Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
The two-time James Beard award-winner for Best Food Show travels to more of the world's must-see food destinations. The food, culture and travel series features culinary expeditions to new locales in Australia and Tasmania, Korea, Turkey, Spain, and various locations in the US, and delivers a cultural look at the world, food first. Episodes dive into the diverse realm of the world's greatest cuisine, from New Zealand's purest honey to Italy's famous Parmigiano Reggiano. Back in the test kitchen, editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl and her expanded team of seasoned epicurean experts - including John "Doc" Willoughby, Zanne Early Stewart and Ian Knauer - show viewers how to bring these internationally inspired dishes into their home.
Upcoming Broadcasts:
Baja: The New Provence (#207)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
We'll travel to Baja, the peninsula south of California in Mexico that is fast becoming an epicenter in the culinary world. We'll meet a chef who uses fresh herbs, vegetables, and seafood for his restaurant Laja that is considered a "destination," not a restaurant. We'll also travel to a wine school in the fertile valley of Guadalupe then visit a French chef who runs a five-diamond resort restaurant in Los Cabos, Mexico. Join us as we show you why this Mexican hotspot is compared to the gastronomic powers in France. And in the gourmet kitchen, we're sharing a savory recipe for Mongolian stewed garlic.
Channels and Airdates:
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 -- 5:00 am
Bovine Rhapsody (#208)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Everything you need to know about cows and more! We'll take you to the rugged landscape of the Italian wild west in Southwest Tuscany where semi-wild Maremmane inspire a local specialty, Bollito. Next, we'll travel to Morocco to experience freshly made Beldi butter, and we'll also experience chocolate milk from the American heartland. From Italy to Upstate New York, we'll show you how cows influence cuisines around the world. Back in the gourmet kitchen, we're spicing up a basic cut of meat with a flavorful dry rub and homemade BBQ sauce.
Channels and Airdates:
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 -- 10:30 am
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 -- 11:00 pm
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 -- 5:00 am
Trompe L'oeil: The Art of Culinary Deception (#209)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Can a great meal be based on deception? Trompe L'Oeil means "fooling the eye," and some chefs and experts are doing just that. Come along and meet a chef who's been figuring out ways to fool diners for 45 years, feeding them "scrambled eggs" made out of scallops and other, even more fantastic creations. Travel to New York City to visit a cake "studio" where edible foods replace tubes of paints. Back in the gourmet kitchen, we'll show you how to create a "slice of watermelon" that looks exactly like the real thing - with seeds made out of chocolate.
Channels and Airdates:
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 -- 10:30 am
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
The Open Flame (#210)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Come with us as we travel across the globe visiting chefs who are redefining the art of grilling. At a grilling school in Panzano, Italy one of the world's greatest butchers shows us how a perfectly prepared steak begins and ends with the dry heat of an open flame. Next we'll travel to Morocco to experience an ancient method of cooking using the intense heat of the fire in a communal bathhouse. At a 4th of July BBQ in Massachusetts a great chef stays up all night to show off an entire range of grilling traditions and techniques. And in the gourmet kitchen, we're sharing the easiest thing you can grill in your own backyard.
Channels and Airdates:
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
New Zealand: The Rugged Land (#202)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
With about 10,000 miles of rugged, unspoiled coastline and relative isolation from the rest of the world, New Zealand is the perfect place for growing fresh, organic fare. We'll travel across New Zealand and meet the faces behind the "purest honey," hand-crafted goat cheese, single vineyard excellence, and farm-raised venison. Join us as we learn how local products and the natural bounty of land influence cuisines around the world. And in the Gourmet kitchen, we're ready for dessert! The taste of fresh honey adds the perfect touch of sweetness to a toffee wafer.
Channels and Airdates:
France: The New Guarde (#211)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
A new generation of culinary talent is ignoring tradition and experimenting with techniques as they reinvent French cuisine. Come along and meet these iconoclastic young masters. One is reinventing the tradition of the French bistro at his restaurant, Le Chateaubriand. We'll take you to the south of France to visit an organic farm where a chef with an extraordinary garden is taking the organic movement into new directions. From farm-to-table dining to a restaurant in a premier art museum, we'll show you why France could be on the verge of another revolution. Back in the gourmet kitchen, we'll see another innovation from French chefs, the Silpat.
