by Joi on December 31, 2009
Are you a cablevision customer? Do you love Food Network? Would you greatly miss Alton, Paula, Rachael, Ace and Guy if they suddenly stopped coming into your living room?
If you’ve answered yes, yes, and you bet I would – it’s time to act before it’s too late.
Food Network may be dropped from your TV lineup. That would mean no more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, no more Paula Deen, no more Bobby Flay, no Alton Brown, no Rachael Ray and no more Ace or his cakes. Good Lord! I can’t even imagine.
What can you do? Demand that Cablevision keep Food Network on the air by sending an eCard or calling 866-695-BEST. Due to the high volume of calls you may receive a busy signal, just keep trying. You can also send an eCard.
Spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, to your e-mail buddies, and around your neighborhood.
If you rely on Cablevision for your television viewing (at this moment I’m EXTREMELY thankful that I do not), rally the troops and save this wonderful channel. How ridiculous for cablevision to even THINK about ditching The Food Network. I’ll bet a lot of the other ridiculously stupid channels aren’t even being considered.
Speak up and speak out!
For more information and to stay up to date on the situation, check out I Love Food Network.
by Joi on December 4, 2009
If you or someone you know is as hooked on Ace of Cakes as I am, here’s something you have to look into: Food Network Ace of Cakes: Seasons 1-3!
Yes, please.
I actually had a major dental procedure yesterday which meant coming home and crashing for the rest of the day. I would have loved to have had a stack of Ace of Cakes episodes to help me recover – watch a few I Love Lucys, then a few Ace of Cakes, then a few Andy Griffiths (oh that Barney)….
From the Website:
If you can dream it, Duff Goldman and his team of artists and bakers Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes can make it into a cake. As Duff says, “this is not your mom’s cake shop.”
Duff’s rock n’ roll spirit and endless creativity makes him one of most wildly inventive culinary artisans you’ll ever meet.
Season 1 Disc One Episode 1: Triple Crown Cake Episode 2: Hell Week Disc Two Episode 3: Wedding Cakes and Headaches Episode 4: Life’s a Zoo Disc Three: Episode 5: Duff Goes to Hollywood Episode 6: Cake Walk
Season 2 Disc One: Episode 1: The Boss is Gone Episode 2: Four Weddings and a Rat Episode 3: Great Scot Episode 4: Monkey Business Disc Two: Episode 5: Tributes and Tribulations Episode 6: Flying High Episode 7: Milestones and Monuments Episode 8: Cake-Tastrophe Disc Three: Episode 9: Shell Shocked Episode 10: Dr. Duff Episode 11: Playing Games Episode 12: The Super Cake
Season 3 Disc One: Get ready for more great cakes from the crew at Charm City Cakes. “Wedding Bells and Shotgun Shells”, “Tattoos and Traditions”, “Mary(Alice) Go Round”, and “Challenge Road Trip” are four great episodes that should satisfy your cake cravings. Disc Two: Go into sugar shock with four more delicious episodes. “Wishes Granted”, “Rock & Roll”, “Stadium Games and Eating Brains”, and “Battleships and Birthdays” feature amazing cakes that highlight the incredible creations of Duff and the Charm City Cakes crew. Disc Three: From classic board game cake, to a tank cake, to holiday traditions, Duff and the gang bake up a storm for the final five episodes of the season. “Charms and Charities”, “Uncle Sam Wants Duff”, “Coach Duff”, “Charm City Christmas”, and “Hairspray Premiere” include many memorable creations from the team. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired. Plus, each disc contains exclusive bonus footage! Join Duff and his team on a behind-the-scenes tour of Charm City Cakes, listen to Duff talk about color, the inspiration behind the cakes, living where you work, and more!
If you’ve never had the pleasure of watching Ace of Cakes – buy these DVDs and find out what all the fuss is about. I don’t know how they make a series about cake decorating so addictive, edgy, and fun – but they most certainly do. It’s like chocolate for your brain and I have no intention of ever missing a bite.
by Joi on November 20, 2009
As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!
This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household. I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.
I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:
- Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
- Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
- Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
- Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first. You can always add more but you can never add less.
- Keep your cleaning tools clean.
- Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
- NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
- Fall in love with Olive Oil.
- Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
- Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves. Make your own biscuits.
- Take pride in everything you make.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices.
- Rosemary loves chicken.
- Basil loves tomatoes.
- Use fresh ingredients.
- Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
- You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!
These are the tips I dish out the most often. Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time. I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites
, pictured above) However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.
There are several reasons. For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best. Bottom line: They know what they’re talking about! Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.
Another reason is this: You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have. It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.
When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side. It became so much work that I stopped doing it. However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there! I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category. Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day. They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.
Today on the Food Network!
Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
3:30, 2:30 C
Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract
8:00 pm, 7:00 C
Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork
8:30 pm, 7:30 C
Ace of Cakes – Cake-tastrophe
9:30 pm, 8:30 C
