# The overdue pitting of Emeril and his like **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 29, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057 "2004-12-29T04:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/81 "2004-12-29T21:40:09Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Sarah Moulton? [Sara Moulton](http://saramoulton.com/), no h. BTW, from looking at the photos on her website, I think she looks much cuter now than when she was younger. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/82 "2004-12-29T21:54:51Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > I also think that she’s probably (or was) a trophy wife. She’s really good looking (imagine her when she was in her twenties, yowza), and she built her empire by entertaining her friends a lot? I’m thinking afternoon cocktails with the gals while hubby is at the law firm. As long as she cheats on her hubby with her database admin, I will be a happy camper. And if she doesn’t have a database admin? I will be will to work _pro boner_… ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/83 "2004-12-29T22:14:12Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Which is part of why I hate him-- the product line with his name and face on it are most definitely not made with the care and skill with which he makes his own food. I mean, corn syrup in salad dressing? Why endorse a product line that you wouldn’t be proud to make in front of a live studio audience or for the diners at your restaurant? Because the goal of the product lines (be it Emeril or Puck or whomever) is _not_ to replicate the restaurant dining experience–it’s to give their audience products that are _slightly_ better than what they’re used to at a price they’re willing to pay. Remember, the people who are targeted by the products basically don’t know what the fuck they’re doing and probably aren’t willing to learn–if they were, they’d be making their own damn salad dressing in the first place, and buying their cookware in a restaurant supply store. ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/84 "2004-12-29T23:32:28Z")
I agree with all re Alton Brown, and the one mention of Boudrain’s ‘A Cook’s Tour’ (best thing about him is that he smokes - dig a little ciggy ash in my cog au vin). The OP really was more about the elevation to celebrity of cooks than the good bad and ugly of them. Jamie Oliver really might benefit from a serious boot to his collywobbles, but any English cook who does more than boil everything deserves to be cut a little slack. Stick to my guns as far as Flay and Florence go, though. Pit me and be damned. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/85 "2004-12-30T00:23:15Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I recognize all the words in that sentence, but for some reason I just don’t understand the meaning… 😃 Well, she made a dessert that needed some chocolate shavings as a garnish. She goes over to the side and brings back the largest slab of chocolate I have ever seen! She proceeds to take maybe 4 shavings off it, and puts it back. I mean this “brick” must have weighed at least 20 pounds… 😛 Yes, Sarah Moulton–I like her–she seems down to earth and not “hi, I’m a pompous ass and here to show you up in cooking techniques.” Just my 2 cents. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/86 "2004-12-30T00:25:17Z")
oh, duh! :smack: ITA–there is no such thing as too large a portion of chocolate… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/87 "2004-12-30T00:29:03Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > Because the goal of the product lines (be it Emeril or Puck or whomever) is _not_ to replicate the restaurant dining experience–it’s to give their audience products that are _slightly_ better than what they’re used to at a price they’re willing to pay. I think the goal of the product lines is to make more money for Emeril. I don’t think the products are any better than the regular mass produced stuff on the shelves, except it’s got Emeril’s ugly mug plastered on it, giving it name recognition AND an implicit claim that the recipes are Emeril’s. Not all of them have corn syrup, and these are are listed as “original recipes” on the home page (which has a glaringly improper apostrophe). The other recipes cost the same amount but do contain CS: [Bacon Vinaigrette](http://www.everythingemeril.com/bacvindres12.html), French, and Romano Cheese. So does his [**homestyle** tomato sauce](http://www.everythingemeril.com/emhomstylmar.html). In what self-respecting home is corn syrup dumped into the sauce? Or is _soybean oil_ used instead of olive? 😕 > [@](#): > > Remember, the people who are targeted by the products basically don’t know what the fuck they’re doing and probably aren’t willing to learn–if they were, they’d be making their own damn salad dressing in the first place, and buying their cookware in a restaurant supply store. I don’t think this really matters. The fact is, they are being deceived. These products are billed as Emeril’s recipes, and they’re not. He doesn’t use corn syrup in his dressing or soybean oil in his pasta sauces, because it’s gross and cheap. The fact that the people who buy the stuff don’t know this doesn’t make it any less obnoxious, and it adds to the reason why I dislike him and won’t watch his show. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/88 "2004-12-30T00:48:46Z")
