, "What the..." There are some 'mutant' veggies and fruits but those add to the sensual experience. Touch, smell, sight.....and tastes-if you are sneaky and brave enough. The spice areas are the best, too!

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D&D,

Why were they crumbing on the "French food" kid? Wasn't that the biggest complaint about Amy from last year? They made her travels to France and bistros seem like a crime, then tell this kid he sucks because he's never been? The FN is desperately trying to find niche programs/ethnic cooks to fill their roster-but they don't see that niche programming runs it's course quickly.

Before I forget, anyone notice that Bobby Flay has an indifferent look/attitude when someone else cooks? If it's a recipe he can "borrow" he's all smiles, but when he tastes a dish and proclaims it "good" he acts like he could care less.

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What is it with RR and her "CHEAP" comments? Check out how many references she makes towards being frugal while cooking.

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As far as the "on the road" programs that the FN does.

IT's all a matter of economics.

Any eatery will welcome the free publicity/commerical they can get from the TVFN channel. As you said-and like a RR segment when she travels-people will flock (little 'mindless sheep' joke there) to places that she recommends. Since RR ate there, WE HAVE TO GO!.....Look what a little publicity did for Dr. Kervorkian! Everyone wanted a consultation with him as the news spread!

The TVFN sends out a producer, camera people, sound engineer and the talent. They pay for rooms and salary.

Compare that with how much it costs to run a studio with the staff-TV and food prep, shopping, electricity-With the OTR programs, they go on-site and the restaurants ante up the food, kitchen areas and staff.....the 'talent' just show up and oh and ah about the dishes. They have minimal work to do, the restaurants get exposure and the network gets another show to put on.

The NFNS is really bad and I think it's just a filler/competition for Top Chef/Hell's kitchen.

Last night having the kids talk to the contestants for 10 minutes then disappear was really stupid. Why not have them deisgn a meal and feed it to a studio filled with kids instead of having the RR syncophants there? Why not do a dinner for the charity that RR 'runs'? There was no rhyme or reason for the 'challenge' last night.

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The new show "how did that get on my plate" made me laugh. I watched the promos for it and when the hosts bites into the strawberry I thought, "I know how that gets on your plate! The 'braceros' (farm workers) pick the fruit, box it, put it on a truck and it's delivered to your store......"

Can I have a show?

Oh, I almost forgot.....

They tell Kelsey not to mention she's a recent food school grad, but on the opening shots of the program she's known as a "recent food grad".


And what is a "Hospital caterer-food person"?

At the meetings I went to when I worked in a hospital, they gave you a chit to go to the cafeteria or a sandwich that was either brought in or prepped by the kitchen.

That sounds like a "biological waste control coordinator"-the guy that does the bedpans?