I refuse to subscribe to cable or satellite television. I would rather spend that $50 to $100 a month on a memorable meal and a great bottle of wine than on 200 channels of mostly simple-minded garbage. I have had cable TV in the past, and in fact, at one point recently, my local cable company inadvertently connected my home to basic cable while installing my internet service. In a very short span of time I became hooked on The Food Network, The Travel Channel and Bravo. I’m still of the opinion that it was a ploy to reel me in, only to snatch it away when they realized their “mistake”, confident that I was fully and hopelessly addicted by then and would break down and pay their astronomical fees to get my fix. I did not give in, though it was heartbreaking for a while to hear my peers discussing the latest episode of Top Chef knowing I would probably never see it.
I eventually recovered, aided by the digital revolution and the now-standard converter box. With rabbit ear antennae proudly pointed to the sky I now receive 8 different PBS stations. You see, I refer to PBS as the original Food Network. I grew up on PBS in the years before cable TV even existed. In between Sesame Street and The Electric Company, I remember watching culinary icons Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Steven Yan creating exotic dishes using ingredients my young Midwestern palate had never heard of, much less tasted. Now my appreciation for such chefs and their shows is tenfold.
Locally, Sunday afternoons are the best time to catch the cooking shows but check the PBS website for complete listings. These are a few of my personal favorites:
