The MindRoom

Epcot Food and Wine Fest 2009

Nov. 28th, 2009 at 8:16 AM

I had promised to blog about this before November was up and hadn't really found the time to do so. So today is the day. Epcots food and wine festival is held every year from the last week of September to the first week of Novemeber. It's a great time and what makes it unique from other food and wine fest is the experience for traveling around the world. If you are a huge foodie chances are you've been to a food and wine fest with more original dishes and over at chowhound some of the folks say Epcot's food and wine fest isn't the greatest fest food wise for the price, I would tend to agree however the experience as a whole is one of a kind and is so much fun. I try to go every year. Samples run from $2.75 - all the way up to a little over 7 dollars varying from dish to dish. Your average dish is about $4.50. beer and wine are sold for decent prices depending on which stands you hit up.

Now there is something no one can seem to agree on, which way do you start? Do you start off in Mexico and work your way around, or do you start off at the other end in Canada and end in Mexico. I like to start off in Mexico with a margarita but others think that is how you should end.
We had to devise a game plan and the one thing we did agree on was not to try to do every country. You get to full before you hit the 4th one, so we went around and when we got to the end, we went back the other way to catch some of the stuff we miss.

New Orleans Banner

Oh and one thing you will notice is the Epcot banners that I loved the design off, each one is a stylized representation of the food in the region I thought they were quite fun. Also before I talk about the food I want to talk about my experiences on different days. I went once near the beginning of the fest, once with a pretty large group in the middle of the fest, once by myself and once at the very end of the fest. I would say if you can try to avoid the very last weekend. It is very crowded and even though I've heard they don't run out of things, I did see that they where. The plates were not as pretty, they seemed messier, like the end of a long haul was coming to an end. The best time to come is weekdays. If you have a season pass, or are vacationing try coming on the weekdays it's the lines are a lot shorter.
Being from Orlando meant that we could get some friends together who have season passes, other friends who work at Disney who can get themselves and a few friends into disney as well. So what we ended up with was a group of people who where able to get in free due to family and friends. Thanks to all of those who helped out. This meant more money to spend on food and drink.
So I guess I'll start off with some of my favorites and work around to a few disappointments. As I am writing this I'm also thinking that I will add in a few tips or secrets about Epcot, I'm no stranger to the park, The world showcase is one of my favorite things about Disney World.

Red Snapper Escabeche

I really can't decide on a number one favorite but I'm going to say I was so fond of this that I have decided to talk about it first.

Barcelona, Spain
Red Snapper Escabeche paired with
Bodega Don Olegario Abarino wine

The flavor was delicious and it was one of the few dishes I thought really was helped by the garnish of veggies on the plate. The wine which was a tad expensive at $5.25 was pared nicely and we both agreed this was this was very flavorful. The snapper dish itself was $4.50 and was plent on the plate to share.
That is what I liked doing the best. It's sort of tapas style small plates and sharing. Somethings were a bit small other things were large enough to be shared. The other nice thing was going with some of the seasonal pass holders who had already been. They could tell you their favorites and those dishes not one of them disappointed me. The tables around the world showcase are set up to be shared with all fest goers. You can meet some pretty interesting people that way, and its fun to ask people what they liked so far.

Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri and Boniato Purree

This was the friends favorite including my husbands choice. One friend ordered two at a time.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri and Boniato Purree $4.75.

There is enough meat and puree to share but most loved it to much to share it.
I have to say I've always been a big fan of what the Argentinians do with their meat, and not on a perverted level. They just seem to have a simplistic approach that Meat, Bread, Wine. It's a win win situation.
Now on a slightly more perverted note, we couldn't stop making jokes about this sausage from Germany. Try eating this around your friends and see what happens.

Nuernberger Sausage on Pretzle Roll

Munich, Germany
Nuernberger Sausage on Pretzle Roll with mustard and a Beck's Octoberfest Beer

Chances are someone is going to make a joke especially when said friends have been drinking around the world, but what isn't to love about a nice sausage on pretzel bread with mustard,
I say if you are going to eat a sausage put it on a preztel roll it turns it really makes a difference.
If you ever go to Epcot and you want to try one of the restaurants but you are having a hard time pleasing the group. Try Epcots Biergarten german buffet, it's around $19 and you can order beers as large as your head. The show inside the restaurant is also fun. It's a good time and it will fill you up.

