foodtvandme.com is the unofficial food network fansite with news, reviews, and my attempts at those great recipes you see on tv.

Hoping to find some of Rachael Ray’s colorful bowls in stores?  Good luck!  Most of her G.B.s (garbage bowls) and other mixing bowls are vintage Metlox bowls and can be found on eBay and antique stores.  Her yellow oven is a vintage Chambers oven circa 1950 model 90c which can also be found on eBay.  I found a red one for about $1,500.  I, personally, would love to see her come out with her own line of cookware.  She does have some knives that you can purchase through foodnetwork.com, but I would rather be able to find her funky kitchen wear in a store. Who has the time to search eBay for cookwear?  I’d rather find my pots and pans at Walmart, even if it isn’t as colorful.  At least it’s easy to find.

Popcorn lovers beware!  This weekend the Food Network Challenge will be at Disneyland in Anaheim, August 6th, to make a pass at the world record for the tallest popcorn sculpture.  The current record, according to the Guiness World Records website, was made in Stirling,UK, and unveiled October 3, 2003.  The sculpture was in the shape of Godzilla and commemorated the 65th anniversary of the Allan Park Cinema.  It was 16 ft. 0.5 in. (4.89 m) tall.  Feel free to come cheer on the current attempt during the live taping.

If you love Alton Brown like I do, then you probably caught the premiere of his new show, Feasting on Asphalt.  In his new food venture, Alton is on a cross country trek eating his way from South Carolina to California.  He is sticking to “road food,” only eating at places that hungry travelers would find by stumbling upon it.  No national chains allowed, no whinning, and if need be, all crew must fend for themselves in the wild. 

In the premiere episode, we first had the pleasure of watching Alton feast on delicious hot dogs poached and smothered in melted butter.  This was a appetizing tip that I am determined to try the next time I make hot dogs.  Hours later, the now starving Alton came across a closed diner where he was planning on having his next meal.  He winded up buying a pickled pig’s foot from a non name brand mini mart and sinking his teeth in.  At this point I was grateful that I’d eaten hours ago, or it might have made me sick.  A.B. didn’t seem to enjoy it very much either, but his loss of appetite carried him throught the next moring.  They then found a delicious little biscuit sandwich place, that look very appealing.

While Good Eats is by far a better show, I still found the motorcycle riding Alton amusing to watch.  I recommend trying this one out at least once, if only to see Alton attempt to stomach something else pickled.  Feasting on Asphalt is on Saturday nights at 9pm.