Okay, so maybe it wasn't just like Good Eats, but at least the same funny and interesting Alton Brown was at the Fox on this past ugly and icy Saturday night. I love the show Good Eats and I have even compared it to my favorite cooking show of all time :The Frugal Gourmet.
My Saturdays were all the same when I was young. My parents wanted us to go outside and play for the most part of the day. But at the same time, they allowed us some tv time. So, what my 3 other brothers and I did, was watch cartoons until the cartoons stopped, around 11:00. Now, at 11:00 on the local PBS station, there was this show called The Frugal Gourmet hosted by Jeff Smith. I think the show was actually the first cooking show that Elmo, of Sesame Street, was on. Now, what you had in the 90's here, was a cooking show where this older man would not only talk about the food he was cooking, but throw in some reasoning as to why things were happening. He didn't get as much into the science, but at least he gave an explanation of how yeast works and why we make bread that way and so forth. I remembered it being my favorite show and it certainly was fun to watch Victory Garden right afterwards.
Alton Brown, as the audience got to see him on Saturday night, is exactly like his Good Eats personality. Like any good teacher, he mixes some real world information into the science and learning part. His experiments reminded me of items created by Jamie and Adam of Mythbusters. His up-beat and educational music reminded me of They Might Be Giants as they sing songs about the sun or photosynthesis. His cooking though, reminds me Jeff Smith in his calm and patient manner, with a lot of wit and humor thrown in.
Songs about Caffeine, which is my favorite drug, and pork chops seemed to fit with the giant pizza cooker using 54 lights. The stories that he used as examples about his life and his family seem to resonate with everyone, or most people or at least me, when it comes to family and children. And while there was a large portion of the show that was scripted and rehearsed, there was some that was not. For instance; I have never been to a concert, in any other city, that has ever had a person doing the interpretation into sign language. When you live in St. Louis and you do St. Louis things, the signer is forgotten or even over-looked because there is one everywhere. But it appeared that this may have actually been the first time that Alton Brown has ever had one for his show. As one of his volunteers had put it: "you talk a lot". As fast and with as much information as Alton Brown gives people, I would feel bad about those who have to sign it. Alton got her to do the sign for 'pole dancer', which I think kept him happy for the night, and even threw him off track once or twice.
I thought the show was great as everything that was explained before the show, did actually happen. He also suggested that the show was done for him, and not us, and there was some complaining about there being only 2 cooking demonstrations, however since the show was filled with many things, it was a variety show and not just a cooking show. I liked the show very much and even bought a hat at the end, considering that my other hat, with a red circle and silver fork on the top, is the only chef's hat I had.
I also have to give full marks for bravery, just like the kind that Wesley got after making it through the fire swamp, to Alton Brown. For not only did he ride on his tour bus through the cold and ice and snow, but he also performed in it. Albeit, he was inside the Fabulous Fox theater. But as his show warmed the minds and hearts of the people, outside it only grew more and more like planet Hoth.
So, to Alton Brown, thanks for putting on a great show in St. Louis.
My Saturdays were all the same when I was young. My parents wanted us to go outside and play for the most part of the day. But at the same time, they allowed us some tv time. So, what my 3 other brothers and I did, was watch cartoons until the cartoons stopped, around 11:00. Now, at 11:00 on the local PBS station, there was this show called The Frugal Gourmet hosted by Jeff Smith. I think the show was actually the first cooking show that Elmo, of Sesame Street, was on. Now, what you had in the 90's here, was a cooking show where this older man would not only talk about the food he was cooking, but throw in some reasoning as to why things were happening. He didn't get as much into the science, but at least he gave an explanation of how yeast works and why we make bread that way and so forth. I remembered it being my favorite show and it certainly was fun to watch Victory Garden right afterwards.
Alton Brown, as the audience got to see him on Saturday night, is exactly like his Good Eats personality. Like any good teacher, he mixes some real world information into the science and learning part. His experiments reminded me of items created by Jamie and Adam of Mythbusters. His up-beat and educational music reminded me of They Might Be Giants as they sing songs about the sun or photosynthesis. His cooking though, reminds me Jeff Smith in his calm and patient manner, with a lot of wit and humor thrown in.
Songs about Caffeine, which is my favorite drug, and pork chops seemed to fit with the giant pizza cooker using 54 lights. The stories that he used as examples about his life and his family seem to resonate with everyone, or most people or at least me, when it comes to family and children. And while there was a large portion of the show that was scripted and rehearsed, there was some that was not. For instance; I have never been to a concert, in any other city, that has ever had a person doing the interpretation into sign language. When you live in St. Louis and you do St. Louis things, the signer is forgotten or even over-looked because there is one everywhere. But it appeared that this may have actually been the first time that Alton Brown has ever had one for his show. As one of his volunteers had put it: "you talk a lot". As fast and with as much information as Alton Brown gives people, I would feel bad about those who have to sign it. Alton got her to do the sign for 'pole dancer', which I think kept him happy for the night, and even threw him off track once or twice.
I thought the show was great as everything that was explained before the show, did actually happen. He also suggested that the show was done for him, and not us, and there was some complaining about there being only 2 cooking demonstrations, however since the show was filled with many things, it was a variety show and not just a cooking show. I liked the show very much and even bought a hat at the end, considering that my other hat, with a red circle and silver fork on the top, is the only chef's hat I had.
I also have to give full marks for bravery, just like the kind that Wesley got after making it through the fire swamp, to Alton Brown. For not only did he ride on his tour bus through the cold and ice and snow, but he also performed in it. Albeit, he was inside the Fabulous Fox theater. But as his show warmed the minds and hearts of the people, outside it only grew more and more like planet Hoth.
So, to Alton Brown, thanks for putting on a great show in St. Louis.
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