Channels and Airdates:
Mon, Feb 15, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Mon, Feb 15, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Tue, Feb 16, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
The Anglers (#212)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
We'll give you a look at the world of fish and fishing through the eyes of the best seafood chefs and professionals. Famous chef and fisherman David Pasternack of Esca in New York City takes us fishing along the waters of the Long Island Sound. Next, we'll travel to New Zealand where a Paua expert limits his catch in an effort to help guarantee the survival of one of the country's most prized exports. In Italy, a traditional fisherman is changing his ways to make sure that there will be fish in the future. Join us as we travel the world to learn about the latest in sustainable fishing practices. And in the gourmet kitchen, we'll show you what to look for when you go to the market to buy fish
Channels and Airdates:
Tue, Feb 16, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Tue, Feb 16, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Wed, Feb 17, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
The Inventors (#213)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Are you curious about the most advanced gadgets in the 21st century kitchen? Come along and meet the people who are pushing the art of cooking forward. The former CTO of Microsoft shows off his incredible home kitchen, which is full of high tech gizmos. Meet the man who coined the term Molecular Gastronomy, and discover why this professor in France thinks everyone should be a chemist. In Chicago the genius behind the "anti-griddle" shows us his latest inventions. From France to the University of Kentucky, we'll visit the minds that are taking advanced industrial technology and applying it in the kitchen. Back in the gourmet kitchen, we'll give you a few tips to inspire your inner inventor.
Channels and Airdates:
Wed, Feb 17, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Wed, Feb 17, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Thu, Feb 18, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Chile: Mestizo (#214)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Come along with us as we discover the unique and little-known cuisine of Chile, a fascinating cross-pollination of native ingredients and European technique. In the charming city of Quintay, we find some of the best seafood in Chile featured in a family-run restaurant that offers just-out-of-the-water-fresh dishes. We also visit the birthplace of potatoes, where we meet a woman who has dedicated her life to preserving Chile's unmatched potato diversity. And in the Gourmet kitchen, we'll show you how queso fresco can create a easy, hearty, and very delicious stew.
Channels and Airdates:
Thu, Feb 18, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Thu, Feb 18, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Fri, Feb 19, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Bread: The Foundation of a Meal (#203)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Bread: A simple staple at the center of almost any meal, on every table, across the globe. We'll travel through the bustling streets of Paris to learn the secrets behind the beautifully baked French loaf, and then head to Italy where an Italian baker shares the legend of Tuscan bread. We'll also travel to the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York where we experience a baker who sees bread as a philosophy. From France to Upstate New York, we'll show you the diverse realm of the world's best artisanal bakers. Back in the Gourmet kitchen, we'll get a taste of a legendary recipe for savory Brioche from Richard Bertinet.
Channels and Airdates:
Anatomy of a Meal: Paul Bartolotta (#215)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
How did a kid from Milwaukee become one of America's finest chefs? Join us as Paul Bartolotta, one of the first chefs in America to elevate Italian cuisine to four-star status, shows us the fresh ingredients and the classic techniques behind his wonderful but deceptively simple cuisine. Then we'll travel to Italy to discover some of Bartolotta's inspirations-the age-old craft of making Parmiggiano Reggiano, and one of the most important fishing ports along the Adriatic. Back in the Gourmet kitchen, we'll mix Italian ingredients with French techniques to amazing effect.
Channels and Airdates:
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Tue, Feb 23, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Fine Fast Food (#216)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Who says fast food can't be superb? Join us as we visit chefs around the world who are redefining the very concept of "fast food." Chef David Chang of Momofuko Ssam Bar in New York City turns out a spectacular meal in next to no time. In Florence, Italy, a tripe sandwich vendor shows us the glories of the city's oldest form of fast food, while in Hong Kong we visit a local wonton noodle shop that has gained widespread fame for what many consider its perfect recipe. In the Gourmet kitchen, we'll show you how to make Steak Diane in a flash, using a very unexpected ingredient.
Channels and Airdates:
Tue, Feb 23, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Tue, Feb 23, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
The World of Sweet (#217)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Sweet doesn't necessarily mean just dessert-it is an indulgence used in all types of food in cultures around the world. You'll see this clearly as we attend a traditional Moroccan tea ceremony complete with amazing sugared pastries, then travel to Shanghai to sample a sweet meat dish. From Morocco to Vietnam to Shanghai, we'll uncover the many uses of sugar and why it's an ingredient we simply can't live without. Back in the Gourmet kitchen, we'll share the gooey goodness of a homemade marshmallow.
