Thursday, April 28, 2011

Foodie News - From Spain With Love

Cooking Channel Embarks on International Culinary Adventure in New Series From Spain With Love



Lauded Food Writer and Expert on Spanish Cuisine Annie Sibonney Leads Gastronomic Journey Through Spain, Premiering Saturday, May 28th at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT



New York – April 28, 2011 – Cooking Channel takes an intimate food lover’s odyssey through the rich culinary culture of Spain in the new series From Spain With Love, premiering Saturday, May 28th at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT. As seen through the eyes of food writer Annie Sibonney, an expert in Spain’s regional and haute cuisine, the series uses food as a window into the very heart of Spain and its people and uncovers the diverse culinary traditions of the country.



From the food mecca of San Sebastian and the quaint fishing villages of Galicia, to cosmopolitan Barcelona and the bustling excitement of Madrid, From Spain With Love explores the deep-rooted connection between the land, the farmer, the fisherman, the ingredient, the home cook and the chef across Spain’s many regions. As Annie eats and cooks her way through Spain, audiences will taste the food and savor each experience with her.



In the premiere episode, Annie visits the Basque Country, a fiercely independent region with more cooks per capita than anywhere else in the world and its own style of uniquely inventive cuisine that put Spain on the culinary map. Annie breaks through barriers at a men’s only Gastronomic society; indulges in her favorite Basque dish, cod kokotaxas, prepared by Basque chef Andoni; enjoys a Basque-style tapas crawl; and cooks alongside the “godfather” of modern Basque cuisine, chef Juan Mari Arzak, whose reinvention of traditional Basque cooking revolutionized the culinary world.



Annie Sibonney is a food writer and expert on Spanish regional and haute cuisine. She has spent the past five years eating her way through Spain in search of the most memorable meals and ethereal culinary pleasures. Along the way, she has forged relationships and friendships with world-renowned chefs, local characters, food critics, historians, wine makers and artisans, all rooted in a shared love for celebrating life through memorable food, wine, travel, friends and experiences. Annie, who is based in Toronto, launched Relish Culinary Tours in 2007, which designs exclusive, fully arranged, escorted gastronomic excursions to Spain and Italy for private groups and individuals as hungry for adventure as she is.



From Spain With Love is produced by Shaftesbury, in association with Henry Less Productions.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Guest Recipe – Susan’s Taco Pie

 

Simple Cookery Taco Pie
Taco and Pie! What more can I say? Here's another great recipe from Susan.

Susan's Taco Pie
.
1 pound ground beef
1 Taco Seasoning packet
1 pkg (8-Inch) Flour Tortillas, 8-Count
1 can refried beans
1 jar salsa , mild
2 cups shredded, cheddar cheese
sour cream, lettuce, etc. for toppings
.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef - drain off excess fat. Add a packet of taco seasoning - prepare as per the package directions. Spray a pie pan with Pam - cover the pan with flour tortillas. Spread a can of refried beans (more or less according to your likes) over the tortillas. Mix about 1/2 jar of salsa with ground beef. Layer the beef mixture over refried beans. I prefer mild salsa- but this is to your taste also - then cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Cut a few of the tortillas into triangles and place on top - (or you can just place the entire tortilla on top.) Heat in a 350 degree oven - 30 minutes or until it is heated through and the tortillas are getting a little brown.
.
Susan says "You can serve with sour cream on a slice of the pie and salad on the side w/cheese and salsa - or place a slice of pie on a bed of lettuce with salsa drizzled over it and sour cream on top of the pie. Sorta like a taco salad."

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Foodie News: Food Network April 2011 Highlights

** FOOD NETWORK APRIL 2011 HIGHLIGHTS **

Food Network Puts the ‘Royal Icing’ on the Cake
with April Premieres of

‘Last Cake Standing’ and ‘Have Cake, Will Travel’

Season Premieres: Dessert First, 24 Hour Restaurant Battle,
Outrageous Food, Mexican Made Easy

On-Air and Online Theme Weekends: “Royal Icing” Primetime
and “Mexican Fiesta” Daytime



