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JenniK was at work last month (I told her to post this, but she is slacking) and she had a man in a baseball cap, in line for her ride, ask her if there were any good places to eat near to Soarin'.
Jenni asked if he liked Italian food, and he said he loved it, so she recommended getting a reservation at Alfredo's. Alfredo's at Epcot is one of three locations worldwide, and is the place that created Alfredo sauce, JenniK's favorite. She explained all about the place to him and his family, and he liked the idea. He asked at the end " So, I take it you really like the food there?", and she replied...
"Yes....I would definitely call it.... Good Eats".
The guy was Alton Brown.
He grinned, laughed at her, and walked into the ride smiling.
He and his family later ate at Alfredo's, I am sure.
{At Disney, you can't mention fame to a celebrity, as it can place them at risk. They are there to enjoy themselves, not get mobbed, and if you break that rule up front they will fire you on the spot....but nothing JenniK said could get her in trouble. }
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Great story! I want to shake that man's hand for producing the most important segment ever to air on television -- the one about how to make a decent cup of coffee!!!
Now I have PROOF! When the church folks make coffee you can see through, I can explain to them how, by skimping on the amount of grounds put in, they are actually producing a more bitter brew than if they'd just make it regular strength and enjoy the smooth taste...
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And she was right about Alfredo's. I've been to all 3 locations, btw, and the one in Epcot is #2 in the "chain" in terms of quality. But still, it's the best Alfredo sauce ever, and they make their own noodles too (or used to). They have wonderful staff as well. And tiramasu to die for.
And great coffee, of course.
She steered them right, IMHO.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Yeah, JenniK loves alfredeo sauce as well, so we are planning a trip there ourselves as I have never eaten there. No dates are set though, just a general idea to eat there.
He has a very sly, unusal sense of humor, and Jenni could tell he thought it was funny. He looked right at her and smiles a very ironic smile, and walked away. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I love Good Eats and Alton Brown too. I was shopping at the mall one day and Food Network happened to be doing a big food show there and he was the featured speaker. I stayed 2 hours longer than I had intended (and I hate the mall) just so I could see him. He told the cutest story about how his daughter went to a birthday party with a Hulk theme and came home with her face dyed green from the frosting. He said he wanted to find a way to make green frosting without food coloring so he used avacado for the fat (usually butter or shortening) and powdered sugar as usual. It was still hulk green but no mess, less fat, and more healthy. The people in the front who tasted it said it was great, but I would have said that too if he had asked me, even if it was gross. I will have to try it sometime. I think it would be good on something dense like carrot cake.
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Yeah, it was a very nice conversation about a good place to sit down and eat. Nothing fast food, but somewhere that the family could relax and enjoy their meal. When I asked if he liked Italian I knew I had to send him to Alfredo's. As Kwea said, it is my favorite. I could eat it every day as long as it is good alfredo...and where better to get it than from the very restaurants that created it! Alton was very nice and it was a bit obvious to him that I knew who he was when I told him that I would definately call it GOOD EATS. He gave that sort of lop-sided smile that he has with his eyes twinkling. The look he gave me was kinda like " NICE ". He said that they would definately have to take my advice since it was such an enthusiastic endorsement. I was so excited when I got home. I had to tell Kwea all about it! So now you all know about it too! I love Good Eats and Alton Brown is just so dorky that he's cute! You sure do learn a lot from watching that show! I especially loved his chocolate week (Valentine's Day special) episodes! It was all about chocolate....need I say more?
Posts: 325 | Registered: Aug 2002
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That's so cool! I love that show. Anyone who can make beef jerky with a box fan and has flames painted on his mixer is cool in my book. Posts: 298 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I am so ignorant . . . thank goodness for Google. Now I guess I'll have to go read an Alton Brown book! I'd never heard of him before. Cool story!
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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(JenniK posting as Kwea) Yeah you should watch Good Eats on the Food Network. That's his show...where he explains how to cook things; using the correct tools....sorta/kinda like Bill Nye the Science Guy becomes Yan can Cook! And he has really horrible puns!
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Making horrible puns is like an art. I think I might start watching it just to hear those. I don't watch the food network because I barely know the basics of cooking so it'd be kind of pointless to jump in to the complexities of cooking since I wouldn't understand anything.
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Kwea, did you see "Tender is the Loin, Part 1"? He shows you how to cut up your own whole tenderloin to save money, and what to do with the parts. I am sooo gonna try it next time I drag my mom to Costco!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Nope, I didn't, but I will look for it. Do you know what season it is? I have the first two on DVD. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I think it's this season's. I also saw part 2, but part 1 was even awesomer.
