Chopped

satisfies a hunger for good TV

Like most residents of New York City, we don’t have a dining room. Most of our meals are eaten in the living room right in front of the TV. It’s a constant challenge trying to fi nd something to watch that the whole family will enjoy but also won’t distract from eating. This summer, our go-to show has been Chopped on the Food Network.

I’ve written before about Chopped and how I think it’s the best produced show on television. Its formula works perfectly. There is a cliffhanger every commercial break as well as an elimination with every return from break. Not only is it dramatic, the problem solving is inspiring.

I’m an absolute disaster in the kitchen, so seeing professional chefs craft a meal on their feet using secret basket ingredients is a profi le in creativity and expertise. A rotating panel of judges offer constructive criticism and encouragement to each contestant. It’s simply perfect dinner time viewing. So much so that Betty asks almost every day, “Are we watching Chopped for dinner?”

Our resident foodie-in-training, Kal, likes Chopped because he says it’s fun seeing the crazy ingredients and themes they try to stump the chefs with. He says, “It also keeps your mind on food instead of distracting you, like a cartoon does.” Kal really liked the “Deadly Catch” episode because it had all types of dangerous and exotic sea creatures like the Alaskan King Crab and the Water Caltrop, which if it isn’t cooked enough becomes poisonous.

The special “Alton’s Maniacal Baskets” and “Playing with Fire” tournaments became appointment television for the family. Alton Brown’s fans suggested some gross ingredients and then Alton would be critical of how contestants used those ingredients, so it was the better of the two tournaments. After that tournament, Kal looked for his own can of herring but not a fully cooked lamb head. We’ll keep tuning in. —LV

Luis wanted to make the slathered pork recipe he'd seen. Then Madeline saw a tweet making fun of how "People who love cooking probably don't have to keep kids from killing each other while they do it." So true.

Madeline Vega

Egg roll wraps sounded like a good way to use up all the ground chicken Madeline buys. She thought they were a disaster, but Luis was quite taken.

Madeline Vega

Some ideas are worth all the work

Kal and Madeline successfully turned his appetite for soup and interest in lemon curd into tasty lunches and desserts.

Madeline Vega

The first thing Kal wanted to make from the cook book was lemon curd

Madeline Vega

Frittatas are a pandemic staple here

Part 1 of Kal's interest in canned fish

Madeline Vega

Part 2 of Kal's interest in canned fish (salmon burgers)

Madeline Vega

Extra bananas became smoothies. The version with frozen blueberries was more popular. Boom, who hates spinach and other leafy greens, actually ordered and ate a power bowl at Taco Bell.

Everyone spent their allowance on different types of chocolate, so it seemed appropriate to using dark chocolate sea salt baking chips for Kal’s birthday cupcakes. (A few had to be normal sugar and sprinkles just in case.) For the third year in a row, Betty insisted she needed a Unikitty cake for her birthday. She doesn’t actually like cake, though.

Boom ordered a power bowl and at the whole thing. Who is this kid eating lettuce?

Madeline Vega

Eat something good (sometimes by request)

Dark chocolate sea salt baking chips needed to make an appearance in Kal's birthday dessert after the kids had spent the whole summer using their allowance to buy fancy chocolate.

Madeline Vega

Maybe for her 7th birthday Betty will stop requesting Unikitty cakes. She doesn't like cake.

Madeline Vega