Viewers will be showered with dynamic programming this April as Food Network features two new series, four season premieres, two special themed weekends and countless new episodes of fan-favorite shows. Eight stars of the cake world battle for a $100,000 grand prize in the featured primetime series Last Cake Standing premiering Sunday, April 3rd at 10pm ET/PT. Another sweet series joins the lineup as cake decorator Ashley Vicos travels the country creating innovative cakes in her new primetime reality series Have Cake, Will Travel premiering Tuesday, April 26th at 9pm ET/PT. In honor of the Royal Wedding, primetime encores of wedding-themed competitions lead up to the Last Cake Standing premiere and a special sneak peek of Have Cake, Will Travel for a “Royal Icing”-themed weekend on Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday April 24th. New episodes of daytime shows get out their maracas for a special “Mexican Fiesta”-themed weekend on Saturday, April 30th and Sunday, May 1st, hosted by Marcela Valladolid in honor of her Mexican Made Easy season premiere. And, viewers can also catch three additional season premieres this April: Anne Thornton’s Dessert First (April 2nd), Tom Pizzica’s Outrageous Food (April 8th), and Scott Conant’s 24 Hour Restaurant Battle (April 21st). Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook and Twitter.



FEATURED FINALE

Chopped All-Stars: Premieres Sunday, April 3rd at 9pm ET/PT – SEASON FINALE!

After four weeks of intense Chopped All-Stars competition, the final four chefs duke it out in hopes of winning the ultimate Chopped title and $50,000 for their charity of choice. The chefs face an awfully-challenging first round when they find offal and a crunchy snack in the appetizer basket. Then, a wild combination of trail mix and goat legs in the entrée round makes an intense battle even more difficult. When the two remaining chefs find a tangy fruit and canned legumes in their mystery baskets, one whips up a championship-caliber dessert and survived the chopping block. Judges for the finale include Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, and Marcus Samuelsson. Fans can also follow the action online by tweeting along with their favorite Chopped All-Stars by following @FoodNetwork during the show and using the hashtag #Chopped. And on Mondays, host Ted Allen shares behind-the-scenes stories on Food Network’s official blog – FN Dish.

FEATURED SERIES

Last Cake Standing

Last Cake Standing pits eight stars of the cake world against each other as they vie for the title of “Best Cake Artist in America” and an incredible $100,000 grand prize. The six-episode elimination competition series, hosted by Justin Willman (Cupcake Wars), places talented pastry chefs in intense competitions with crazy twists. The competitors endure difficult tasks from creating cakes with “talents” and superhero-inspired cakes to undergoing a two-day competition in Las Vegas. Each week, the judges eliminate a competitor, until there is only one Last Cake Standing. Notable cake designer Kerry Vincent and pastry chef Keegan Gerhard, both from Food Network Challenge, lead the judging panel with a rotating guest judge each week.

· Premieres Sunday, April 3rd at 10pm ET/PT – “Monster Cakes” (Note: Special time)

The cake designers form two teams to create two original monsters in 12 hours. A game-changing twist sends one competitor home. Reigning Last Cake Standing champion, Mary Maher, serves as guest judge.

· Premieres Sunday, April 10th at 9pm ET/PT – “Cakes Got Talent”

The competitors must create a cake for a talent show in only eight hours at Bluebird Theater. When presenting, they will perform with their cakes in front of an audience. Broadway actress Kate Shindle serves as guest judge.

· Premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9pm ET/PT – “50th Anniversary of Marvel’s Fantastic Four”

The competitors must design over-the-top cakes inspired by Marvel’s classic comic book series, “The Fantastic Four.” Halfway through, the competitors are challenged to create two more cakes that celebrate the series.

· Premieres Sunday, April 24th at 9pm ET/PT – “Magic Cakes”

Now in Las Vegas, the competitors have eight hours to create a cake featuring an illusion or magic trick presented live in front of Caesars Palace with comedic magician, Nathan Burton, who serves as guest judge.



SERIES PREMIERE



Have Cake, Will Travel

Have Cake, Will Travel is a new comedy docu-reality series that follows Ashley Vicos, the reigning queen of the cake decorating world, as she leads her motley crew of assistants around the country creating jaw-dropping, three-dimensional cakes for every type of event imaginable. Unlike most cake designers who are based in a single location, Ashley runs her business on the road, hand delivering her creations and partaking in the parties. Each new city brings its own unique challenges, from finding a working kitchen, to arranging reliable transport for her larger-than-life creations, to taking on last minute custom orders with tight deadlines – all sure to make each event an entertaining yet challenging road trip.

SEASON PREMIERES

· Dessert First: Season 2, Premieres Saturday, April 2nd at 12:30pm ET/PT

· Outrageous Food: Season 2, Premieres Friday, April 8th at 10pm ET/PT

· 24 Hour Restaurant Battle: Season 2, Premieres Thursday, April 21st at 10pm ET/PT

· Mexican Made Easy: Season 4, Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 9:30am ET/PT



THEMED WEEKENDS



“ROYAL ICING” WEEKEND (Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday, April 24th)

Food Network honors the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton with special encore wedding-themed episodes of favorite competition series throughout the weekend, leading up to the premiere of Last Cake Standing. Online, FoodNetwork.com has assembled a “how to” guide on throwing an at-home Royal Wedding watch party, along with photo galleries, historical facts on British food, and cake recipes fit for a Queen. Visit www.foodnetwork.com/royalicing for more ideas on how to celebrate like royalty.

