Iron Chef America

[mudbug]

Anyone watch it last night? There was a "making of" show preceding it.

I was hoping this spinoff would be better than it turned out to be. I think I prefer the corny play-by-play done by the Asian folks.

Maybe it will be better when Mario steps up to the range.

 

[htc]

I saw it. It wasn't as bad as the version they had on UPN with William Shatner as host. Though I still like the original. I was actually really impressed with Batali's performance. He did a lot better than I thought he would. He doesn't strike me as a very creative chef (from his show), though he proved me wrong.

 

[LEFSElover]

I watched it, it was just okay in my eyes.
Not a big fan of RB or his cooking/recipes so didn't throw myself totally into it. BF was his usual self. The buffalo main ingredient isn't something I ever want to taste and I thought that the judges were not completely convinced either. JC sort of picked through her food, or at least to me, it looked that way.

 

[Lugaru]

How does it compare to the iron chef america "battle of the masters" episodes? I really liked those and I even got my biased roomie to enjoy them once he noticed the amazing creativity displayed in Mario vs Morimoto and Flay vs Sakai.

And while I really dont like bobby flay and I cant picture watching him week after week, he is an amazing chef and displayed LOTS of creativity vs morimoto and sakai. He also whips out REAL mexican cooking for his central dishes sometimes, which is a treat to watch.

Now while I dont expect the show to match the honest charm of the japanese series, well the first episodes of the japanese series where so-so too. Once Alton Brown get's used to doing live tv (he gets choked up too much) the show should be great.

 

[Ardge]

I watched it, it was just okay in my eyes.
Not a big fan of RB or his cooking/recipes so didn't throw myself totally into it. BF was his usual self. The buffalo main ingredient isn't something I ever want to taste and I thought that the judges were not completely convinced either. JC sort of picked through her food, or at least to me, it looked that way.

Who is RB and JC?

I missed the show! I was working as usual. I never get to see ANY good shows anymore. I really need a Tivo.

RJ

 

[Michael in FtW]

I have mixed feelings about it. The new chairman is a dork ... but then he isn't a professional actor like his Uncle Kaga (sp?). I miss the "commentary panel" - I like AB but I miss the banter among the 3-4 commentary panel members. One thing I don't miss is the old biddy on the right-hand end of the judging panel that was a permanent fixture (Kishi - or something like that) that in the beginning was a fortune teller, then an astroleger, then a real estate agent, and finally a food critic (guess that shows how long I've watched the show).

ICA certainly lacks some of the glamor of ICJ. The ICA set is sparse and lacks the glamor of the original ICJ.

Maybe in time it will get better. Remember, we haven't seen much of the first season of ICJ. Who knows how bad it was in the beginning????

As for Bobby Flaw doing "real" Mexican cuisine??? ... he wouldn't what that was if he tripped over it! The only reason he beat Rick Bayless (who does cook authentic regional Mexican) was by 1 point on plating.

 

[pdswife]

I watched for a few minutes.. but,
I realized that " A GOOD MEN " was on at the same time.
I watched the movie. It's my favorite!!

 

[htc]

Michael, I agree with your take on Bobby Flay (though I don't know how much weight it carries, a Chinese person critiquing Mexican cooking--I don't know how to cook authentic Mexican cuisine, just have tasted it a lot from home cooks)

Though I guess this isn't the forum to argue about whether Flay is competent or not. It's a IC chat, so I'll leave the rest alone.

 

[cooking=love]

I think Rick Bayless should have won. The judges seemed to dislike Bobby Flay's food. They said his buffalo was overcooked twice.
Also, it was a bit unfair using meat that not very many people have eaten.

I dislike Bobby Flay, I wanted him to lose. You are right Michael from FW. Flay does not make "real" mexican. I grew up in the deep south of Texas I know the real thing.

 

[Lugaru]

I grew up in the deep south of Texas I know the real thing.

You know I keep encountering this a lot. Texas is almost the worse thing that has happened to Mexican cooking, the "I know some one who is Mexican so that makes it authentic".

Seriosly, I spent my first 22 years living in Mexico, I know what the real thing is. The real thing is dishes inspired on the Yucatan peninsula, the Michuacan use of fruits, the Puebla use of dried peppers, the Nayarit style seafood... I've seen all this displayed by Flay. I still hate the guy but I can see in his dishes that he know's exactly what he is doing.

 

[Bangbang]

It sucked :!: I won't watch it.

