I'm Just Here For More Food

I love Alton Brown. He may be my biggest celebrity crush... well, besides David Attenborough. And besides being addicted to Good Eats, I now have a window into his mind that I can carry around with me everywhere I go and read and reread. It's one of his cookbooks called "I'm Just Here for More Food" and it's wonderful! Dave and Anna (well, let's be honest, it was probably mostly Anna's doing) got it for me for my birthday and it just arrived. It's one of those cook books that you don't just flip to a recipe and throw the ingredients together; you actually read the book. This particular volume is all about baking (yay! Just in time for baking season!), and so it gives tons of information about ingredients and methods and hardware. In fact, you have to read 91 pages before you even come to a recipe. That is why I love Alton Brown so very much. He doesn't just tell you what ingredients are needed, he tells you all the hows and whys and whatnot. He appeals to the cook and the science nerd in me. I've been saying for years that if you're a bad cook, you'll make a worse scientist and vice versa. This is because when you get right down to it, cooking science are basically the same thing. It's not just what you put in there, but how, and when, and for how long etc. that makes both science and cooking work. I also like the cook books that America's Test Kitchen puts out for the same reason. They don't just give you a recipe for cake, they tell you what doesn't work in a cake recipe, and what does and why.

I also love Alton Brown because he makes me laugh. Here is an excerpt from page 9:

"A mad scientist attempting to make a marmot from scratch, may (in fact, probably will) slip up and create a horrible mutation that would break out of its cage and wreak havoc on the surrounding countryside. Chased by torch-bearing villagers, the marauding varmint would run home to the scientist, who would attempt to harbor his creation, which would repay him by biting his head off. It's a story as old as science itself.
"When attempting to create a muffin from scratch, odds are good that you will from time to time create a horrible mutation. Luckily, lacking a nervous system or even a bad attitude, the odds are good that this aberration will not try to eat your head. In fact, if you close your eyes and take a bite, you may find it to be perfectly serviceable food. I would implore you not to be satisfied. Edible is not good enough."

See? You just don't get that personal touch from Better Homes and Gardens, do you?

I will conclude by saying "Thank you, Dave, Anna, and Madison for my lovely birthday gift." And next time you see me, I will probably have a plate of muffins or a baguette for you to try.

Planet Earth and Picture Results

And the winner is......

Power to the People!

I have to admit that this picture didn't actually come in first in voting (it came in 3rd). BUT since Regis and Kelly posted the rules this morning I found out that the pictures have to be more recent, and the actual picture contest winners didn't quite qualify. So all of that work for nothing... nothing! :) he he he. But for those of you who are interested, first place was a tie between Buriti Baby and Little White Bow. Second went to Bath Time Lily, and third was, of course, Power to the People. Thanks to all of your who took enough interest in my little contest to take time out of your life and vote, it was fun for me!

And now for something completely different...

I was thrilled last week when Jim emailed me and told me that there was going to be a Planet Earth marathon on Sunday afternoon. I immediately fired up the dvr to tape the whole blessed event. You see, I am kind of a nature show junkie. I grew up watching Wild America with Marty Stouffer every Saturday night. I also loved the Trials of Life series, which is where my love affair with David Attenborough began. It continued with "The Private Life of Plants", through "The Blue Planet" and "Life in the Undergrowth" and I was hoping it would stay on track through the "Planet Earth"series. As you might imagine, I was more than a little disappointed when I found out that the version of Planet Earth that the Discovery channel was airing was the version narrated by Sigourney Weaver (a futile attempt to "Americanize" a BBC event). Not that she wasn't a good narrator; she was, but the original version was narrated by David Attenborough, which would make it even that much better. David Attenborough is just so great; you feel like he knows everything and you can believe everything he tells you. You know, I may even have a little crush on David Attenborough. I imagine that if I were in seventh grade at the moment, my notebook doodles may end up looking something like this:

Never you mind that he's six years older than my grandfather. I can have a crush on whomever I want, thankyouverymuch!

Anyway, Jim and I settled in yesterday afternoon and watched the "Pole to Pole" episode and "Forrests" episode. Then before bed we watched "Mountains". It was fabulous, and we have several more episodes on our dvr for our future viewing pleasure. I'm glad I married a man who shares my love for nature shows, though he admits he's more a fan of the "animal" ones than the "earthy" ones. To each their own.