Fishermans Pie and Lava Cake

Yes what you are seeing off to your right is trash can top being used as a table. Hey it's Disney World it has to be clean. This was a busy area and all the tables where being used so we said, "We see others using trash can tops as tables we can too. What you are seeing here is another favorite of all and two dishes that were large enough to share.

Cork Ireland
Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie $5.50
and Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey's Ganache $2.75

Lots of lobster and scallop in the pie. It was very filling this is one you should share other wise you may get too full too quickly. The Ganache was excellent one of my favorite desserts of the fest and it also could be easily shared between two people.

Tuna Sensation

I usually stay away from the sushi at the japanese pavillion. The reason isn't because it is bad, it's just that its typical sushi fare and I already have an off disney property favorite place to go that uses quality fresh ingredients. If you aren't a foodie or are new to sushi hit it up but if you are a sushi fanatic you may find it a bit boring. Well they did something a little different this year that we thought we would try,

Tokyo, Japan
Tuna Sensation $5.75

This was tuna with avacado and a soy sauce type reduction. The size was small and hardly share-able, in fact one friend bought two and dumped both into one cup it looked like a funny tuna icecream cone in a wine glass. I heard someone in the crowd whining about the price for the little amount but my friend liked it so much he didn't care.

Caramel Ginger Icecream

I'm a huge icecream lover so it's no surprise this was my other favorite desert. It was great on a hot day. You don't have to go to the food and wine fest to get this, even though it is an offereing at the food and wine fest. You can get this at the Lotus Blossom Cafe in China. It's on the menu. This is something two people can share during the food fest, or one person would love on a hot day.

Shanghai, China
Carmel Ginger Ice Cream $3.25

They had a booth called flavorhood sponsered by Edy's but it was just the run of the mill chocolate, vanilla, strawberry ice creams. I would they would have had one flavor that was more wild than mild. So I chose this over the flavorhood. The little flecks of ginger where not over powering, and the carmel was present but didn't take over the icecream it was delious.

Chicken Coconut Soup

There are some grassy areas over by the Thailand booth were people were sitting down picnic style enjoying their dishes. People so perfered the grassy areas that the tables surrounding the area were empty. I was afraid of getting my soup all over me, so I headed for the table.

Bankok, Thailand
Chicken and Coconut Soup - $3.25

I loved the flavors of this. I've had something similar at my favorite thai restaurant in Orlando (Red Bamboo). The only problem I had with this soup was the size. Had it been priced at $2.75 I wouldn't have complained one bit.

Escargots Persollade en Brioche

I have been going to Epcot's Food and wine fest since the first year they have started it, One thing they have always had was the Escargot in France. For those of you going "Eeewww Snails!" I want to tell you if you love the taste and texture of say buttery garlicy mushrooms, you just might love Escargot.

Paris France
Escargots Persollade en Brioche $4.50

The friends raved about them but I swear they were better in years past. I think they used to do just two but they were larger. The problem I had with these is while they were good, it was too my brioche and not enouch escargot. The one without the lid off was the larger of the 3 and the one in the back seemed like it barlely had a piece. Still good but I would rather have two with more escargot and less bread for the same price. Also I wanted to mention if anyone does the famed drinking around the world journey at epcot, don't miss out on the grey goose slushies at that France Pavillion. They are offered year round and are a great cool drink for sunny days.

Dorothea Piave and Mahon Cheese Plate

They had a cheese stand this year called the mouse catch, get it. lol. Anyway I think they had it last year or a few years in a row, this is just the first year I've bought something there.

The Mouse Catch
Dorothea - Dutch Cheese
Piave - Italian Cheese
Mahon - Spanish Cheese

The cheeses were good, the only problem, with the long line I wasn't explained what is what and couldn't find anything in my festival guide explaining which cheeses. I think by the picture they can be indentified. Any cheese experts out there willing to help out?

Lambchop With Red Wine Sauce

I don't remember when Australia became famous for their lamb but I'm sure glad they did. This was everything lamb should be. Easy enough to bit off with a nice sauce that didn't overpower the juicy lamb.

Melbourne, Australia
Lambchop With Red Wine Sauce and Murray River Sea Salt with Rosemount Pinot Noir

We liked that they had wine suggestions for a lot of the dishes the ones we ordered like this one really worked well and accompained the dish lovely.
We learned quickly this was a hard dish to share. Someone is going to end up getting just one small bite, so best to get two. The problem is when sharing you don't know while your in line if it is going to be any good. by the time you taste it and want more you don't want to wait back in line so you move on. This is why it is a good idea to get others opinions. If you are next to people who are eating a good conversation starter is to ask them what they loved. especially if they are comming the opposite way you are, it will give you an idea of some of the popular favorites.

