Food Blog:
Cook In.
Eat Out.
Miss Tenacity.
New Mexico.
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Thursday, April 14
Stop The Extravagance!
I realize that the celebrity chef 'thing' is huge, and that cooking is the new knitting, and that pyramid dinner party schemes are last week's news.... but it seems no trend is immune from pure exploitation.
First, there's the complete makeover of Food Network in the last decade. Then, at the same time a general upward nudge of mid-grade restaurant food is occuring, which can be both good and bad. [Here's why: when a place that can't quite cook a piece of meat or veg exactly right starts having tasting menus and including faux-impressive courses like "Braised Armpit of Swallow with a Bostwela-Tarragon Demiglace and Lumpia Coulis", things can only get ugly. You've got to be able to cook before you can create truly outstanding things that people will happily pay mucho dinero for. There are some places where the quality of the food has inched up slightly, and diners are more educated now so some of the mediocre food won't fool them behind the flowery prose. This is good. Unfortunately, I think the former occurs more often than the latter. That's my beef. But read on, there's more....]
Finally, this week in a local paper, is this advertisement for a class:
"Do you like chicken Caesar salad? Would you like to learn how to make one as yummy as those in restaurants? Join this class tonight at XXXXXXXX. The cost is $35."
And this lovely specimen:
"Cooking 101 -- Today at XXXXXX, the first of a two-part cooking class for those of us who somehow manage to burn salad. Basic cooking skills will be taught from 6:30-9 pm. Learn about all things soupy, saucy, starchy, vegetable-y, and meaty. The cost is $79."
Yes, that's right. Seventy-nine dollars to learn how to not burn salad. Hell, come over to my place and throw me a Ben Franklin and I'll show you how to make a stunning and perfect hard boiled egg - not just "as yummy" as restaurants, no! - far, far better. You'll leave confident in your strut-worthy prowess and feeling peaceful at your zen-like synthesis with the albumin, chalaze and yolk. Call me for details.**
I've been to a few cooking demos and classes, and at each one I was taught some new, amazing, and advanced techniques, fed some great food (usually a whole meal WITH wine), and enjoyed myself for 3 hours. None of the classes cost more than $30. That's my kind of cooking class. I get something, the cook gets something (a chance to try out something they've been thinking about but didn't have the time to really flesh out), and everyone is buzzed and happy.
**Yes, I'm kidding. Please don't call. Unless you really have the Ben Franklin to spare.
Time posted: 22:05 [permalink]
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CONTACT ME: tenacity -at- gmail.com
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