Just a Piece of Meat ?

Television is an important thing in our culture. But what's just as important, accompanying TV as a fine wine paired with the proper dish? Food! TV+food=a real pop culture experience that sticks with you for a lifetime, sure to conjure up memories and emotions whenever you see that one actor, hear that one theme song, or bite into a tombstone sausage and pepperoni pizza.

Appetizer: America's Next Top Model

This week on America's Next Top Model, the ladies posed dressed in meat. That's right--meat. Raw meat. They went to New York's meat packing district to pose as and amongst literal pieces of meat, and surprisingly, most of the models in training seemed pretty OK with it. In fact, the photo shoot provided such little drama that I decided I'd clean up the kitchen while it was on. It isn't really a commitment show, doesn't take a lot of concentration or effort, and so is much like a quick snack to tide you over before the main course. You don't particularly enjoy stuffed olives, but hey, you're hungry, they're there, and they do have an interesting aftertaste...

I have to say, so far this season is a weak one. There are a couple girls who stand out, but the drama and that certain je ne sais quoi seems to be missing from this cycle of the series. Similarly, my bread and cheese (left over from last night) wasn't quite as yummy as I'd hoped it would be, nor as yummy as it had been in the past. After the appetizers, you're still hungry for dinner...unless you fill up on them, and then you just feel bad because you really wanted to save room for that main course.

Main Course (and dessert): In Treatment

In Treatment continues to surprise and please, however, I won't divulge any specifics so as to avoid spoilers. I will say that I love it. Almost as much as I love this chocolate covered pretzel ice cream I'm eating. Yowza! Salty and sweet in perfect balance, much like the series. Delicious. Entertaining, yet serious and unexpected. However, this show is much more than a dessert. It really nourishes and fills you up. Rosemary and lemon baked salmon, sauteed garlic asparagus, and mashed potatoes went well with back to back episodes of In Treatment, and just as I finished up my ice cream dessert I caught up to tonight's episode. It takes a lot of commitment to watch a show that features new episodes every weeknight, just as it takes commitment to eat your veggies and protein before you enjoy a salty/ sweet treat, but in the end it's worth it, the healthy food was well prepared and tasted amazing, and your body thanks you.

Dessert/Junk food: Stephen King's It

I recently watched this miniseries on dvd, and to accompany it only Tombstone pizza, Kool-Aid, and brownies would do. I know...pizza isn't really dessert, though it certainly isn't an appropriate dinner. But it sure tastes good, and it's always great to regress to 1990 both in media and in sustenance. And hey, no parents! I can eat all the frozen pizza and drink all the sugary drinks I want, and who's going to stop me from staying up late to watch this 3-hour horror fest on a school night?? The Kool-Aid and brownies are also great, and even though your night ends with a terrible sense of regret and a stomach ache, and you're sure to have both nightmares and flashes of plot holes well into the night, you'd do it again in a heartbeat (but maybe you'd have to wait for a week or so first).

This entry was posted by Brigitte, on Wednesday, March 12, 2008. You can leave your response.