Chopped

I seem to have been a bit grumpy in my recent post, so today I want to compliment a TV shoe. I have come to love The Food Network's "Chopped."

4 chefs compete. Each has a basket with 4 outrageous items, say goat brains, gummy bears, limburger cheese and gin and are expected to make something of that mess. They have very strict and very brief time limits and are expected to complete the dishes, make a neat and attractive plate, use maximum creativity and of course it mist taste good.

They do an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert and are judged after each round/ The loser after each round is "chopped: and the last 2 face off in the dessert round. The competition is fierce and when they are all working full speed it is quite a sight.

Of course the whole thing is idiotic, sort of Julia Child meets pro wrestling, but the show is surprisingly entertaining. This is great mindless entertainment.