I’m not much of one to buy the celebrity chef products but I have found that Paul Prudhomme’s spice mixes are quite good. I also got some of Emeril’s “essence” once and it sucked. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/89 "2004-12-30T00:54:28Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > You have to admit, the man knows the proper pickup lines for Doper-chicks… Yes he does. Now if only he’d try one or two on me… ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/90 "2004-12-30T01:02:15Z")
Can we get back to Rachel Ray’s panties? I found that thread of the discussion far more interesting than this handwashing business. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/91 "2004-12-30T01:08:50Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > As long as she cheats on her hubby with her database admin, I will be a happy camper. And if she doesn’t have a database admin? I will be will to work _pro boner_… You’d probably have better luck if you were the pool boy. And 18. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OleOneEye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f14d63/32.png) [@OleOneEye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OleOneEye)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/92 "2004-12-30T01:34:40Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I also got some of Emeril’s “essence” once and it sucked. If you got some of Emeril’s “essence”, wouldn’t _you_ have to have been the one that sucked? \ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/93 "2004-12-30T01:36:24Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > And I think I’m gonna ask Alton to marry me. Think I have a chance? You just better back off, Honey. He’s mine. [bullhorn]Put down the whisk and step away from the hot chef guy[/bullhorn] 😉 > [@susan\_foster](#): > > Triple Alton today! 7, and then from 10-11! Whee! Aren’t Wednesdays great? I cannot stand Bobby Flay. The minute I see his face or hear his voice the channel changes. _Emeril Live_ annoys the living daylights out of me. What is with his audience? They shriek like little girls after every sentence. E: So we’re going to add the garlic. A: AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! E: BAM! A: AAAAAHHHHH!!! (woman faints). I like Rachel Ray. That giggle gets on my nerves a little some days. But, other than that I’ve picked up some good ideas from her. I like that _Everyday Italian_ girl. My sister made a couple of dishes that she picked up on that show and they were **fantastic**. Tyler Florence is cool. I don’t go out of my way to watch him, but I do if there is nothing else on. I like his manner. I always get a “I really like to cook and I really want to show you how too” feeling off of him. Paula Dean is fun to watch, but I cannot recall one thing she has ever made that I thought, " mmmm, I think I’m going to try that". Ina Garten really thinks quite a bit of herself lately, doesn’t she? I used to really like her show, but it seems to me that the _moment_ Martha went off the Food Network Ina inherited her attitude. I don’t know why, but her constant “only the finest” really gets on my nerves. (I just realized - my ex MIL used to “only the finest” everything - that’s got to be it. Wow, the SDMB is like free therapy, huh?). OK. this post is making me realize that I have The Food Network on far too often 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/94 "2004-12-30T01:38:14Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Well, she made a dessert that needed some chocolate shavings as a garnish. She goes over to the side and brings back the largest slab of chocolate I have ever seen! She proceeds to take maybe 4 shavings off it, and puts it back. I mean this “brick” must have weighed at least 20 pounds… 😛 > > Yes, Sarah Moulton–I like her–she seems down to earth and not “hi, I’m a pompous ass and here to show you up in cooking techniques.” Just my 2 cents. The chocolate likely doesn’t come in any smaller size. My brother works as a food broker and the smallest size of Callebaut that he supplies to restaurants is an eleven pound brick. [sup]\*[/sup] After all, chefs are cooking for large numbers of people every night, if they’re any good anyway. Just to throw my two cents in-Flay’s an ass. There’s no freakin’ way he beat Sakai. \*And it’s damned tasty. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/95 "2004-12-30T01:48:43Z")