 

[Ardge]

I watched it, it was just okay in my eyes.
Not a big fan of RB or his cooking/recipes so didn't throw myself totally into it. BF was his usual self. The buffalo main ingredient isn't something I ever want to taste and I thought that the judges were not completely convinced either. JC sort of picked through her food, or at least to me, it looked that way.

Who is RB and JC?

I missed the show! I was working as usual. I never get to see ANY good shows anymore. I really need a Tivo.

RJ

So, RB is Rick Bayless I am guessing. Who's JC?

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone???



RJ

 

[Lugaru]

Btw kinda blew up about the texas thing, sorry about that. I've just encountered a lot over the past week (outside of the forum) and I get frustrated when I try to explain it's mostly northern mexican cooking, which is in turn influenced by the US, instead of suthern mexican cooking which is influenced more by europe and the pre hispanic cultures.

 

[Claire]

Didn't see it, boo hoo. I needed to watch the Da Vinci show, and they overlapped here.

 

[htc]

Keep in mind I know NOTHING of Mexican cooking...

Isn't a lot Mexican dishes from Texas called Tex-Mex, which isn't real authentic Mexican food found in Mexico, but original dishes that have been taken and adapated by the U.S., specifically Texas? I thought that is what places like Chevys, Taco Bell, Hosong and Larrys, etc. is.

I know when I go over to a Mexican friend's house, they cook stuff that is WONDERFUL and I never find it in restaurants. Stuff like turkey w/ some sort of mole sauce wrapped in banana leaf, various soups, etc.

Side note--One of my favorite dishes (which I stupidly tried to recreate at home, with disatrous results) is a soup. My friend told me it was made from cow tongue or you could use beef. Don't know the name, but the flavor was PERFECT and we put a little diced onion and this creamy avacado sauce in it.

 

[Michael in FtW]

In Texas we have mostly North-Eastern Mexican border food, and the mix of Northern Mexican and Texican - called Tex-Mex - a cross mix and combination of cultures along the border. Same thing happens in French or Italian - the influence of what's across the border influences the food in a region.

Bobby Flaw, and "his" take on Southwestern food, is more Arizona/New Mexico inspired Northern Mexico/Southwestern (Native American) Indian, than Tex-Mex.

The reason I like Rick Bayless is because he spent time in Mexico learning the cuisine from all over the country ..... Booby Flaw just throws in more peppers that are not from the region .... thinking hotter is more authentic I guess.

 

[Lugaru]

I started another thread to address Mexican american cooking besides other american originals. I do apreciate the Texan influence in mexican cooking (many things originated there) but it's just different to the exotic mexican stuff.

I cant believe they served you the mole with turkey! Hehehe, Its rare to find people who still do this, even in Mexico. Mole is a real marvel... last night I an watched iron chef episode where a Japanese chef who trained in Mexico went up against Kobe and made Mole for the panel. It was like they where drugged, they had no idea what they where eating but they where fascinated. Seriosly any other night the guy specializing in mexican food would of won but that night Kobe gave his best fight ever and scored something like 20 - 20 - 20 -19.

Beef tounge soup? Was it red or clear? It it was red it might have been guajillo or ancho peppers in a beef tounge stew. If it was clear and had hominy it was menudo and while it's great when done right it can be WEIRD when done wrong. Even the canned stuff is weird, although I eat it because I've adquired a taste for it (every one else thinks it smells like dogfood and sometimes I think they are right).

 

[Lugaru]

The reason I like Rick Bayless is because he spent time in Mexico learning the cuisine from all over the country ..... Booby Flaw just throws in more peppers that are not from the region .... thinking hotter is more authentic I guess.

Btw I dont think I've seen Bayless in action... does he have a show on the network? Look's like something I would like to do some more research into.

 

[cooking=love]

Forgive me saying what I know. I know good Tex Mex. People are so fussy! I swear. You have to be so damned exact. Maybe I will stop coming here again.

Michael is absolutely right - Flay cooks New Mexican food which isn't the same at all.

 

[Claire]

I thought menudo was made with tripe. If I'd known you could make it with tongue, I'd have tried it ages ago, because I love tongue. Loves food, don't give up on us. Yes some are more exacting and technical that others. But most of us just are trying to learn more about food and cooking, and aren't all that tied up in being exactly "correct". Many who are not well-travelled will insist that Chinese food only tastes like what is in their neighborhood restaurant, that Mexican only tastes like what they had in a certain city in Mexico, etc. Not only is there "Tex-Mex", there is also New Mexican, and other versions, and many variations within Mexico. And there is nothing wrong with adjusting a recipe to fit the tastes of your audience. Just call it something else and move on!!