Channels and Airdates:
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Thu, Feb 25, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Aromas: Fragrance and Taste (#218)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Come with us as we fan out across the world to meet with chefs and scientists who are exploring the importance of aromas, proving that the fragrance of a dish does not come only from the ingredients it contains. At the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, we talk with a "taste scientist" who demonstrates the crucial role that aromas play in our enjoyment of food. In the French countryside, we meet a chef who enlivens the dining experience with a wide range of aromas hand-picked from the garden just outside his door. And in the Gourmet kitchen, we'll share a technique for cooking fish and still having your kitchen smell delicious.
Channels and Airdates:
Vietnam: The Taste of Simplicity (#219)
Duration:
25:41 CC Stereo TVG
Join us on a trip to the incredible country of Vietnam, where fine cuisine is seamlessly combined with utter simplicity. In a remote fishing village in the waters of Ha Long Bay, we'll experience one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam: Canh Chua Ca - Sweet and Sour Fish Soup. Next we'll take a caffeine-buzz tour with a food blogger to the many coffee houses in Hanoi. In Tay Ninh, the local rice paper at a family run factory is so special that cooks from all over Vietnam visit just to bring it home to their kitchens. Back in the Gourmet kitchen, Clay Pot Pork combines sweet, salty, and spicy in a single easy-to-make dish.
Channels and Airdates:
Drinks: The Golden Age of Spirits (#220)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Come along as we travel the globe to discover the exciting and flavorful world of spirits, looking into the slightly wacky world of mixology and the cocktail artists who are raising the bar for cocktailians everywhere. In the field of molecular mixology, risk-taker Tony Conigliaro is known for blending some of the most innovative cocktails in the UK. In India, we'll watch Keralinian coconut climbers make fresh liquor from the sap of a coconut tree. We'll also visit the first and only micro-distillery in New York, which has been producing bourbon, rye and vodka since the Prohibition Era. And in the Gourmet kitchen, we're reinventing the multi-layered pousse-cafe.
Channels and Airdates:
Tuscan Simplicity (#300)
Duration:
26:46 CC Stereo TVG
Join us for a taste of Tuscan simplicity where the simple taste of "Cucina Rustica" can be the most delicious. In Florence, Italy, a tripe sandwich vendor shows us the glories of the city's oldest form of fast food. At a grilling school in Panzano, one of the world's greatest butchers shows us how a perfectly prepared steak begins and ends with the dry heat of an open flame. On the coast, a traditional fisherman is changing his ways to make sure that there will be fish in the future. And bread, Tuscan style, where an Italian baker shares the legend of real Tuscan bread.
Channels and Airdates:
Hawaii's Big Island: Food Lover's Paradise (#301)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
How can an island with barely any native produce evolve into a food lover's paradise? Discover the many ways in which Hawaii has developed into a unique melting pot of flavors from around the world. Meet Peter Merriman, a chef who launched a regional cuisine based on splendid local bounty prepared in the simplest possible way. Then see fruits you won't find anywhere else with Ken Love, a man obsessed with ultra-exotics such as tree tomatoes and poha berries. Journey to the Valley of the Kings, where three generations of a family have devoted themselves to farming taro to create traditional poi. Back in the Gourmet test kitchen, food editor Paul Grimes shares a simple recipe for macadamia nut shortbread that gives you a taste of the big island at home.
Channels and Airdates:
India & Vietnam: Complex Cuisine (#302)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Travel to India and Vietnam and learn how the sophisticated cooking traditions and exotic spices of these countries make their regional cuisines so complex. In Hyderabad, India, discover the intricate process of cooking mutton biryani with a richly seasoned recipe that dates back to the 18th century. In the coastal city of Mangalore, experience the luxury of kane rawa, a spicy seafood delicacy made with a meat-eating fish. Then journey to Vietnam and learn the art of making chao, the country's pungent version of pickled tofu. And enjoy an elegant lunch full of exotic fruits from the Mekong Delta. In the Gourmet test kitchen, Gourmet editor in chief Ruth Reichl shares a quick recipe for Indian chicken vindaloo anyone can make and food editor Ian Knauer explains how to layer flavors to create a Vietnamese chicken and pineapple soup.
