The Great American Recipe Winner

 Who would have thought a homey PBS cooking show would be full of twist and turns? That's exactly what the great American recipe brought in the last week. Did any one pick Brad Mahlof as the winner? That was the surprise.

There were several favorites as we watched the eight episodes. I honestly thought Khela Brewer from Overland Park, Kansas would be in the top three. Her savory dishes were perfection along with her fudgey brownies  topped with ganache for the "Bake Sale" Episode.The meats were seared as a seasoned chef would do them. Her gravies and sauces were again perfectly made. It was a shock when she didn't make the final three.I wasn't surprised  though when Leaana Pierre of Norcross Georgia and Salmah Hack of Orlando Florida also made the final three. They also cooked and baked to perfection and opened a window into their individual heritages.As far as the others, maybe Hawaiian born and famed blogger Relle Lum from Maui or Abbe Odenwalder of Denver had a chance. They made a few small mistakes when it came to seasoning yet they did have dishes that sometimes outshone the others. As for Ted Pappas of Chicago and Maria Givens of Seattle, some of their creations were interesting. Ted relied on his Greek heritage for inspiration while Maria shed light on her indigenous ancestry and the native ingredients.

Yet it was Brad's unique Libyan -Jewish background that made him stand out. There was were many mistakes on his path to winning. The judges, including host Alejandra Ramo, along with Tiffany Derry,Leah Cohen and Graham Elliot were often critical of either his execution or flavorings.Personally I was sure he would never make the final three. It seemed he just wasn't that good despite the fact that his recipes brought light to Israeli and North African cuisine. Even his final three dishes brought about some sharp words from the judges. He won for his mafrum, meat stuffed veggies with couscous and side salads. His upside down fig cake which looked delicious also drew criticism. It seemed Leanna 's dishes , her salt cod ,a Jamaican favorite could have been a sure winner. Her baking always came out on top too. The same goes for Salma who created cassava pone for the finale. One of these great home chefs should have been the winner. I was sure they would be. Again it was a surprise that Brad won. yet he did bring a different spin and view on traditional recipes , although that could be said for all the chefs. it should be interesting what the future brings for him.

The Great American Recipe was a fun watch .Who knew this fun and sweet competition has as many twists and turns as any of the more cutting edge competitions. An unexpected star was born and what a surprise he was.

The Great American Recipe Returns

 Everyone loves a good creative competition. This summer PBS offers The Great American Recipe, a show where amateur cooks show their best works It's a fun delcious way to spend a Sunday night.

The second season debuted last night at seven PM right before the crime drama Ridley. The show will continue for seven more weeks until the finals where the winner will be picked. The series gives talented home cooks from different regions the oppurtunity to showcase their beloved signature dishes and compete to win the national search for "The Great American Recipe." If you were waiting for snippiness and backstabbing then go to another competition. The show has a kind host and fair judges. Alejandra Ramos is the hostess, once being on The Today Show. she has even run her own underground dessert business. The judges are Tiffany Derry, a classically trained chef and food entrpereneur,  Leah Cohen, the chef and owner of the famed Manhattan restaurant  Pig & Khao and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and Graham Elliot, owner and chef of the Michilin two star restaurant Eponyous Restaurant alnd has cooked for President Obama. 

The contestants themselves represent a new American landscape. One contestant Relle was written about in last Wednesday's New York Times Food section. She is a blogger writing about preserving Hawaiian cooking and her dishes in the first episode reflected this. Then there is Abbe who is first generation American, her grandparents and father leaving Lithuania right before the Nazis took over. Her cooking reflects her heritage , especially in the noodle kugel she makes in Episode 2. another contest Brad is also Jewish but his father comes from Libya. His influences are both Sephardic and Ashkenazi, also seen in his cooking and choice of ingredients. The Midwest gives us Khela who loves using ingredients from her garden, Mike who combines his family's Southern roots with his Cleveland upbringing and Ted, A Greek American from Chicago. He combines Hellenic favoirtes with the Windy City's love of beef.  Leanna is from Georgia but was raised in New York City. her background is Barbadian or Bajan and we see that in her choice of ingredients and spicing. Salmah is from Queens , and lives in Orlando. She grew up with Guyanese parents and their love of curry and hot spices are evident in her cooking. The Indigenous Nations are represented by Maria, a member of the Couer d'Alene tribe. she has helped pass legislation supporting food sovereignty for the Columbia River tribes. her cooking relfects Native American cooking.

It's going to be a fun summer on PBS. The Great American Recipe is a fun and interesting contest.watch it and enjoy friendly rivalry and interesting recipes.