Food and TV

I have a new favorite food show. We ran across it accidently on a local asian channel. Its called Cooking Showdown (Dotchi No Ryori Show).

Basically there are two teams and two featured dishes (usually regional specialties). Japanese celebs have to sit in a kitchen studio while 2 guys with 2 cooking teams make 2 different dishes- it's a battle of which dish wins. For example, last week was Katatama Udon versus Okinawa Soki Soba. The the hungry celebrity guests watch as a camera crew tracks down ingredients, and visits famous farms and restaurants, while chefs prepare the items in the studio.Then must pick one dish by pushing a button. The majority wins and gets to eat. The losers just get to watch. I can't find a picture or description of the Udon, but they kept calling it japanese carbonara. It was hot udon noodles added to a bowl with raw eggs and swishing it around and right before you ate it you add a swirl of soy sauce. I found this picture of Flickr and it looks like the noodles. I guess the place that originated this dish always has long lines out the door and usually sells out by lunch time.


The cool part is when the show travels to the places where these dished originate. For example, the Soba noodles are not buckwheat, instead they get their distinct flavor from wood ashes. The Udon uses soy sauce that is made from a type of black bean instead of soybean, and they show the area where it is made. The sauce is supposed to be sweet so these folks in japan also make ice cream from it.

It did not have subtitles, but it was fun to watch. It was also funny, so it wasn't as serious as Chairman Kaga and his Iron Chefs.

Right after the show we went out from some udon..mmmm