Top Chef
So, Thanksgiving is coming. That means we've got less than 2 weeks to come up with some great dishes. My husband and I are both on low carb diets, so it's a bit tougher to come up with clever ideas...so far, I've got turkey, mashed cauliflower (which tastes like potatoes...kind of), cheese “biscuits” (made of egg, which works better than it sounds), and pumpkin pie. I guess I'd better start watching the cooking channel for ideas?
Anyhow, on the gaming front, there's another cooking game out. Top Chef is based on the television show by the same name, with judges Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio. You prepare dishes by selecting the proper ingredients, and try to make combos by pairing complimentary ingredients and choosing items which exactly match the description. It takes a while to learn which ingredients pair together best, and which fit each description (like tart, savory, spicy, etc).
Some combinations are obvious, like basil and tomatoes, but others are less common, like goat cheese and garlic. However, the tutorial is very good, and you are taught gradually, plus its actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. The only downside is its repetitive, since you don't deviate much from the basic mechanics. Still, its very addictive, and the trial flies by really fast.
Of course, Top Chef isn't the first cooking show to be turned into the game. Hell's Kitchen was released a short while back, and that was arguably a better adaption. It has the same cooking processes as Hot Dish, so you must prepare different dishes by timing your interactions properly (like chopping and cooking different items). However, it also has the service elements of Diner Dash, so you also serve your customers directly. Both count toward your star rating, though the food is more important than the service. It's tough and fast paced, but lots of fun to play if you're a hard core fan.
Hope you guys are having fun in the kitchen. If anyone can come up with a low carb version of chocolate chip pie, let me know!
-Lisa
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