Behind the Scenes at Food Network

It’s hard to think of a better combo…

This Sunday, Ultimate Recipe Showdown returns — bigger and tastier than ever. Four contestants will be competing for a pretty big bowl of green — $25,000. [Plus, some serious bragging rights.]

Here’s the best part… In the first episode, they are making their signature comfort foods. I don’t know about you but that’s pretty much all I want on a long, lazy weekend like the one. It appears the challengers will be whipping up a variety of comforting cuisine, including a truly decadent mac and cheese.

Here’s the $25,000 question:
If you were battling for a big bag of money, which comfort food specialty would you serve up to win it all?

It’s 2009 and the entire FN Dish staff wants to wish you a bright, prosperous, healthy and tasty new year. (!!)

Planning to tackle more challenging cooking techniques this year? (Julia would be so proud.) Perhaps you plan to get reacquainted with your old friend, the gym. We’d love to hear your resolutions.

If they DO involve living healthier in ‘09, check out our new blog for the latest and tastiest in healthy food, HEALTHY EATS. I’ve just tried the Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce recipe this week. Not only could I knock it out without issue but it sure didn’t taste healthy. YUM!

On the flipside, if you’re struggling today from a little too much champers, Food Network’s got you covered.

Try the handy Hangover Guide, or Jamie Oliver’s Breakfast Pizza which he swears can cure most hangovers. Need more help? Paula Deen recipes are always a good bet. Get them all here.

Enjoy your day off!
~ Mark, The FN Dish

I’m sure it’s the same in offices across the country, but this week in the Food Network Programming department, you can quietly work and watch the tumbleweeds roll by. Holiday gift giving is over, everyone is on vacation, and only the few of us who are truly - truly - dedicated are holding down the fort, here at the Chelsea Market.

So how do the professionally food obsessed spend a quiet holiday week? Burgers! There are food perks at FN, food perks being in the Chelsea Market, and then there are food perks just being in this neighborhood.

In that spirit, here’s a quick tour of the burger offerings in our lovely hood that will make any carnivore happy. Note: it doesn’t hurt that we border the Meatpacking District.

Across the street is the legendary Old Homestead Steakhouse with the famous cow above the door. Next door to O.H.S. is Pop Burger, when you only need a small slider. One block down is The Diner, a rather more upscale version of it’s name. A few blocks away is Cafeteria, Tyler Florence’s old haunt, and in the other direction there’s Corner Bistro, a truly old school tavern. Also in walking distance is the now mega-famous Spotted Pig, gastropub to the stars. You can find nearly any kind of food in the world in Chelsea, but it’s clearly a burger kind of town. You may not want to hit all of them in the same week though…

~ Fay, Programming

Photo: Thomas Censani

The holidays are the time to enjoy good food and wine with family and friends.  It is also a great opportunity to expand our palettes and give new ingredients a chance!  This came into play Friday evening when I was grocery shopping for a seafood feast I wanted to prepare for my boyfriend’s family.  I spotted a box of squid in the seafood aisle and knew instantly that Italian fried calamari would make a delicious appetizer to my seafood brodetto!

Upon opening the frozen box, I realized they were whole and needed to be completely cleaned!  I seized the opportunity to pull my man in the kitchen and pretended I was Alex Guarnaschelli on The Cooking Loft teaching my student how to clean and fix the thawed squid.  It was so much fun and after he got over initial texture, I think he enjoyed it!

Needless to say the simple recipe of tossing the clean ringlets in flour, lightly frying in EVOO and finishing off with fresh lemon zest and parsley was a hit!  They were gone in minutes and I think I earned about 5 brownie points. 

Next up: Bottarga (cured caviar) Pasta and Oysters for New Years!

Cheers! 

Kendra, Operation Foodie

The FN Dish shares New Year’s resolutions from Food Network stars! What New Year’s resolutions are all of you making for 2009?

That’s what we should call Sunny’s episode “First Down, Ten to Feed”; airing on January 24th . Sunny’s baking her beloved Grandma’s red velvet cake. Yummy.

She’s a natural storyteller, and her tales are NOT scripted. As she spoke about her Grammy baking this cake for church or for her high school graduation, I thought she might cry. So sweet! Her approach is fun to contrast with Anne Burrell who talks of her recipes as if she were talking about her best girlfriends.

Sunny also embraces some cake curveballs like white vinegar or whipping up the icing on the stove. I don’t cook, but that seems unusual. Our dear Sunny can be prone to belches in the right conditions. That was kind of comical to watch. She burps between takes and is fine with this. A woman who is comfortable in her skin — I love that.

Happy New Year FN Dishers!
~ Secretary Confidential

Since we’re all home enjoying the holidays, we wanted to share some holiday memories from your favorite Food Network stars…

Tyler Florence: Best gift — moped as a ten-year old…and then, “…whatever my wife got me last Christmas. Thanks, honey!”

Sandra Lee: Best gift — a love letter from her honey.

Guy Fieri: Best gift — His horse, Rebel was his first thought. However, he changed his answer to his two sons instead.

Alton Brown: A jet from his wife. That’s right, a REAL jet.

Sunny Anderson: Beebee bear from her mom.

Danny Boome: Skiing lessons. Worst gift: Hospital bills after the skiing lessons.

Watch all the holiday memories from your favorite FN stars.

Here’s a toast to all of the FN Dish’ers!
And if your glass needs a great companion…
try Paula’s Mama’s Eggnog. YUM!

Happy Holidays!
~ The FN Dish Staff

My dreams of a respite from work and a day of baking were both answered on Thursday with an invitation from the FN Kitchens to help them prepare for FN’s holiday cookie party!

Sarah Copeland, the kitchens’ very own recipe developer, led a group of us away from our computer monitors in the interactive department and into a gingerbread and sugar cookie extravaganza in which used our keyboard-weary hands to mix, flour, roll and bake over 1000 cookies.

Along the way we learned some handy tips from the pros, like how the use of a triggered cookie scoop promises even sized cookies along with even baking times, ensuring that all of your cookies will turn out looking professionally made. Sarah also taught us cookie decorating 101, from which the most important takeaway is that with decorating, less is more.

We had a blast, and today the cookies were devoured eagerly by the staff here at FN Chelsea as a holiday gift from the Kitchens. I can’t wait for the next invite upstairs!

Warmest wishes and happy baking!
Allison Dunmire
Interactive Video

New York during the holidays has always been a delectable time of year for me.  Windows sparkle with lights and ornaments, fancy mulled drinks line bar menus, and working at the Food Network is the cream cheese topping on the Red Velvet cake!

Walking through the Chelsea Market every morning, you are welcomed with the scent of freshly baked pastries, breads and cakes.  While in the studio, I have the pleasure of hanging around some of the best entrees being prepared by our wonderful hosts and food stylists.  The gigantic room fills with whatever is cooking and it’s heaven!

A few Saturday’s ago I was working on a new special with Tyler Florence (HINT: think Football).  To my surprise he approached me with a warm bowl of his special chili!!  It was in a festive green dish and garnished with care.  ‘What a lucky young woman!’, I thought and thanked him up hill and down.   It warmed me right up - slow cooked pork with Mexican flavors.  One word: Delicious. 

At the end of the long, fun day, I passed by one of my favorite wine shops.  I was greeted by my friend, Vladi (the general manager), and invited in for a glass of Bordeaux he had just opened.  The perfect ending to yet another exciting day at the FN Studios (regardless of it being the weekend).  It just goes to show you that even if the hours are long, it is worth every simmering second!

Cheers!

Kendra, Operation Foodie