Food is a history lesson

Travel Channel ran a marathon of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern this weekend. Now for regular readers you know what a big fan of food I am in general. Food Network is tagged as a favorite on the remote and I get email updates from the network all the time. The travel channel also has some food show that I tune into but I never realized until today that food can be more than pleasure and sustenance. Food is also a history book and map on the mentality of people.

This idea came to me as I caught the last part of the Ethiopian episode. Andrew was in a hut with the natives eating camel. In itself not a big deal, we eat many animals here in this country that others in different countries might look twice about. No the thing was they were eating the camel meat raw. Now I like my steak rare and I love the sushi, but raw camel meat, yes I would try it because I am open to trying a lot of stuff, but I wondered how this came about.

I know a couple things about Ethiopia, not a lot but a friend of mine married a woman from there and I have had several chances to sit and dine (nothing like the feast they prepare) and ask my ignorant raised in America questions. Ethiopians are a hardy people who have never been conquered by any other nation and people. I mean in their whole history they have repelled everybody that rolled up on them. That in itself is amazing, but back to my point. The eating of the raw camel meat came about very matter of factly. Warriors who were out on a war campaign at night needed to eat, and because these people are true warriors they did not want to give away their position with cooking fires, so they ate the meat raw.

As I learn more and more about food it serves to build bridges for me when it comes to other cultures. Who knows, maybe some day world peace will be brought on by every culture sharing their version of chitterlings.

Well maybe not!

Daddy's Home

Big Daddy Aaron McCargo Jr. makes his return to Sunday mornings on the Food Network (or as I call it the food porn channel). Aaron was the latest winner of Food networks 4 year old reality show “The Next Food Network Star”. Upon winning the show last year he immediately went into the studio and shot six episodes of his show “Big Daddy’s House”.


Big Daddy’s House” six episode run brought in solid ratings and the network received many calls and emails when the show suddenly left Sunday mornings back in September. The network, not missing a beat, put commercials up stating that Aaron would be returning at the first of the year. Since then Aaron has been busy in his home town of Camden, New Jersey as well as all over the tube, showing up on shows like Rachel Ray and The Neely’s’

So please join myself and a host of other Daddy fans tomorrow 12:30 central on Food Network for the 2nd season premiere of Big Daddy’s House.

The lettuce of the Elite!

So in preparing to watch tonight's historic debate I turned on MSNBC's show Hardball. Chris Matthews hardball host was sitting in with Senior Advisor to John McCain Douglas "McCain invented the Blackberry" Holtz-Eakin. When Chris asked him what stragety Palin was going to take tonight he stated that "Sarah Paling is a real Middle Class citizen and that was her strength as oppose to the democratic candidates who are only faux middle class". To bring his point home he stated that one of Obama's favorite meals in Arugula. when Chris asked Douglas what arugula is he answered "well you know it's a very fine.........."

If you are gloing to promote elitism and food you should pick food that you actually know , not just something that sounds fancy. So tomorrow I will be sending Douglas Holtz-Eakin a email and a picture with a defination.

Arugula, an aromatic salad green, most popular in italian food. Lettuce ladies and gentlemen......lettuce!

Paula Dean! First Chef!!

Well I was forced to sit thru Maury Povich and his Connie Chung for the first fifteen minutes of the show, boy those two are annoying. Then came the Dean boys, since this is a somewhat political post I will postpone my Dean Boys post show roundup. I set my timer today to see Paula Dean and Michelle Obama.

Paula set out on the road to catch up with Michelle on the very busy campaign trail. From introduction to end it was less like a cooking show and more like an easy interview. Clearly this was put together to further show what kind of wife and mother Michelle is. It was a joy to watch these two women in the kitchen just chatting away being nice and getting to know each other.

As they were preparing the double breaded shrimp they spoke of the children’s likes and dislikes food wise and how Michelle splits her time up between helping Barack run for the highest office in the world and giving the girls a normal scheduled life. I was particularly moved by Paula asking about Michelle’s mother and having someone there who would give their life for your children.