> [@shamrock227](#): > > You just better back off, Honey. He’s mine. [bullhorn]Put down the whisk and step away from the hot chef guy[/bullhorn] 😉 ::rolls up her, um, apron strings:: Awright, the hot mitts are off, chicky, let’s go… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/96 "2004-12-30T01:55:41Z")
Nobody tops [Martin Yan](http://www.sunkist.com/yancancook/tv-chef-yan/index.asp) . ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/97 "2004-12-30T02:14:21Z")
I am a kitchen nerd, and Alton Brown is therefore my god. I have just about every episode of Good Eats on my hard drive (I don’t actually have cable), and it has revolutionized my cooking. My only complaint is that while his techniques are superb, his actual recipes–as in the flavors he puts together–are not very good. (He has a tendency to put cumin in places where it doesn’t belong.) I’m in the crowd who likes Emeril’s cooking–I’ve used a bunch of his recipes, and they always turn out great–but hates his live show. Most of it is the audience for me; they act like they’re on an infomercial. I remember watching the earlier “Essence of Emeril” shows, when he was a lot more soft-spoken and less caught up in his own catchphrases, and I enjoyed them. Bobby Flay is an ass, but his food just looks great to me. I’ve never tried any of his recipes, though. Let’s not be dissing on Wolfgang Puck. His shows are always entertaining, his food is great, his _Pizza, Pasta, and More!_ is one of the best cookbooks in my collection, and he completely OWNED Iron Chef America. He didn’t even break a sweat. I’d totally do Rachael Ray, repeatedly and without qualification. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/98 "2004-12-30T02:16:21Z")
I probably end up watching this network more than any other (youngest son even went as far as blocking the channel as a joke). Flay - look up pompous ass in the dictionary and you’ll find his picture. Tyler - Liked his _Food 911_ better than _Boiling Water_, but he’s still good Paula Dean - I like her style, her southern charm. I’ve even caught myself in a fantasy or two while watching her show. Rachael Ray - Cute, but almost too cute. Emeril - Like _Essence of Emeril_ better than _Emeril Live_ but still catch a few pointers from the live show. Mario - OK in small doses Wolfgang - no thanks Jamie Oliver - Ho Hum Sara Moulton - down to earth but yaks too much. Too many guests on her show. Have seen her show some old pics of herself - was (and still is) a fox Alton - How can anyone not love Alton Brown - The Mr Science of the Food Network. Overall, I don’t watch any of them to try to make exactly what they are making but to pick up on techniques, tips, science, and ingredient knowledge that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/99 "2004-12-30T02:20:01Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > ::rolls up her, um, apron strings:: > > Awright, the hot mitts are off, chicky, let’s go… > > 😉 ::sneaks up behind **TellMeI’mNotCrazy** and whacks her in the back of the head with a heat resistant silicone spatula:: ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057/100 "2004-12-30T02:32:18Z")
Out of them all I like Emeril’s ideas of food the best, they match most closely with what I like. But I _hate_ Emeril live. Those idiots must be the rejects from the informercial audience crowd. What’s with the nervous tittering giggling and woohooing everytime he breaks out the rum or Vodka? What are they three years old? I like Alton’s show, but I disagree with his food. He put value on the parts I don’t care about, and skips the parts I like. (He can have my turkey stuffing when he prys it from my cold dead hand. :mad:) It’s interesting to watch and learn, but useless to me and my cooking. Rachel Ray is cute, but obvious and expensive food, sure she can make a damn good lunch, but they stuff she uses would cost 15 bucks for a lunch salad at home. And I still hate the $40 a day show. If you can’t figure out how to find three damn good meals a day for 40 bucks, you have never lived in the real world. Mario, interesting and it looks damn good, but everything is based on certain local fresh indgriediants, which if I had I wouldn’t need anybody to tell me how to cook them. Flay: Eat dirty sidewalk you arrogant cock-stain. meh, give me Martin Yan any day. I still make stir-frys of various composition about 3 times a week, plus easy, good, cheap, healthy other Chinese style creations thanks to my dad watching him every day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-overdue-pitting-of-emeril-and-his-like/282057.md?page=6)