Landjaeger German Sausage with Kona Fire Rock Ale

Brewery Collection
Landjaeger German Sausage $2.25
with Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale $5.25

I can hear the ghost of my ancestors screaming right now, what?? you had a german sausage without a german beer??? but it wasn't that it was that out of all the beer this one was the only one I had never tried. I suppose I should have ordered a hacker pschorr but since there was one beer I hadn't tried I went with that and it was good.
The problem with the sausage is that I had never had it before and it wasn't described well. It's a cold sausage that is cured for 30 days and meant to be eaten slim jim style, or like a small stick of pepperoni. It was really good but it's sort of like thinking your getting one thing and then getting another. On some of these dishes they should elaborate. I am what I would call a semi-foodie I don't know enough to be a foodie but I love food and I'll try anything once as long as it isn't alive or is a developed fetus, or anything having to do with the male reproductive organs of animals. and while I maybe atleast 50% german I didn't know what a landjaeger sausage was until I had one here.

A Taste of Spain

If you aren't quite a foodie, looking to expand your taste horizons but aren't ready to dive off the deep end just yet then this plate from spain is just for you.

Barcalona Spain
A Taste of Spain - olives, tomato bread, manchego cheese, serrano ham and chorizo

This does give you a great idea of some of the insight into the most common ingredients in spain without being elaborate. It is easy to share and a great appetizer.

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki

I have a small problem with the Greece booth. It never comes outside of the popular regular dishes we can get anywhere. Greek Salad can be ordered at many restaurants that aren't even greek. and who hasn't had spanakopita or baklava. I want to see them do a classic Moussaka or Saganaki those are all things semi foodies and non foodies would love.

Athens, Greece
Chicken Souvaki with Tzatziki - $4.00

Messy, get a napkin or 5, but good. Nothing out of the ordinary but filling and the chicken souvaki was flavorful, maybe a little less Tzatziki. Like I said I'm still not thrilled with the booth they seem to offer the same things year in and year out. Maybe it's popular, but come one please, pretty please with Tazatziki on top can you add one new exciting dish to this booth next year.

Mealie Soup with Crabmeat and Chili Oil

So we are on to Africa, So many people I know raved about the mealie soup but I didn't get a chance to try it until the very last weekend of the fest.

Cape Town, South Africa
Mealie Soup with Crabmeat and Chili Oil - $3.25

This is what I am talking about when I say try to avoid the last weekend. While this was good, i felt jyped out of the crab, it was all corn and potatoes. They were serving it out of a large soup pot in which it looked like it was nearing the end. It was still really good, I was just disappointed in the fact that I really couldn't see or taste any crab meat and it was more of a potato and corn chowder with chilli oil. When I hear my friend describe it, it sounds like a different dish, they also noted that I got a little extra chili oil, was that supposed to make up for the lack of crab?

Beef Empanada with Tomato Salsa

Now here is a conflict. If something is good at one booth but upstaged by another dish is it still good? Of course it is but it can be hard to see its merits when there is a shiny A plus big brother towering over.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Beef Empanada with Tomato Salsa $4.25

As you know the number favorite over all and what I ranked as my close second came from Argentina, so this may get over looked but it isn't without it's own merrits. the size was nice and it was flavorful. It was also a kid favorite among those I knew who went with kids I think it may suffer the florida food umbrella sydrome though. Meaning in central florida you can get empanadas almost anywhere (mexican, cuban, etc), perhaps better and cheaper, so I think Disney needs to really think about the florida food umbrella when serving dishes that can be found in florida almost authentically.

Arroz Con Pollo with Dragon Berry Colada

This is exactly the same thing that was wrong with their Puerto Rican booth this year. It's like they hired someone from some where to bring in food when all they needed to do was bring in someone like my friends mom, she'll cook arroz con pollo, she'll cook anything and it will be damn good.

San Juan Puerto Rico
Arroz Con Pollo $3.50
Bacardi Frozen Dragon Berry Colada $7.25

After eating it, we both thought the same thing " It's not as good as Tanya's moms food." When your in central florida, puerto rican food is every where, why wouldn't disney use that to their advantage? Also the dragon berry colada was good but as you can see from the picture its twinker bell size with a beast size price. Could be better .., hire a puerto rican.

