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Good Eats

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I have recently become totally addicted to the show Good Eats from the Food Network, which I had never heard of before joining Peace Corps.  One would think that this would be the ideal time to learn some new delicious cooking techniques, but I've mostly reverted to bachelor mode and eaten the food equivalent of unleaded petrol: giant pots of rice and beans for 3-5 days at a time.  The incentive of delicious food simply wasn't enough to persuade me to cook interesting things.

Alton Brown (the host) brings a Bill Nye-style approach to his show and explains a lot of the underlying science behind whatever he's cooking.  For me, the explanations are key.  Some time ago I took the Myers-Briggs personality test, and while I take it with a grain of salt, one result that definitely fits with my self-perception is a love of theorizing.  I do love to eat delicious meals, but what overcame my laziness is understanding what's happening when I throw the ingredients in the skillet.

Of course, I'm not even remotely close to an expert.  It's a new hobby, and who knows, I might get bored with it in a few months.  But for right now it's great fun.
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  1. thesixkillerlibrarianJune 7, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    Now enter the food-obsessed world never to emerge the same. I discovered Alton Brown some 8 (plus minus) years ago and my passion has just gotten stronger. This isn't all credited to him, but he made me realize there is more to food than following recipes. Understanding is KEY, mastering techniques and ratios are the foundation to being a good cook.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RyanJune 7, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    I can't wait to get back home where I can use a stove where I can control how hot the burners get. And has some countertops.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RyanJune 7, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Er, that should read some kitchen countertops.

    ReplyDelete

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