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Monday, January 07, 2008

Masterchef, no longer large

COMPETITIVE! Masterchef, BBC2, 8:30pm

Now, let's just say this once and for all, the proper time for this, and all cookery programmes is 6:30pm. This moving about the schedules business (see also: Come Dine With Me) is just messing with our whole routine. Also: please note, this new series is on daily at this time, except that this week there's some sporty thing on Friday, so Thursday sees a double bill, starting at 8pm. We wouldn't want you to miss out.

Right, rant over. When we saw this billed in the TV listings as Masterchef, we were intrigued, and a litle excited. Was this a return to 'traditional' Masterchef, and did it mean that we would be spoiled with three series this year: normal, Masterchef Goes Large and Celebrity Masterchef? Sadly, the Radio Times seems to think this is actually the series formerly known as Masterchef Goes Large, with a mere name change. To which: boo. We demand three series a year.

Anyway, for the uninitiated, the show sees judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace judging a bunch of the promising and the hapless for several week, giving the contestants a variety of challenges (and there is always one contestant they like, one they hate and two they can't decide between) until eventually they pick the winner, who is always the finalist we think is least deserving. But despite its formula being as predictable as Dragon's Den, it remains entertaining because of the contestants and the mixture of bizarre and sublime dishes they come up with.

Our fingers are crossed, however, that this move into primetime has seen the predictable voiceovers of 'dinner party cook, home cook, experimental cook' etc replaced by the sarky voiceover man from Come Dine With Me who accuses the participants of being murderers and so on. We can dream.

Labels: BBC2, cookery, Masterchef

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

I'm gonna milk me a reindeer

FESTIVE FAYRE! Heston Blumenthal's Perfect Christmas, BBC2, 8pm

Now cookery programmes are one of our favourite pleasures, but Heston Blumenthal's In Search of Perfection has been unlike any normal cookery programme we've seen before. The geeky-but-loveable chef is renowned for his experimental cookery style, and the series just gone showed him travelling all over the world and using all kinds of kerrazy gadgetry (MRI scanners for example) to create 'the perfect' version of dishes such as chicken tikka masala and baked alaska. Of course, you wouldn't try this at home, and if we're honest, most of the results didn't appeal that much to us, but that doesn't mean it isn't all very fascinating.

This Christmas special features Heston cooking for six celebs (Terry Wogan, Richard E Grant, Rob Brydon, Sue Perkins, Dara O'Brian and Kirsty Walk, should that influence you), in a location we can only presume is Narnia (no sign of Mr Tumnus though... hmmmm... what IS the meat they will be eating?)

We are promised a menu including reindeer milk ice-cream, mulled wine that is both hot AND cold in the same glass, sugar baubles with salmon mousse, something called babe in a manger, which is, ahem, communion wafer sprayed with the aroma of freshly accompanied by sherbet fountains (!) and stock cubes served in gold, frankincense and myrrh.

We don't know if he'd win Come Dine With Me with a menu like that, but it's certainly worth a gander...

Labels: BBC2, christmas, cookery, Heston Blumenthal

By Rad :: Post link :: ::
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