Boston Crabcake with Cabbage Slaw and Remoulade

Hops and Barley Market
Boston Crabcake with Cabbage Slaw and Remoulade $4.50

They offered this last year except with a corn and barley salad I liked better than the slaw. and here is the point where someone might point out that while I'm so critical of the puerto rican booth but somehow love the boston crab cake that I am not eating in Boston and rightfully so, but this is florida it's not like boston crab cakes are readily available as say cuban, or puerto rican food. I expect all food to be of quality and freshness but I expect more out of food that is common to the area. If there was a disneyland san antonio and they did a food and wine fest and there mexican and tex-mex was not as good as the area you'd be shaking your head too.

Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime

This was actually the very first dish I tried and I'm glad I love food because after tasting this I might as well turned around and went home. While the shrimp was cooked perfectly the rest of the dish fell flat.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime - $4.25

The sauce was not very flavorful, I didn't get any coconut flavor and the rice was just okay. It felt like the rice was in a holding pen just waiting for people, no seasoning and introduced too much to the florida elements. The shrimp you could eat, the rest of the dish you could throw away and not even miss it. That said the size was decent if you wanted to suffer through some medocre rice, but still if not one shrimp a piece.

Grand Marnier Parfait with Orange Coulis

I think this is another case of last minute ruins everything. I had this the last weekend, and the booth was running out of things and was in such a hurry.

Desserts and Champagne Booth
Grand Marnier Parfait with Orange Coulis

This could have been devine, and I'm sure it was really good. The one I got was a little freezer burn and frozen solid in the middle with way too much orange coulis.

I can see that this was probably good, at some point, but not when I ate it and I was sad because I was looking forward to trying this dish.
I don't want to end on a sad note because Epcot is awesome there are many great restaurants there you must try from around the word showcase.
The equation is simple open mindedness + appetite + good friends and or family = a hell of a good time.
and omg this post is so long I was going to post my tips and fun stuff about epcot year round but maybe I'll do that in a follow up post. but eat drink be merry and here is the epcot canta-loopy how can you not love the name.

Canta-Loopy

Okay don't pull my arm. If you want to know the best drink price for beer during the food and wine fest it is at the japan booth 20 oz for $7.75. The Sam Adams Fest beer for 22 oz is $12 something and it is very good but the bargin is the kirin .
Well I have more to write but I guess I will save it for another blog about epcots year round world showcase fun. Including drinkinging around the world, the snacks around the world, and the lesser known things around the world

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov. 26th, 2009 at 12:49 PM

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Out to get my nana, Lets hope her wheelchair fits in my bug

New Moon 6 degrees of seperation

Nov. 24th, 2009 at 10:54 AM

A twihard friend of mine asked me if Nick may know any of the crew on the twilight saga. Nope but we did have fun trying to do 6 degrees.
Dr. Carlisle Cullen in New Moon is played by Peter Facinelli who plays Dr. Fitch Cooper with Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie. Edie Falco played Celeste Cunningham in NBC's 30 Rock with Jack McBrayer who played in the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshal with Jason Segel. Jason Segel played Jason in the movie Knocked up with Katherine Heigl who plays in the tv show Grey's Anatomy with Eric Dane who played in the movie Marley & Me with which Nick Colvin worked on whom I am married to.

Has anyone ...

Nov. 22nd, 2009 at 3:53 PM

Has anyone finished a tube of chapstick before losing it?

I don't think I ever have.

WTF is the Internet - Reworking my LJ part one.

Nov. 18th, 2009 at 11:07 AM

I've seen the heydays of live journal. I've seen friends shuffle in and shuffle out. I've made some great friends on here, and kept up with friends through lj. Comrades, old coworkers, people I respect and admire, those of you who are still here, who are still on my friends list are some of those people.

However lj has become a little bit of a toilet for sewage spewing tongues, a dumping ground for pathetic miserable people. It's quite laughable and I'm flattered when those take so much time out of there lives to dedicate to hating on me. I'm guessing it makes them feel better, but if they think I give two shits about what they think they are sorely mistaken. So to them I say.

YOU ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE BALL LICKERS!