· Food Network Challenge: Saturday, April 23rd at 8pm ET/PT, “Extreme Wedding Cakes”

· Food Network Challenge: Saturday, April 23rd at 9pm ET/PT, “Giant Wedding Cakes”

· Cupcake Wars: Saturday, April 23rd at 10pm ET/PT, “Wedding Planner”

· Last Cake Standing: Sunday, April 24th at 9pm ET/PT, “Magic Cakes” – FEATURED SERIES PREMIERE

· Have Cake, Will Travel: Sunday, April 24th at 10pm ET/PT – SNEAK PEEK



“MEXICAN FIESTA” WEEKEND (Saturday April 30th from 7am-2pm and Sunday May 1st from 7am-12pm)

Food Network chefs celebrate Cinco De Mayo with new episodes of popular daytime series featuring Mexican food and fiestas. Online, FoodNetwork.com is the go-to source for all things fiesta with Cinco De Mayo menu ideas, featuring Chicken Enchiladas, taco truck tips from Aaron Sanchez, ideas on how to get creative with the traditional margarita, and Marcela Valladolid’s favorite Salsa Borracha recipe. Visit www.foodnetwork.com/cincodemayo for more enticing recipes, photos and tips.



· Big Daddy’s House: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 9am ET/PT, “Movie Night Madness”

Aaron kicks off movie night with a Tropical Frozen Slush, Hot Dug Stuffed Pretzels, Kicked up Nachos, Caramel Popcorn, Truffle Salted Parmesan Popcorn and a Mint Sundae.

· Mexican Made Easy: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 9:30am ET/PT – Season Premiere!

Marcela cooks up an amazing Mexican meal featuring Steak Quesadillas with Apple & Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers, Shrimp-Stuffed “Chilitos” and Piña Colada Pops.

· 30 Minute Meals: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 10am ET/PT, “All-Day Fiesta”

Rachel cooks up a Mexican menu featuring recipes for Egg-Tostada Frittata that are perfect for any time of the day.

· 5 Ingredient Fix: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 10:30am ET/PT, “My Team is On Fire”

Claire celebrates game day with broiled Hot Pepper Wings, Calamari and a zesty Red Hot Shot.

· Paula’s Best Dishes: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 11am ET/PT, “Fantastic Fiesta”

Paula throws a fiesta featuring recipes for 5-Layer Taco Pie, Catfish Tacos with a zesty Remoulade sauce, Roasted Corn, Pepper and Black Bean Salsa, and Grilled Banana Quesadillas.

· Down Home with the Neelys: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 11:30am ET/PT, “Neelys Mexican Style”

Pat and Gina put together a party menu with Grilled Southern Fish Tacos, Tropical Salsa & Chips, Mexican Brown Rice Salad and Gina’s Mai Tai.

· Dessert First: Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 12:30pm ET/PT, “Whipping Up Meringues”

Anne whips up meringue desserts including Baked Alaska and Salted Caramel Banana Macaroons.

· Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day: Premieres Sunday, May 1st at 9am ET/PT, “From a Taco to Morocco”

Rachael spices up her menu with Braised Pork Tacos, Crab Cake Mac ’n Cheese, Moroccan Meatloaf, Zucchini Couscous, Ratatouille with Poached Eggs and Garlic Croutons, and Pork Ragu.

· Guys Big Bite: Premieres Sunday, May 1st at 10:30am ET/PT

· Cooking For Real: Premieres Sunday, May 1st at 11am ET/PT, “It Takes Two to Salsa”

Sunny prepares a fun and flavorful meal including Curry Coconut Chicken Breasts, Mango and Peach Salsa, Black Eyed Peas, and Rice Pulao.

· Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee: Premieres Sunday, May 1st at 11:30am ET/PT, “A Fine Fiesta”

Sandra makes tasty Mexican dishes with Black Bean Sopes, Chili Lime Grilled Shrimp Tacos and a sweet Acai Margarita.