They're on DVD? *laughs maniacally* I must have them! Or at least Netflix them! Except Netflix doesn't have them. *puts on birthday list and goes to write Netflix to request DVDs*
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So, there wouldn't be any connection between the horrible puns and Bob thinking the videos are REALLY great, now would there? Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I'm bumping this thread because it's the one that got me watching Good Eats--I'm totally an Alton Brown fan now! I didn't catch Feasting on Asphalt last week, but I'm going to try to tonight.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by GaalDornick: "And he has really horrible puns!"
Making horrible puns is like an art. I think I might start watching it just to hear those. I don't watch the food network because I barely know the basics of cooking so it'd be kind of pointless to jump in to the complexities of cooking since I wouldn't understand anything.
He is so into teaching the basics to anyone who would like to cook. He is kind of like the cooking for Dummies guy. Great show well worth watching. I often watch the same episode over and over again.
Posts: 224 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Yeah what I like about his show is that he doesn't speak as if you should know all these technical cooking terms. Instead he explains the techno-jargon that chefs use in teh simplest form, explains what kitchen gadgets to use, how to choose the right tool for the job,and of course how to use them while making some amazing foods. You can't beat it! (Insert whisk here and beat until light and fluffy. ) He makes it so that anyone can learn to cook. It doesn't matter if you have been cooking for years or if you burn water (aka warp the pan once all the water that was in it has boiled away - no joke, my sister actually did this once! ) Alton Brown makes it easy and fun to learn!
Posts: 325 | Registered: Aug 2002
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He is funny about his tools too. He had a show on sandwiches, and was making a pannini, and showed a really great pannini press....then showed what he used.
Bricks wrapped in foil. I kid you not. He said they were cheap, and worked ever bit as well, if not better....and didn't clutter his counter space. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Yeah, I agree about the MacGuyver of the cooking world. He is definitely handy with all manner of objects... once he gets them into a kitchen of course! As for the puns, I usually groan and shake my head...Kwea is the one who really likes the horrible puns.
Posts: 325 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I wonder if he's got a good eggplant recipe or three. We have a large crop of eggplant waiting to be turned into something delectable.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Oh! Slice it real thin, dredge in egg wash, dip in italian bread crumb and fry that bad boy up! It's the only way I'll eat eggplant! it's sooo good!
Posts: 601 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Ohhh, that sounds like the most scrumptious eggplant parmesan I had recently--sliced really thin, they must have used a mandoline or whatever you call that thing, then done like dawmnaria said but w/ lots of cheese and red sauce on a bed of spaghetti. It really was to die for. I think it's been about two weeks since I had it and I'm trying to figure out how long of an interval is decent before I can go back and have it again! Maybe someday I'll try to duplicate it but for now the local pizzeria sells a huge mounded portion (2 or three meals) for pretty darn cheap, so I'll just let someone else make it for me.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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We have all the common eggplant recipies -- eggplant parmesan, moussaka, baba ganouj, ratatouille. Come to think of it, I have plenty of uncommon ones too. After the great eggplant flood of '04 I'm pretty confident that I can handle this year's plethora of eggplant.
Which is not to say that anything the great AB would tell us wouldn't be tried immediately.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I know AB has recipes for eggplant steaks, eggplant pasta, and baba ganouj. They should be available on the Food Network website, but my browser is playing havoc with my mind this morning, and I can't get in there.
Posts: 132 | Registered: Jun 2006
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I like eggplant roll-ups. I can't find the recipe I use (tomato sauce and cheese(s) are the filling), butthereareLOTSof variants.Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I watched part of Feasting on Asphalt last night for the first time and had to turn it off...he was eating a deep fried pig brain sandwich in Indiana, ugh! I can't tell you how repulsed I was by that.
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May i make note that instead of pig brain he should have had a deep fried pork tenderloin in Indiana. It's more normal and barely seen anywhere else.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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dkw - I have a couple of great eggplant recipes from my mom - one is for eggplant chili the other is for a delicious eggplant and lentil dish. Let me know if I should post/email the recipes.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I could eat it every day as long as it is good alfredo...and where better to get it than from the very restaurants that created it! Alton was very nice and it was a bit obvious to him that I knew who he was when I told him that I would definately call it GOOD EATS. He gave that sort of lop-sided smile that he has with his eyes twinkling. The look he gave me was kinda like " NICE ". He said that they would definately have to take my advice since it was such an enthusiastic endorsement. I was so excited when I got home. I had to tell Kwea all about it! So now you all know about it too! ![[The Wave]](graemlins/thewave.gif)
I love Good Eats and Alton Brown is just so dorky that he's cute! You sure do learn a lot from watching that show! I especially loved his chocolate week (Valentine's Day special) episodes! It was all about chocolate....need I say more?
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) Alton Brown makes it easy and fun to learn!