Like I said I am flattered, however I think that the time spent trying to dig on me could have been used in other ways. If those were looking to make fun of people so that they feel better I have a better way you can feel better about yourself and accomplish something. It's called http://www.freerice.com/ . For ever answer you get right 10 grams of rice are donated to help fight the war against starvation. Also there are plenty of volunteer programs availble in your city especially during the holidays. These are the types of activities that make you feel better about yourself. There is nothing better than the joy of giving.

They so desperately wanted me to notice them that one of them anonymously wrote a comment in my last personal post linking me to their community and their post, which I deleted. This causes me to realize that I need to redo my journal and my settings.

I haven't really posted much, and I'd like to get back into my live journal, if quality people are still around here. So I will be reworking my live journal. Anyone who has wanted to defriend me can do so no hard feelings.

Once I rework my journal it will be 90-95% friends only and without anonymous comments. I also want to make people aware of the things I post. My life and the things that inspire me which may also include personal images.

I don't use LJ cuts. Well, okay, I'll use them for when I'm posting spoilers, or whatever, but I pretty much never use them on posts that are merely long or include images.

If I'm reading someone's journal, it's because I want to read their journal. Similarly, if I'm saying something, it's because I want to say it. Cutting a post for length is inconvenient to me as a reader, and as a writer, it strikes me as being all weirdly apologetic ("Terribly sorry, good sirs, let me hide my feelings behind this hyperlink. I'd so hate to trouble you with them...") I just don't dig that. I mean, if you can't be verbose and express yourself on the internet, where can you?

Now, that's my opinion. Different people have different browsing habits and different opinions on this matter, and I respect that. I'm just telling you how I do things in my journal. If that's a deal-breaker for you, that's okay. You can unfriend me or put me on your siberian filter or whatever and that'll be just fine. Really.

Just, please, for both our sakes, don't come around to some post I've spent way too much time on and add some comment asking me to cut it for length or images.

Sweet Tooth in NYC seeks addiction fix

Nov. 7th, 2009 at 1:42 PM

I miss NYC I don't want to live there, it's too cold but if I could teleport myself there to grab some food and have an entertaining night I would. I found a place I'd love to try next time I'm there. The Momofuku Milk Bar.

Owner and Chef Christina Tosi does some very interesting things with commercial food treats.

Compost_cookie

1 comment

Her Compost Cookie is a chewy-crunchy, salty-sweet, hot mess of corn flakes, coffee grounds, graham cracker crumbs, potato chips, and butterscotch chips. I can't imagine what it taste like but the potato chips must give it that saltiness that combinds with the sweet. I'd sure love to try it. If anyone has tried it what does it taste like?

Fruity_cereal_cookie

They also serve a fruity pebbles and marshmellow cookie only on Saturday's and Sundays. This is also quite interesting but this one seems very sweet. I'm sure kids love it and perhaps that is why they serve it only on the weekends. Tosi is like what would happen if willy wonka was a pastry chef.

Another Item I would be dying to sink my sweet tooth into is the candy bar pie. This thing is glorious. I don't even have to taste it to know it would be one of my favorite pies of all time. I mean look at it, it's a mound of all kinds of candy bar parts topped with chocolate and pretzles. This is what dreams are made out of, or atleast my dreams.

Candy_bar_pie_side

The thing Christina Tosi is most famous for is her cereal milk which she makes by toasting corn flakes and steeping them in sweetened milk, and is used to flavor soft-serve ice cream, milk, and pie. It is said to be so flavorful. It probably brings back childhoos memories, of slurping the last little bit of milk out of the cereal bowl.

My inner child is screaming for joy next time I'm in NYC. I am making a beeline to the milk bar.

Molly

Oct. 18th, 2009 at 8:32 PM

Nick and I had organized our cds. It was neat to see all the old cds we have bought over the years. Especially the 90's rock like Nirvana Unplugged, Sponge, EverClear. We don't buy cds like we used to, now its all 99 cent songs from itunes. I kinda miss the cds it gives you are representation of the musicians art of music. There are some cds worth buying GreenDay's Dookie, sure you could by the 3 or four popular songs from itunes by the cd it's self has so much more, and there are some on there that I loved that never became that popular.

Also I love my music with substance. How a song can tell a story, or express and emotion. I need more to my musical lyrics that bubble gummy fluff Pop. I want real human emotions and stories and I think I seem to be seeing less and less of that lately in the music that is coming out. I realized this while listening to Sponge's Molly yesterday.