NEW EPISODES

In addition to the above new series, seasons and specials, Food Network premieres all-new episodes of:

· Food Network Challenge: Premieres Sunday, April 10th at 8pm ET/PT, “Donut Champions”

· Iron Chef America: Premieres Sunday, April 10th at 10pm ET/PT, Cora vs. Schneider (Taxim in Chicago)

· Food Network Challenge: Premieres Sunday, April 17th at 8pm ET/PT, “Sugar Inventions”

· Iron Chef America: Premieres Sunday, April 17th at 10pm ET/PT, Garces vs. Paley (Paley’s Place in Portland, Ore.)

· Food Network Challenge: Premieres Sunday, April 24th at 8pm ET/PT, “Sugar and Candy Fashion”



Daytime: 5 Ingredient Fix, 30 Minute Meals, Aarti Party, Barefoot Contessa, Big Daddy’s House, Cooking For Real, Down Home With the Neelys, Giada at Home, Paula’s Best Dishes, Rachael’s Week in a Day, Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d’Arabian



Primetime: Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, Good Eats, Ice Brigade, Kid in a Candy Store, Meat & Potatoes, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Unwrapped

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Foodie News: Last Cake Standing


TOP CAKE DESIGNERS BATTLE FOR
"BEST CAKE ARTIST IN AMERICA" TITLE
AND $100,000 GRAND PRIZE ON
FOOD NETWORK'S LAST CAKE STANDING


Special Six-Week Series Returns for
Season Two on Sunday, April 3rd at 10pm ET/PT

As the countdown to the Royal Wedding continues, Food Network puts the icing on the cake with the season two premiere of Last Cake Standing. Premiering after the finale of Chopped All-Stars on Sunday, April 3rd at 10pm ET/PT (with subsequent episodes premiering Sundays at 9pm ET/PT), the six-week series places eight of America’s top pastry chefs in intense challenges with crazy twists as they vie for the title of “Best Cake Artist in America” and an incredible $100,000 grand prize. Justin Willman (Cupcake Wars) serves as host, with the judging panel led by notable faces of the ever-popular Food Network Challenge: renowned pastry chef and Denver-based owner of D Bar Desserts, Keegan Gerhard, along with celebrated cake designer and master sugar artist, Kerry Vincent.

The Last Cake Standing competitors include: Jörg Amsler (Truly Jorg’s in Saugus, Mass.), Jason Ellis (Top Tiers in Farmingdale, N.Y.), Nikita “Nikki J” Jackson (Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering in Rowlett, Texas), Kaysie Lackey (The People’s Cake in Seattle), Richard Ruskell (Montage Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif.), Joshua John Russell (Highland Bakery in Atlanta), Orlando Serrano (Orlando Serrano Cakes in Chicago) and Marina Sousa (Just Cake in Capitola, Calif.).

These competitors have no “sweet escape” as they face extreme and grueling challenges. From designing over-the-top monster cakes, to ones that “sing and dance” for a talent show, to those inspired by Marvel’s classic comic book series, “The Fantastic Four,” and Sin City-inspired illusion cakes, these competitors are pushed to their artistic limits. The competition heats up midway through the season as the competitors endure game-changing twists including a scavenger hunt around Las Vegas, a round of blackjack and additional surprise cake challenges. Each week, guest judges join the panel including reigning Last Cake Standing champion Mary Maher, Broadway actress Kate Shindle, comedic magician Nathan Burton and pastry chef Gale Gand to determine who will advance in this fierce competition. Just as the competitors think they have completed their final task, one more awaits: design a cake that tells the story of their $100,000 dream. At the end of this marathon competition, one cake designer wins the grand prize and the bragging rights of the Last Cake Standing.

Visit www.foodnetwork.com/lastcakestanding for more information, bios, and photo gallery.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Foodie News: Cooking Channel April 2011 Highlights

** COOKING CHANNEL APRIL 2011 HIGHLIGHTS **

Two Tasty Primetime Premieres: ‘Eat Street’ and ‘Unique Sweets’

Plus: The ‘Urban Grocer’ Special and New Episodes of Cooking Channel Favorites

This April, Cooking Channel premieres two new series, a featured special, and countless new episodes of hit shows. Comedian James Cunningham takes his food truck curiosity to the streets as he searches for irresistible street food on Eat Street premiering Tuesday, April 12th at 8pm ET/5pm PT. The sweetest desserts and inventive eateries are featured on Unique Sweets premiering Sunday, April 24th at 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT. Caitlin Zaino travels to Argentina in search of the best urban food spots in the primetime special The Urban Grocer premiering Sunday, April 10th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. Plus, brand new episodes of Cooking Channel favorites like Extra Virgin, Hungry Girl, The Minimalist, and Unique Eats premiere throughout the month. Fans can join in the fun by participating in The Perfect 3 Recipe Contest on CookingChannelTV.com for the chance to film their own how-to cooking webisode alongside Cooking Channel’s Kelsey Nixon. Join the Cooking Channel conversation on Facebook and Twitter.


