You might think that someone like the Accidental Locavore would spend any and all TV time staring at the Food Netwoek. And you would be wrong. It's not because they turned down the Accidental Locavore show three times -- really, it's not. It's because most of the programs just aren't terribly interesting. I'm never going to make an appetizer from gummy worms and liver, coated in crushed Cap'n Crunch, are you? Nor am I looking to replicate the two types of fried clams (good as they are) that Guy Fieri turned up at Bob's Clam Hut, one of our favorites on the way to Maine.
When I watch food shows I want to see beautiful food, food I'd want to eat and food that I want to eat enough to seek out the recipes and ingredients. Until recently, this was a very hit-or-miss proposition. However, now from a surprising source, there's a new must-watch show (and no, it's not the Taste) and a steady entry on the DVR's to-do list. It's Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course on BBC (added bonus, it's on right when I'm eating lunch).
Until this show, Gordon Ramsay was on my short list of chefs I could care less about. Humorless and abusive, listening to him tell any number of people to f--k off is not my preferred form of entertainment. On this show he's charming, laid-back and informative. There are lots of useful tips, the recipes are easy and straight-forward and the food looks delicious!
You'll want to book a trip to England, if only to go hang with the terribly British butchers in the most immaculate shops, or the potato expert, slicing open a potato to reveal an amazing midnight-blue interior. Actually, all the food shots will have you drooling, so don't say you weren't warned!
I'm definitely going to try the pork spare ribs. The leek and potato rosti looks like it would be great with a roast chicken (whether I roast it or buy it). I like that Gordon advises you always to cook extra potatoes, which you can always use for gnocchi or the rosti -- advice I will surely act on! Since the show is British, all measurements are metric, but don't let that bother you, so far nothing I've seen looks like an extra gram or two would make a huge difference and Chef Ramsay is always encouraging you to taste, taste, taste. Where you will need to convert is on oven temps, and there are plenty of sites for that.
For videos of the episodes, click here and to find out what's on each episode, Wikipedia has a great run-down. Let me know what you think.