The song tells a story of a young women who so deeply loved a man who could not return her love. She attempts to commit suicide. I can't tell if she actually does succeed in comming suicide. The lyrics "Sixteen Candles down the drain could be interpretted several ways. As in Dying, or as in innocence and happiness lost. I also find Sponge to be one of the most Under rated 90's bands with hits like plowed,molly,wax estatic, have you seen mary? they deserve to be recognized. Also I remember singing the lyrics wrong. For the longest time I thought he said cigarette stains on your ass. I was wondering how that was possible.

Molly

see you naked in the bath
cigarette stains on your hands

wilted flowers in a vase
i ask how are you

yeah how are you

i see your lipstick on your glass
i think you're drunk I start to laugh
i find your note the letters ran
it said i loved you, yeah I loved you

don t ask why (6)

sixteen candles down the drain

watch you passed out for a while
i touch your face you start to smile
on your note is my reply
i wished i loved you, I wish I loved you

don t ask why(6)

sixteen candles down the drain

Sep. 4th, 2009

10:29 PM

Jen

Jen's real last name is Norris.

* She walks into a pastry shop and the pastries cream themselves.
* She boils water just by staring at it.
* When she cuts onions, she makes them cry
* Salmon swim upstream to find her.
* the e in ceviche is just honored to be there in her presence even if she doesn't acknowledge it.

Top Chef Season 6 -"Are you the Pastry Chef?"

Aug. 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 PM

Contains Spoilers*

Last year I did a few blog entries about Top Chef but season 5 was lackluster and medocre at best, Hosea won? Really,?... too bad Carla did so poorly. Anyway this season is a whole new ball game. There is sooo much talent, James beard nominees, etc. I don't think Hosea would even make it half way through with this group. Since this is the premiere I will go over some thoughts and some cheftestants and do an overview. I'm excited because we haven't seen this much talent all at once on TC. I suspect that perhaps TC listened to the cries of fans who thought the last season's winner wasn't up to snub, and not of the caliber of season 4 finalist.

17 people is a lot to remember in a first episode, you usually only remember the good and the bad and first impressions can go a long way as well.

My thoughts on the cheftestants

* Jen C. - she has a lot of cred and she's confident and has the thick skin you need in the restaurant industry. She worked at Le Bernadain before Eric Ripert sent her off to run his new restaurant in Philly. She's made boys cry, she has talent, and obvious drive but what is with pronouncing Ceviche as Sah-Vich. I thought maybe ceviche can be pronounced more than one way but I don't think so. Maybe she's heard people with thick french accidence who muddle the word a bt, I'm not sure. It struck me as odd but she obviously knows what she is doing as she won the quickfire and the money.

* Hector - Here is a man who sounds exactly how he looks. I understood why he fried his steak, I think he had a great concept it just fell short with the vice and the challenge. Latin food isn't something Top chef is accustom to either and that can be good or bad for him, he just has to bring it every time and with his creditials I think he can if he focuses.

* Red Beard aka Kevin - Here is an interesting young man, 26 I think he is the youngest this season but this kid has a lot of potential, he has potential sweating out of his pores. He reminds me a little of Blais coming from Atlanta and having a new edge on food. He will be around for a while he just has to make sure he can keep up with some of the more seasoned, experienced chefs.

* Michael Isabella - okay dude I get it, you think you are funny but you can only make one off handed remark per a few episodes before people start to wonder. I think he thinks he is being funny but most people don't think remarks such as "Can't let the girl beat me", When asking about Jen C. saying "Are you the pastry chef?' because damn women can't really be in charge lol. and I think there was another quote in there. He may be just getting pegged as this seasons villian, I really hope he just shuts up and cooks because I'd like to see a little greek/middle eastern food coming out of Top Chef.

* Eve - My thought is that she needs to pull herself together and just go for it. She is too nervous and timid going into this. If she was on last season I'd think she'd do quite well but can she hang with this group. She's the one I hope to see really grow from this. I think she has it in her, it's just a matter of helping her pull it out and cultivate it.

*Jen Z. - Her gauged ears is all I could focus on at first. I could stick a banana through her ear! I think she is a decent cook but no where near the rest of the pack. Setian, most people know setian as that nasty chewy wheat gluten crap that only vegans who have no taste buds eat. it's just not top chef quality when you can vertially use any protien you so desire in this challenge. I think she forgot one key point in this competition, this isn't about cooking the food at the restaurant you work at, this is about you and your point of view and she didn't carry that through.