Channels and Airdates:
Ancient Traditions (#303)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Travel across the world to meet a diverse group of artisans committed to keeping ancient food traditions alive. In a private kitchen just outside Hong Kong, a chef draws upon old village recipes and time-intensive techniques to secretly prepare dishes for a dining room of just eight people. In Chile, the birthplace of potatoes, you'll meet a woman who has dedicated her life to preserving Chile's unmatched tuber diversity of more than 200 varieties. Along southern India's Malabar Coast, local men enjoy a naturally fermented coconut liquor that stays drinkable for just 24 hours. Back in the Gourmet test kitchen, executive editor John Willoughby makes a pork stew that builds flavors with a variety of Latin roots.
Channels and Airdates:
Oaxaca: Food of the New World (#304)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Experience the unique culture and customs of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, a region that offers dramatic beauty, an ancient heritage, and some of Mexico's best food. Visit a traditional Zapotec village and meet a family of weavers as they take advantage of indigenous ingredients using recipes passed down by their ancestors. Journey a few miles outside of Oaxaca City to uncover the tradition of stone soup, a dish local men have made to honor women since the pre-Columbian era. Back in the Gourmet test kitchen, executive food editor Kemp Minifie shares a rich and tangy recipe for beef in a spicy tomatillo sauce, adapted from a dish she discovered during a trip to Oaxaca.
Channels and Airdates:
Farm to Fork (#305)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Discover the many ways in which chefs and farmers around the world are shrinking the distance between farm and table. In New Zealand, a family runs a century-old sustainable ranch and eats almost exclusively from meat and produce cultivated in their backyard. Travel to France to meet a chef who is garnering international attention with a menu inspired by what he pulls straight from his restaurant's garden. Then visit a baker in upstate New York who sees bread as a philosophy and baking as a life experiment. In the Gourmet test kitchen, executive food editor Kemp Minifie shares a resourceful pasta recipe featuring an ingredient many throw away-beet greens.
Channels and Airdates:
Korea: Ancient Food, Modern World (#306)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
In Korea, food doesn't simply influence culture; it defines it. Korea's food remains tied to a venerable past with cooking techniques that reflect its royal dynasties and home kitchens. Watch a certified royal-cuisine chef exercise precision and patience to create kimchi, a fermented-vegetable dish that has been a staple here for more than a thousand years. Discover authentic North Korean recipes, part of a disappearing cuisine largely unknown to the outside world. Marvel at the intense and mysterious process of cultivating pyog'o mushrooms, a revered delicacy in a country where mushrooms are a staple. And in the Gourmet test kitchen, editor in chief Ruth Reichl shares a simple yet flavorful recipe for warm tofu with spicy sauce.
Channels and Airdates:
Tasmania: The Next Culinary Frontier (#307)
Duration:
25:41 CC Stereo TVG
With its rich volcanic soils, clean air, and pristine waters, the island of Tasmania, off the southeast coast of Australia, is quickly becoming a food utopia. Visit Tasmania's first Wagyu beef ranch, where cattle roam lush seaside pastures to produce some of the world's highest-quality beef. Meet a truffle expert who took a gamble on Tasmania's climate and won when he became the only person in the past century to grow truffles in Australia. He shares the truffle secrets he learned from the French and explains the delicate nature of digging up these aromatic gems. Then head out to a smokehouse located in an organic apple orchard. There, a smoke master uses applewood to create highly prized cold-smoked trout and salmon. Back in the Gourmet test kitchen, food editor Paul Grimes prepares a recipe for Roast Lamb Salad, a dish made from an interesting cut of meat he discovered in Tasmania.
Channels and Airdates:
Iftar In Istanbul (#308)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Travel to Istanbul, an ancient Turkish city with a culinary past that weaves its way through the Byzantine, Roman, and Ottoman empires. During the holy month of Ramadan, locals fast from sunrise to sunset. Join a food author for the Iftar meal, the traditional feast when the fast is broken. Visit the famed 150-year-old bakery that makes Turkish flatbread pide, a mainstay of the Iftar, in a time-consuming, authentically traditional way. Discover the beauty of gullac, a multilayered dessert studded with pistachios and pomegranates, and meet a family that has perfected the art of making Turkish delight, an early ancestor of the jellybean. In the Gourmet test kitchen, executive editor John "Doc" Willoughby prepares spicy grilled kofte, a Turkish street-food favorite that gets its irresistible flavor from a unique blend of spices.
