Sunday, August 17, 2008

Aaron McCargo: Belated Review

Once Next Food Network Star 4 ended I pretty much tuned out, and never got around to watching Aaron McCargo's new show Big Daddy's House (all manner of NFNS4-related fun can be found at Food Network Addict). So now that I'm finally catching an episode, here are a few observations as I watch. Think of this as a "semi-live-blog".

  • Aaron is re-doing family recipes like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. I like the explanations of things. I know other chefs do it but it seems so new when Aaron does it.
  • Aaron's father has more hair than either of his sons. Doesn't that usually work the other way?
  • Why rinse off that raw meat? That E. coli can be fun!
  • "I'M Big Daddy!" Yes, sure you are.
  • He's not scared of that big camera-shaped object anymore. That's a nice start.
  • I'e neer seen anyone on the Food Network cook with soda. Nope, not even Paula Deen. Wait - I stand corrected. Does remind me of my copy of Classic Cooking with Coca-Cola, which I lent to a friend of mine, Jeffrey. He was from Atlanta - the story goes that his family had stock in the Coca-Cola corporation. The first time it came up I told him I was a much bigger fan of Pepsi. He was too good natured to be annoyed, but I think he liked my lending him the cookbook. His family has much more money than mine (which is why he had a beach house in Huntington Beach), so he could buy his own damn copy. Jeff recently got married. He didn't invite me - bastard - but in fairness, he had no way to contact me, so I doubt it was personal.
  • Mmmm. Fried chicken. Who says people from Jersey don't eat this stuff?
  • Mmmm. Macaroni salad.
  • Mmmm. Flour and hot grease. Hmmm - a good technique for telling how grease is hot by sticking a wooden spoon in (if the oil bubbles, it's ready). "Don't stick your finger in". God, Aaron, I'm not stupid. I discovered that out a few years ago.
  • That chicken reminds me of a batch of Maryland Fried Chicken I made a few years ago in California. Was good. I could go for some right now.
  • The onions are getting to him. Good time to cut to another scene!
  • Way to get your hands covered with mayo. Another clue he gives the wary cook: use cold noodles for mayo-based salads.
  • Whoa! It's (the macaroni salad's) MISSING something!? That's the first time I've heard that come out of any Food Network personality's mouth. Of course, the thing it was missing was the fried chicken.
  • Aaaaah, a day at the beach. Erm, um, in the back yard.
  • Apple cider-buttermilk sauce? I am intrigued. It's for...
  • The ribs do look good. Listen to him - he's giving instructions on how to remove the bone.
  • Aaron has now stolen La Paula's "Butter Queen" crown with his use of four sticks of butter for that corn.
  • Raw chicken they ate at the beach as kids... ew.
  • Curse you, damnéd Rachael Ray! I knew it had to end.

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