SERIES PREMIERES


Eat Street

Eat St. is a lip-smacking celebration of North America’s tastiest, messiest, and most irresistible street food. Host and comedian, James Cunningham travels across the country to find the very best curbside eats, from Tijuana-style tacos served out of an Airstream trailer to brick oven-style pizza baked on wheels. The true stars of this show are the street food mavericks themselves, with their innovative takes on mobile meals and inspiring stories to tell. Food cart fare is the hottest trend going, and Eat St. is the grease-stained roadmap to the ultimate street food experience. In addition, the Eat St. App – that uses GPS to track street fare – will also be available for download this spring.

· Premieres Tuesday, April 12th at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Grilled Cheese Truck (Los Angeles), Izzoz Tacos and G’Raj Mahal (Austin, Texas), Schnitzel & Things (New York)

· Premieres Tuesday, April 19th at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Brunch Box (Portland, Ore.), Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (New York), Sâuçá (Washington, D.C.), Where Ya At (Seattle)

· Premieres Tuesday, April 26th at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Frysmith (Los Angeles), Crème de la Crème (Portland, Ore.), Sugar Philly Truck (Philadelphia), Fusion Taco (Houston)



Unique Sweets

Unique Sweets is an insider’s peek into innovative eateries across America creating unique and exciting desserts. Filled with gooey, crunchy, sticky and sweet treats, each 30-minute episode of this primetime Cooking Channel series runs the gamut on the sweet spectrum: restaurants with revolutionary pastry chefs, candy shops inventing eye-popping confections, chocolate boutiques with wild artisanal flavors, and bakeries producing one-of-a-kind creations in the middle of the night.

· Premiering Sunday, April 24th at 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT – SERIES PREMIERE!

Pies are anything but humble in the hands of these innovative bakers. Whether it’s a Seattle shop that imagines pies on sticks or in jars, a San Francisco baker who likes his pies on the spicy side, or pies both deliciously peculiar and uniquely down-home coming from New York City, the pie has arrived.



FEATURED SPECIAL



The Urban Grocer

Premieres Sunday, April 10th at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Join the Urban Grocer, Caitlin Zaino, as she tours the best, freshest urban food spots in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From the posh to the underground, from the main stream to the off-the-beaten-path, Caitlin seeks to discover the most innovative, cutting edge foodstuffs this city has to offer. She plans to capture the heart and soul of the new generation that leads the way in nouveau Argentine food and to find out what they care about while discovering how the city's history informs the way that they are now defining the future.



NEW EPISODES

New episodes of hit Cooking Channel series air throughout April.



Ciao America – April 1st at 9pm ET/6pm PT

David Rocco’s Dolce Vita – April 2nd, April 16th and April 23rd at 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT

Extra Virgin – April 6th and April 13th at 10pm ET/7pm PT

Food(ography) – April 3rd, April 17th and April 24th at 9pm ET/6pm PT

Giada’s Weekend Getaways – April 1st, April 8th, April 15th and April 22nd at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Hungry Girl – April 16th at 4pm ET/1pm PT

Luke Nquyen’s Vietnam – April 3rd and April 10th at 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT

The Minimalist – April 3rd, April 10th, April 17th and April 24th at 10:30am ET/7:30am PT

Secret Life Of – April 7th at 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT

Sweet Dreams – April 4th-8th, April 11th-15th and April 19th-22nd at 10:30am ET/7:30am PT

Unique Eats – April 3rd (Season Premiere), April 10th, April 17th and April 24th at 10pm ET/7pm PT



ONLINE

Beginning in mid-March and running through April 4, 2011, fans can sign up for CookingChannelTV.com’s The Perfect 3 Recipe Contest, a contest that invites fans to submit their perfect recipe for thirteen categories, such as Brownies, Tacos, Cakes, Burgers, and Pancakes. The full list of categories can be found at http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/food-categories-for-the-perfect-3-recipe-contest/index.html.



Three finalists from each category will then be chosen to submit a “how to” video for their recipe and fans will vote for their favorites on CookingChannelTV.com. The ultimate winners for each category will then be flown to New York City to film their own The Perfect 3 webisode alongside Cooking Channel star Kelsey Nixon. For more information, please visit http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/the-perfect-3-recipe-contest/package/index.html


For complete rules, visit http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/official-rules-for-the-perfect-3-recipe-contest/index.html.