Michael V. - he has a rugged bad boy charm about him who I'm willing to bet is quite the mama's boy. He chose women as his vice not surprisingly and then, tried to muffle his vice with his las vegas inspired description maybe because of the other Michaels comments. I think this guy is a contender I think we'll see him around and maybe even in the finals. top 4 perhaps? His dish and play on words was great and Tom was as giddy as a school boy who just saw his first pair of boobs ever. "hahaha it's a rack of lamb, get it? hahahaha!" That wasn't a quote from Tom just a quote from Tom's inner child

Brian V. - He is also a very solid contender, His restaurant VOLT - yes it is all capitols, is getting rave reviews, he is the sensable older brother of Michael but is he willing to take risks in this competition, if anything I think that is what will hold him back.

* Ashley - Wow it took me a minute, I don't think she is super manly looking, I think she needs to pluck her eyebrows and get a differet haircut and then we will see. With that said she has a real quiet strength about her and she knew where she was every step of the way. She's got that italian inspired thing going on so I think she is going to have to work really hard to show originality because we are so used to pastas, raviolis etc. They didn't show the edits of her food being judged and so its kind of hard to see what the judges think about her yet.

* Mattin and his cravat - I would swear the guy is only pretending to be french, I think maybe its because he's trying to appeal to americans and kind of plays up what he thinks americans like about the french. You don't have to wear a cravat to show you are french, you can show it in your food. He seems likable enough I'm just not sure where he belongs in the lineup yet.

* Ron - I find him interesting and soulful. There are a lot of others on there that are a lot more versed and decorated than him but if he sticks to what he is about he can hang in there. I honestly think the vice challege he took it to me struggle, he's hatian and if not explained correctly anyone who's second language is english can misinterpret. People struggle with vices, and instead of thinking of inner struggles like indulgence, morals, etc he thought of an outer struggle such as his journey over from Haiti.

* Preeti - She looks like such a cute little boy, but again I think it is the hair. Speak up at tell them you don't know how to shuck clams. The team itself is a mess, they all announced what they would like to do instead of who would be good at it and focus on peoples strengths and weakenesses. She is trained and maybe she could fill the void of what we really wanted in Rahdika which was new style modern twist using the indian culture as a base.

* Ash NYC - Doesn't he feel alone, only new yorker, only gay man there. We got a lot of info about him in the biography part but I really didn't notice him in the challenges. He has hit middle of the road for now, not standing out as the best or the worst. He needs to find a power play and play it.

* Eli - He's a CIA grad and he has to step up a little more but at the same time be a bit humble. I think it would be a good thing for him to befriend Red Beard, they are both ATL and even though I don't see Eli winning this I can see him coming out with a few good friends, networking, and some new growth.

* Robin - I had mixed feelings about her choosing immunity with her gold chip. It's a tough call for her because its the first elimination challenge and you don't know how everyone cooks, you can be confident and know that you can't be the worst, and try and win the money and send a message to everyone that you aren't afraid of being ellimated anytime soon, or you could play it safe and keep the immunity. but maybe keeping the immunity says "I'm serious about winning the final prize and nothing is going to sway me". Either way you look at she is a toughie who is willing to stick in. I think I read somewhere that she kept her restaurant open while she was battling lymphoma, now that is a fighter.

*Jesse - I like her, I think she can cook and she knew what was wrong with her dish and she wasn't afraid to say it. Lets hope she does better because she is one that could go farthen in the competion if she works hard and grows from the experience.

* Laurine - I couldn't remember her name but I could remember her face, she is the only caterer here who has not owned her own restaurant, she's doing very well so far. The catering biz is similar to top chef challenges in the way of weird demands and little time she seems to have that under control.

What did I think of the episode itself?

Challenges

QuickFire - Mise en Place - I really think this is more of a prep for mise en place challenge. Mise en place really means having everying in place to work. at a sub shop that would mean having your stations of meat, cheese, and veggies ready, where as you did the the prep that morning. Mise en place to me means setting up your station with what you need and how you like it. Anyway my big issue was with the team Preeti was on. She spoke up a little late but the team didn't work as a team now I'm going to relate food prep to something you never every heard of relating it to, competive swimming.

There is a medally race in swimming, all four strokes 4 swimmers those are the best swimmers you have, however none of them are that great at the butterfly stroke. and two of them are tops in the breast stroke. you have to find out who is best at the butterfly out of your group just to get your through the first round. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a great player who is better at something else to do a job that they are just okay at doing. They didn't, that team didn't even get to round two.

