Barefoot Contessa

[Toots]

I have some of Ina's cookbooks and I've made several of her recipes. I love her show (and she does remind me of Martha but I love Martha too - LOL). the show is filmed in her kitchen in the Hamptons. I don't think she tapes too many shows anymore.

[Maverick2272]

And aren't you and your loved ones worth it??

That's no fair! Arguing with that would make one seem as if they didn't think their loved ones were worth it!

Oh wait, in that case I can feel free to argue, sorry DW!!

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by GB

Those people are not watching Ina on FoodTV which is a cable channel. If they are then they could choose to buy better food over buying cable TV.

In my case that would mean being able to buy an extra $40 a month in groceries, which means if food was scarce the cable would be dropped in a heart beat. Our policy has always been the kids and family come first. So for us, there is no choice between cable and food, it is a no brainer.

At the same time, I am sure there are plenty of people out there that could never afford to make every single meal the way she does, but may still choose to watch it for entertainment value. I know I do that. And I am sure that there are also plenty of people out there that can afford to make her recipes but only on occasion, should they stop watching just because they can't eat and live like her every day?
My budget is my budget, and it allows for good healthy meals for my family before paying for cable. But, Would I drop the cable just so I can buy Kobe beef instead of Black Angus for every recipe that calls for beef? No, not worth it for me. For that matter given the price difference there, I think that would only cover maybe one meal for my family of five in exchange for cable. No thanks!

At the same time, if I were to buy only the best ingredients of everything for every meal, as suggested by some here, I would break my budget by about 200% per month, so all the cable dropping, cell phone turning off, no eating out or going out at all, in the world would make up for that...

You have to find your own balance, and prioritize what is important to you. In my case, some stuff I do get the best of or at least a high quality product, but not everything. A good chef, in my opinion, doesn't have to rely on having only the best ingredients available to turn out a family meal everyone can enjoy... for that matter if they can be a good chef only by using the best ingredients there are, well then they need to go back to school, IMHO, because there is more to cooking than just the ingredients used.

In fact, I think that would make an even more interesting Iron Chef episode, make the five Iron Chefs make gourmet meals on ingredients and cooking utensils available just to the average middle class American family.. I am not poo-pooing chefs that use gourmet ingredients, just suggesting that IMHO that would make for an interesting show indeed.

I am not denying the fact that the more involved in cooking you get, the more those better ingredients call to you and the more you appreciate and understand the difference. But a budget is a budget, and for us trading an entire months entertainment for one gourmet meal is just not worth it.

But, that is us, so I only speak for myself, and am not pointing fingers at anyone on here nor putting anyone on here down. It's just a perspective... and I do agree with GB, if the choice is bread on the table or FN, I would choose the bread too. Hard to laugh at the Comedy Network shows when your kids are hungry...

[babetoo]

Originally Posted by GB

Those people are not watching Ina on FoodTV which is a cable channel. If they are then they could choose to buy better food over buying cable TV.

well guess i am one of "those people" i can't afford expensive vanilla . and my son pays for my direct tv. i do however try to buy a good med. price of anything i buy, including vanilla.

and mine is not cable it is satilite sp?

don't mean to be rude, but just because one wants something does not mean

they can afford it.


babe

[GB]

I did not mean to speak in such generalities and come across as I did. Please accept my apologies babe.

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by babetoo

well guess i am one of "those people" i can't afford expensive vanilla . and my son pays for my direct tv. i do however try to buy a good med. price of anything i buy, including vanilla.

and mine is not cable it is satilite sp?

don't mean to be rude, but just because one wants something does not mean

they can afford it.


babe

Nice son! Musta raised him right

[babetoo]

Originally Posted by GB

I did not mean to speak in such generalities and come across as I did. Please accept my apologies babe.

very gracious of u GB. i get testy sometimes.


babe

[babetoo]

Originally Posted by Maverick2272

Nice son! Musta raised him right

i like to think so maverick. he also owns and pays for my home. because of the murder of his father, my retirement plans were derailed and i can't do it myself. his help allowed me to get as well as i can be mentally since the event.

babe

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by babetoo

i like to think so maverick. he also owns and pays for my home. because of the murder of his father, my retirement plans were derailed and i can't do it myself. his help allowed me to get as well as i can be mentally since the event.

babe

My point exactly, most kids these days i do not think would do that. He isn't on here, so its my way of giving him kudos every chance I get.

[LEFSElover]

Originally Posted by ChefJune

The "proper" name for "Swede" is rutabaga. Thankfully, turnips are something else again.

Rutabaga... the one vegetable I can happily live forever without!

I have A+ blood and am a veg/fruit woman by nature.
But I have never met a Rutabaga that I even thought of enjoying.
My mother used to try and pry my mouth open and force us little girls to eat them saying how wonderful they were. Oh my Lord, what a fiasco those nights were.
Mind you I adore vegetables of any and all kinds, even the weird ones.
But to my way of thinking rutabaga's should be banned from any table any time.
In other words ChefJune, I completely agree with you.