The Chew: Healthy Food, Friendly Discussion, and Helpful Tips Showed Up on the Table Today
The Chew on ABC aired their first episode today and I approve of the content. I am going to be watching and reporting to you about this new show. It holds real promise!
The inviting individuals who meet at the table engaged in friendly discussion and seem to be getting to know one another. The set is set up for the audience to taste what is prepared and to watch demonstrations of useful tools and techniques that these laughing people have to share with you five days a week.
The Chew on ABC: More Information on the Official Website
Michael Symon began with pork, kale, and beans. The kale and white beans made Daphne Oz exceedingly happy that Michael is paying attention to making the dishes prepared on the show healthy and delicious. The gimmick of using 5 ingredients and fixing the dish in 5 minutes will appeal to many busy housewives and mothers who have to mourn their loss of “All My Children”, but need something to fill the void until they watch “One Life to Live” or “Days of Our Lives”… This is a show with real life drama as we watched Mario battle the weather outside on the golf course while he prepared pizza in the wood-fired oven on location raising money for charity.
I had to laugh when Mario used his new coined phrase explaining that there are two kinds of people: Italians and those who want to be Italian. At least the pizza can satisfy both, but he could have taken the opportunity to show the audience how to make a gluten-free crust. Mario needs to pay close attention to Daphne to get rid of that tire around his middle!
Daphne prepared her Breakfast Superfood Smoothie without any real superfood ingredients. Blueberries and yogurt are not really what those of us in the business of Wellness would call ‘superfoods’. Some people are using the term too loosely. The Smoothie was fairly good until she began to throw in all of those supplemental substances that should be coming from whole foods, instead of powder or capsules. One idea that I hope you find appealing for your Smoothies is to use frozen bananas, instead of ice. This will cool your drink, add nutrient value, and make your Smoothie taste a lot better.
I was not pleased with Daddy Oz who tried to upstage his daughter, Daphne. He should have stayed in the audience with the other parents of the Chew crew who attended this pilot performance! He also told a distasteful story about Daphne’s birth which was inappropriate and yet she tried to smile through the ordeal with some modicum of grace which I believe she gets from her mother.
Daddy Oz has his own show and he was out of place by trying to steal his daughter’s thunder! I think that Daphne will do more for her audience with organics and local sourcing of whole foods than her father does with all of his medical rhetoric. I can hardly wait to weigh in on this on a regular basis.
Carla and Clinton are unfamiliar faces to me, but they have great attitudes and they both offered good information today. I liked the way Clinton brought pork back in the second form of the day using bacon to recreate a BLT for a cocktail party appetizer. He’s smart to forgo the bread, yet maintain the essential ingredients that make our mouths water for bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a good mayo! I hope that Clinton brings on the organic Red Wine in the near future.
Carla is adorable and she brought me back to my own childhood when I, too, ordered those recipe cards with their little plastic holder to inspire me with ideas for new and inviting dishes to prepare in my kitchen years ago…many, many years ago. The irony is that she used apple rings with pancake batter which is not ideal for the health of the digestive system.
If you want to remodel this old recipe, then use a sub-acid fruit to replace the apples or the pineapple ideas. They are cute enough to appeal to the kids while tasting great with the home-made syrup to satisfy the adults in the household. I would use pears, peaches, or bananas with a batter for breakfast or dessert. The agave syrup is fantastic along with the cinnamon, clove, and allspice.
I also found Michael’s demonstration of the microplane grater to be a segment that will really help people learn how to master certain skills in their kitchens. If you don’t know how to use the tools, it makes food preparation that much more difficult. This should be a regular installment on the show. His Iron Chef skills are not wasted and you are going to see good things from him.
All in all, this first episode is a promising display of what’s to come that should contribute to a healthy Lifestyle. It’s crisp, it’s well-written, and the Chew crew is delightful!
Bon Voyage!