Wolgang Puck - can we have him again as a guest judge he was awesome, funny yet also had some constructive critisism.

I'm still not a fan of Padma

Elimination Challenge;

Drinking seemed to be the number one vice, not suprisingly but it would be nice to see more different things, was drinking chosen a lot because it was so easy? or because that is the number one vice?

Still this is going to be a fantastic season. So I'm super excited

5 truths 1 lie

Aug. 21st, 2009 at 9:18 PM

A take on 2 truths one lie because I wanted to make it harder. I also encourage others to blog about their 5 truths and 1 Lie, it could be a fun way to learn more about each other. Lets see if I can fool you guys.

1. My best friend died July of 1989 we were 10 years old, she was only 2 weeks older than me. 6 years later when I was 16 I had a dream about her telling me someone close to me would get sick. The next week my brother came home with flu like symptoms, I pushed my parents to call the doctor and get him to the hospital, if I didn't his appendix would have ruptured and he would have most likely died, it is close to the same thing my friend had died of.

2. When I was 18, a trip to New Smyrna Beach just a few hours from my home almost proved fatal to me. I was out with my younger brothers quite a bit from shore learning how to surf when a bull shark entered our area. they circle around you before they attack, they were circling and my brother made the bold move to ask all of use to keep our extremedies out of the water and work on riding a weak wave into shore with only our finger tips grasping onto the boards as we sat atop. If it wasn't for that one of us might have been shark bait.

3. I was involved in a bar fight where I kicked two guys asses for making fun of me and my friend in a contest that we won and which gave the whole bar 2 free drinks. I thought they were ungrateful little fucks so after much Jager and some prodding I dumped a big bucket of ice water (you know, the bucket that carries 5 beers), on the one guys head while he sat at his seat after that he was shocked and I pushed the bucket on his head and gave it a knock like ringing a bell, when he took it off I splashed his pitcher of beer in front of him all over him. The other guy was up on stage singing karoke so I grabbed my friends pitcher of beer and threw it at him, loosing my grip on the pitcher it contected with his jaw.

4. I was born with a birth defect in my knees, they both turn inward, my doctor did not opt for any experimental surgery back then, if she had, I would have been in a wheelchair until I was atleast 8 and the surgery wouldn't have helped much. She suggest rollerskating and other exercises to help with me knees, it did help but my one knee is still a little turned in. To this day I still get leg aches and sometimes have to prop my knee up in bed or use a heating pad. Also I have very bad vision I can not see the big E on the eye chart without my contacts.

5. While baby sitting some kids when I was 16 at my house I got a knock on the door. It was the Orlando bomb squad, they were calm as they told me that I need to vacate the area. I told them that my family was out and that my sister had taken the car but she would be back in 1 hour and a half. The men politely told me that she would not be allowed back into our neighborhood. Turns out that my neighbor right across the street, who was a war enthusiast and had bought was he thought was a war trophey that he had sat on his coffee table. One day it started ticking, he called our county firemen, who alerted the county bomb squad, who said this thing is too big for us to take care of and alerted the Orlando bomb squad. The guys who came to my door stressed that one minute we could be talking and the next minute - Kaboom!. Just luckly the one guy got a radio call that a father was here to pick up his daughter and the kids she was babysitting and get them safe. We stayed at my aunts. Turns out the war trophey was actually an armor piercing tank missle capable of blowing up several city blocks.

6. After a stint at art school I had come back to live with my parents and managed to get a job as a clerk/ art assistant for an armory and sword shop. I felt more like a girl friday but my job included answering phones, research and developement, and actually creating the patterns the armors used to cut the stainless steel from, we did everything from sexy female armor, to SCA armor, to horse armor. I soon leaped into a project manager role and had a lot of respect of the crew and the armorers, the problem is that I didn't have the same respect from the customers. They always wanted to speak to a man on the phone and often asked, is an armorer there? Time and time again, I would give in and allow them to speak with an armorer who always said, "I don't know you should ask my manager that question, and would hand me back the phone. As a joke I became Larry and no one ever asked to talk to anyone after I said my name was Larry. The name stuck.

So what is truth and what is fiction? What is the one lie? and I want all of my friends to do this. It should be fun so even if you don't comment here, do your own, I'd love to see it.

Top Chef Season 6 -"Are you the Pastry Chef?"

Aug. 21st, 2009 at 9:18 PM

*Contains Spoilers*