During the second half of the segment the two women made Cajun fries and spoke candidly about how Michelle and Barack met, their first date, and the one dish that Michelle made the first time for Barack and never made again. “I made the gumbo that one time, it had everything in it, lobster, crab, shrimp, I don’t know where that came from, I was really in love.”

During the whole interview...I mean segment Paula never once got political but in the end she made Michelle promise that if the Obamas make it to the White House in January that she be allowed to come cook all their favorites for them. Now maybe it was me, but I think that was Paula’s little thumbs up to Michelle. Now perhaps in a few weeks Cindy McCain will show up on Paula’s party. Of course we all know Cindy is a huge Food Network fan, she has stolen some of her best recipes from them…

Two great taste that taste great together….

In less than an hour two of my favorite women will take the small screen together. The lady Paula Dean, cooking guru and butter pusher extraordinaire.

On her show Paula’s party she will be joined by soon to be (cross your fingers) Michelle Obama. Never before has the thought of cooking and women turned me on more. Stay tuned for a post cooking analysis.

Welcome back

Welcome to Derrick’s window!

Why the window? Cause if I flung open the door it might be too much for you. I have been wanting to restart a blog page for awhile now but I needed something really interesting to talk about (other than myself lol) and then it hit me, why not open with my favorite kind of pornography.

Ok so here is the thing, I have a sick twisted deep love for men of a certain profession. (Well this is true for a couple of professions but this one is the biggest) I love the black male Chef. Is it the Chef Whites? Is it the cooking clogs? I just don’t know but rare is the black chef that can’t turn my head. Well it seems that I am not alone in my love affair because in the last few years black men have been taking over the TV kitchens of America.

I am listing them in no particular order but just know that there is not one on this list that would not get kicked out of my bed (to be sent to the kitchen)

The most recent addition to my list is “The Big Daddy” Aaron McCargo Jr. who recently won the forth installment of “Next Food Network Star” on the Porn Ne...Errr I mean the Food Network. Aaron was executive chef of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philly when he won and became a full time host. While his show is only a few weeks old, ratings seem to be really solid for the show and is something I will get up for early on Sunday (Yes 1:30 on Sunday afternoon is early)

Next in line is Patrick Neely of “At Home with the Neely’s” and the new “Road Tested with the Neely’s”. Yeah his wife Gina is on the show with him but you know what you gonna do! Pat began his cooking career at 15 when he was taught the secrets of BBQ by his uncle. Years later with a loan from his grandmother Pat and his three brothers Gaelin, Tony and Mark opened the first store that began the Neely BBQ Empire in Memphis. Thank You G Mama!!!!!

Gonna be honest about the next one. I don’t watch his show that much, it’s a little to homeboy for me but there is no denying the physical charm and allure of Chef G Garvin. Born and raised in a matriarchal household in Atlanta “G” started working in his first kitchen at 13. Now he is the host of his TV One cooking show, book author, and sometimes radio personality. (By the way hates hearing he looks like the Cool One)

Next on our hit parade is a Chef that I honestly have never seen in the kitchen, but his show will be premiering in October on Food Network “The Chef Jeff Project”. I have to say I read Jeff Henderson’s autobiography “Cooked” and along with being moved emotionally, it really was a great story about someone turning their life around. Jeff went from Drug dealer to a man that made history.

In 2001 in Las Vegas he became the first African-American named "Chef de Cuisine" (Head of the kitchen) at Caesars Palace. Jeff’s book (a best seller) has been optioned by Will smith’s production company. While not a big Willie fan I must admit I am curious to see how the homophobic Smith will handle some of the prison sections of the book.

Last is Rahman Rocky Harper from Season 3 of Hell’s Kitchen. The Virginia native took a home ec course in junior high and after a few personal battles wound up at Culinary School at Johnson and Whales. Rocky fulfilled his one year contract with the Gordon Ramsey restaurant as executive chef and stayed on in a more PR role.

Whatever...he phine and he can cook!

Well that is it for this peak through the window…I am drawing the blinds until next time!