So what food-related programming do you watch these days?

Recent F Words have improved quite a bit, but still not exactly at the top of the heap.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have never watched anything I thought worth while, that had Rachael Ray in it....the Food Bimbo tuns me off about as much as Surfer Dude (Guy Fieri) does.

[Jenise]

We get Masterchef Australia (co-members of the British Empire has to have some bonuses!) and I agree that it is quite good. In fact it and Masterchef Canada have a much kinder less antagonistic flavour than the US one does - I find the latter a bit tiresome sometimes, although someone turned Ramsay's bitch dial down a couple of notches from some of his previous shows.

Sure, but Ramsay really makes the show. It's clear that he's a very caring person even if he doesn't mince words. I loved it this season when that super talented 19 year old kid got eliminated, that he Gordon was going to send him to cooking school AND support the kid's parents while he was away. Was endearing to see his wealth do some good.

And yes re Rachel and Guy. Rachel in particular is where the Food Network hit the fork in the road and chose entertainment over content, and Guy's just another product of that decision.

[Jenise]

Here's some new stuff that might be interesting, per eater.com:

Beauty and the Baker, Season 1
Amazon Prime Video, September 15
This show about a scrappy baker and a famous woman who loves him is one of the highest-rated scripted series ever in its native Israel. Judging by the trailer, this looks like a cross between Gossip Girl and Notting Hill, with the addition of what showrunner Assi Azar describes as “Ashkenazi/Sephardic tension.” Different versions of this program are already being developed in Holland, Greece, and Russia. Update: Despite previous reports about a September launch, Amazon does not have a confirmed premiere date for this program. Stay tuned for more details on the stateside debut as they become available.

Also of note in September: The Great British Bake Off’s least popular original cast member embarks on an automotive-themed journey on Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip (Netflix, September 29), and Japanese reality show Terrace House: Aloha State returns this month for another season full of tense romantic conversations around dinner tables (Netflix, September 26).

It hasn't been "lately" but earlier this year I had subscribed to Netflix. They have some interesting cooking stuff, some of it more historical than actionable (e.g., History of General Tso Chicken).

Here's some new stuff that might be interesting, per eater.com:



Also of note in September: The Great British Bake Off’s least popular original cast member embarks on an automotive-themed journey on [b]Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip (Netflix, September 29), and Japanese reality show Terrace House: Aloha State returns this month for another season full of tense romantic conversations around dinner tables (Netflix, September 26).

My first thought was that this would be yet another show about someone driving around to different restaurants and eating at them. And God knows we need at least a few hundred more of these in addition to all of the current ones. But it turns out that this is a car show, not a food show. Paul will be going around Europe to check out various interesting cars and driving them. Same basic concept but subbing in automobiles for restaurants. Although I don't dislike Paul, I can't say we need this show either.

[Jenise]

We watched episode one tonight, Mike. Bob liked it more than I did, and I love cars--it's just that Paul's patter wasn't all that interesting, and the interactions with locals set up by the producers all felt pretty contrived. You really don't see much, so little so that I'm not even convinced he actually drove the distance between the towns as it's implied he will. You pretty much only see scenery from the inside of a car out behind Paul's head where the camera's pointing from the passenger side dashcam.

We watched episode one tonight, Mike. Bob liked it more than I did, and I love cars--it's just that Paul's patter wasn't all that interesting, and the interactions with locals set up by the producers all felt pretty contrived. You really don't see much, so little so that I'm not even convinced he actually drove the distance between the towns as it's implied he will. You pretty much only see scenery from the inside of a car out behind Paul's head where the camera's pointing from the passenger side dashcam.

Wow - it should have been better than that.

[Jenise]

Bill Spohn: thought of you yesterday. We have a neighborhood website where classified can be posted. So far all have been cars, furniture, boats--big stuff. So it was unusual that yesterday someone posted an ad for a single cook book: "Rachel Ray cookbook. 300 pages. $5."

I laughed out loud. 300 whole pages! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Auggghhhh!

Wonder who her ghost writer was?

[Jenise]

Oh she has several books out, I'm sure. The Food Network would have made sure of it. But isn't it just like a Rachel Ray fan to not be able to think of anything else to plug the book for except the number of pages?

Sure it's crap - but you get a lot of crap for your money?