Channels and Airdates:
The Collective (#309)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Around the world, chefs and farmers are using their culinary talents to do more than just nourish. They're helping reshape society. In a small town in upstate Vermont, meet four men who have combined farming and business efforts to create a sustainable food infrastructure based on cooperation, not competition. Cross the globe to Hanoi, Vietnam and visit a center that gives street kids the skills they need to work in the restaurant industry. High above Oaxaca, Mexico, the native people of a village play unique roles in their agricultural system-from mushroom forager to potato farmer. And in the Gourmet test kitchen, editor in chief Ruth Reichl turns grilled cheese sandwiches from ordinary to extraordinary with locally sourced ingredients.
Channels and Airdates:
Tuscan Simplicity (#310)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Tuscany abounds with pride and passion for local ingredients. Meet the area's masters of cucina rustica, who explain why the simplest dishes can be the most delicious. A baker reveals the secrets of saltless bread, the foundation of every Tuscan meal. In Florence, grab lunch with the locals at a street cart whose owner keeps the city's 700-year-old obsession with tripe alive. Head to the sea with a lifelong fisherman who has become an activist for sustainability and grills his catch right off the side of his boat. Then share the primal experience of cooking steak over live fire with the most famous butcher in Tuscany-and, perhaps, the world.
Channels and Airdates:
Chile Peppers: Playing with Fire (#311)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
What could be more exhilarating than the rush of a chile pepper? Discover the many ways in which these peppers have set the global palate on fire. Native to Mexico, chile peppers play a huge role in the country's cuisine. In Oaxaca, family and friends come together to make Mexico's most patriotic dish - Chiles en Nogada. Join John "Doc" Willoughby, executive editor of Gourmet magazine, in Sanliurfa, Turkey, as he researches a story on Urfa and Maras peppers. In Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania, meet an obsessive farmer who harvests over 100 different kinds of chiles, including the hottest pepper in the world. In the Gourmet test kitchen, Ian Knauer uses serrano chiles to make an Indian shrimp curry that mixes heat with a harmony of spices.
Channels and Airdates:
Tue, Mar 23, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Tue, Mar 23, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Montreal: Cooking on the Wild Side (#312)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
In and around Montreal, the great outdoors plays a major role in inspiring the unique local flavor. Just 40 minutes outside the city, the beautiful collaboration between a chef and a forager results in an elegant restaurant menu featuring mushrooms found in trees and wild greens picked from riverbeds. Meet a fourth-generation apple farmer who mixes the Old World and the New by producing cider using the methode champenoise. Back in the city, tour the biggest indoor market in Canada with a local chef whose Italian cooking classes have a cult following. In the garden behind Joe Beef, chef Fred Morin shows how his fearless approach to experimentation defines his restaurant's quirky comfort food. In the Gourmet test kitchen, food editor Paul Grimes uses Canadian maple syrup to prepare a delicious whole chicken in a pan.
Channels and Airdates:
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Wed, Mar 24, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
La Cocina Andaluza: The Flavor of Flamenco (#313)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
Travel to the southernmost part of Spain-Andalucia, the land of flamenco and bullfighting, as well as the origin of many Spanish dishes. Visit the home of a family of flamenco musicians as they prepare classic Gypsy dishes and spontaneously burst into song while cooking. Meet a local farmer who is committed to producing jamon iberico in the time-consuming traditional way because he considers its unique flavor a miracle. Learn the history of gazpacho, one of Andalucia's most well-known delicacies and meet a chef who puts an avant-garde twist on the chilled soup. And in the Gourmet test kitchen, editor in chief Ruth Reichl shares a quick and easy way to make paella at home.
Channels and Airdates:
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 -- 10:30 am email reminder
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 -- 11:00 pm email reminder
Fri, Mar 26, 2010 -- 5:00 am email reminder
Southern India: The Spice of Life (#201)
Duration:
25:40 CC Stereo TVG
What is the secret of South Indian cooking? Join us as we travel to a region considered "off the beaten path" and uncover South India's spice rack of cultures and cuisines. We'll visit the home of an award-winning author where she savors the enduring recipes and aromatic spices that connect her to family and an ancient past. Next, we'll visit a tiny farming community where local farmers cultivate indigenous ragi grain without the use of pesticides. We'll also travel along the western Malabar coast where a distinguished chef makes a local favorite using the region's abundant seafood and coconuts. Join us as we take a journey across India and experience the spices that define our cuisine. Back in the Gourmet kitchen, we're spicing up dinner with a simple recipe for tandoori chicken.







