Tuesday, October 5, 2010

A few things I'm in love with right now

Both of my sisters and my mom have been Food Network fans for a while now, but I never understood what all of the fuss was about. Now I'm hooked. It all started with Cupcake Wars a few months ago, but the show that really got me hooked is Chopped .


Do you ever watch it? Guest chefs compete in three rounds to make an appetizer, entree, and dessert using mystery ingredients they find out about a few seconds before they have to start cooking. The ingredients are things that don't go well together and they get very little time to make each dish.

It is tense watching the chefs figure out how to make dishes with ingredients like sardines, watermelon, and pepper jack cheese, and fascinating to see what they come up with. The judges taste their meals and then select one chef to get rid of for each round with a blunt, "You've been chopped." I played Chopped in my own kitchen last Sunday night and ended up with cheddar cheese and potato soup and a dish with Asian vegetables and cold salmon patties. If I had been on the show I would have been chopped the first round. It was that awful.

Last week I watched a Masterpiece Theater production of Sense & Sensibility that aired in 2009. Oh, it was so good! I love the one with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet that came out about fifteen years ago, but I like this newer one even more. It's a mini-series, so the running time is longer and the casting is just perfect. I want to buy the DVD.

Have you ever checked out knitwear designer Jared Flood's blog, Brooklyn Tweed? He is a major talent, and although I've never tried any of his patterns, it's fun to just go to his blog and drool over the gorgeous photos of his work. I love his latest design, a triangular shawl called Terra. He calls the lace section an "undulating cousin-stitch of Feather-and-Fan lace motifs." Be still my heart.

So that's a few things I'm in love with this week. I'm working on a new scarf that I want to show you but might not be back until next week because of the move. Hope you have a wonderful week.

8 comments:

Thimbleanna said...

Those are some great things to be in love with! You're so funny -- sorry you chopped yourself out of the kitchen. I used to follow Brooklyn Tweed. I'd follow it again if he'd publish the pattern for that adorable little snowman had he made several years ago LOL!

Theresa said...

Never watched a single one of those shows:( Darn, I will have to catch up! Have a blessed day and that shawl is adorale! Would feel good today! HUGS!

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

I watch the Food Network off and on. I used to watch it religiously but then I was collecting all kinds of recipes and doing nothing with them so I stopped. that shawl is super cute.

Kim's Treasures said...

I love Chopped and Cupcake Wars but hubby is sick of the competition shows. I do tape them from time to time. I really love Sense and Sensibility! One of my favorites!

Can't wait to see your new project!

Kim

Maiden Jane said...

I'm not familiar with the food shows, but I do own S&S and love that adaptation! I love Jared, too, and am amazed he developed a line of yarns. I'm anxious to try it!

Dogwood said...

never watched that show but maybe will need to check it out. next time you visit me in SF, we will go to a interesting ice cream shop where the flavors are very unusual.

love the shawl.

three days until move day. wishing you an easy move. i am excited for you. change is good.

i have been painting on my collaborative art piece this week. fun and interesting!

my ATCs are done and ready to mail.

Linda said...

Sounds like a fun TV show:) Looking forward to seeing your scarf:)
xo
Linda

Susan Gallacher-Turner said...

I agree I love 'Chopped' because they have to be creative with those weird ingredients. I'll have to check out that Masterpiece, I love the Emma/Kate version and own the DVD but will want to see this one, too! Thanks for the 'heads up'.

And that shawl is yummy!