Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations Christmas Episode AND The Layover on Travel Channel

This guy...

FUCK YEAH!!!!

So Anthony Bourdain went from obscure, coked out NY french chef to the guy that every foodie/culinarian wants to be when they "grow up"

My first experience with Bourdain was on his short-lived show on the food network "A Cook's Tour" which ended because, and I'm just guessing, that Food Network is kind of a big wuss when it comes to his somewhat vulgar style of humor towards food and other television chefs.  His blunt, no-shit-talking style won me over back then and after reading his springboard novel, "Kitchen Confidential" I was and am a fan for life.  Also?  I decided NOT go into the culinary arts because of his book and I STILL love the guy. 

I may not be able to travel the world, eat the food he eats, or have an attractive, saucy Sardinian wife...but damn it I can pretend when I watch him work his magic on the TV screen.  

So today, I have two things to review:  Bourdain's new show "The Layover" and the "No Reservations" christmas episode.

The Layover:

Bourdain's schtick has always been food and being a chef, his shows will always have some connection to a city's people and its food.  While "No Reservations" focuses on presenting all the fun things a city or region of the world has to offer, "The Layover" is much more focused on things you should do should you ever find yourself waiting for a flight and have time to kill in a city.  Bourdain highlights food you should eat, night-life you should experience and things you should do before you leave.  

Layover isn't so different from Reservations, it's just more focused and more touristy.  The show includes more interviews with locals and their recommendations and I think the show is perfect for people who are looking for vacation ideas. 

This is still Bourdain, it's still his style of witty humor and if you're a fan of his, you will love this show as much as Reservations.

5 out of 5

No Reservations: 2011 Christmas Episode

Umm...what?

No Reservations has never shied away having a little fun with its viewers, but I can say that the Christmas episode this year was definitely the oddest and most fictionalized one yet.  

The episode starts with Bourdain being kicked out of his house and forced to spend christmas at a creepy hotel where each door leads to a non-fictional food segment.

I will tell you right now that the best segment involved Bourdain cooking with popular public broadcasting chef, Lidia Bastianich, AND Christopher Walken (!!).  The segment featured traditional Italian-Christmas day food involving octopus...but who cares?! CHRISTOPHER WALKEN!!!Walken didn't really add anything to the cooking, but just having him there was a surreal treat.  

I saw a post on the "No Reservations" facebook page with Bourdain thanking the Travel Channel for letting him get away with such a unconventional episode.  

I loved it...you need to watch it if only for the insane fictional elements of the show.   

5 out of 5

Until next time

-J

I'm BACK! (and super guilty)

I am so not dead and I am still super critical of things and want to post reviews for which you, the internet, will read and possibly listen to.

So since I've been gone forever, I'm gonna do a mega review!  I gotta get this backlog of reviews off my chest!  Here we go:

Taste Nirvana: Real Coconut Water

So now that everybody knows that coconut water is the best thing to drink during a workout, (or at least that's what fit hipsters tell themselves when they look down on gatorade because it's too mainstream) I've tried my fare share of coconut drinks. 

Taste Nirvana is a winner! It's the most...coconutty...coconut water I've ever had.  Just like the other coconut waters I've tried, they're all natural and have no preservatives.  Taste Nirvana has managed to make what should already be a natural product taste MORE natural than the other brands on the shelves.  I've had some brands, that tasted too much like plain water or others that had other flavors which made my drink tastes like I was drinking a pina colada flavored sports drink.  

This drink sports a deep coconut flavor that is refreshing after a workout. 

5 out of 5!
                                  
Late July Organic: Vanilla Bean sandwich cookies

Ok, so here are two pictures that I took of this box of cookies.  The first shows the box art:

 
The second shows EXACTLY HOW I FEEL ABOUT THESE COOKIES:

No joke folks: Late July is the example for how you make sure your non-organic eating never trust you with your organic recommendations.  

The chocolate cookie is bland and has no taste.  Vanilla cookies have more flavor than these fake chocolate cookies.  The filling just tastes like sugar paste.  I tried really hard to enjoy these, but in the end I had to bring these back to the store to exchange.  

I've had my share of good cookies that proved that organic doesn't have to mean bland or healthy tasting.  And seriously, I'm eating a cookie, I want to feel good about my pricier, organic purchase!

Eff this product, and go get some Newman-O's

1 out of 5

Once Again: Organic Smooth Peanut Butter

Review worthy organic peanut butter!  Ok...I'll be the first to admit that reviewing a product with only two ingredients (peanuts & sea salt) is challenging...but honestly, this is my new favorite brand of organic natural peanut butter.  


It has a deeper peanutty taste which I think is due in part to the inclusion of the peanut skins.  I'm not 100% sure that's why I like this brand better, but I can taste the difference.  

Oh, and another thing:  So you know how natural peanut butters have to be stirred to reincorporate the separated oil?  This was the easiest time I've had mixing in the oil!  I've stood over jars of natural peanut butter for 10 minutes trying to get the oil to mix back in with the peanut paste, so I was happy to be done with this chore after only a few seconds of mixing.

I give this a 5 out of 5 (until I find a better peanut butter)