Delish Dinner. And That's A Tease,

Here's Jenna Woolfe, from the Today show, behind the scenes from Iron Chef America. She actually was a layman judge, sandwiched between two professional foodies on ICA. The judge on her right was Michael Ruhlman, and the judge on her left was the editor guy from Bon Appetit, Andrew Knowlton, with the long hair, who looks like Barry Watson from Seventh Heaven. Doppelgangers! The reason I gave you that little video clip from Iron Chef America (And MamaHawthorne, if you missed it, you could go back up and click on the highlighted link on Iron Chef America or you could just click HERE.) is to point out something that's slightly bothered me all along. I've tried not to do it, and I understand it's implications but still, it's a bugger. It's all about using the word "delicious." Let me explain better. Watch the Iron Chef video again. At 1:27 minutes into the video, the reporter, Jenna Wolfe, of NBC Today Show, asks the two foodies, Ruhlman and Knowlman, for advice for a rookie. Ruhlman says, "Watch the seasonings. Seasonings are the most important element of cooking." Knowlman says, "Don't use the word 'delicious.' It doesn't mean anything. It means everything. It means nothing." This does not surprise me at all. Ruhlman is a chef. He's speaking of taste. Knowlton is an editor. He's speaking of words. I just thought that was a very interesting dichotomy. Anyways, back to Knowlton: "Don't use the word 'delicious.' It doesn't mean anything. It means everything. It means nothing." Today was the first time I've ever heard this spoken. But the entire time during this blog, I have always had that admonition in my head. It came from the editor in me. I've always strived to describe my foods in terms of taste, aroma, flavor, texture, emotions. And it's a darn difficult thing to do. I have had to make conscious efforts not to take the cheap way out and say, "Oh Gosh, This is Delicious." Instead of describing the overall delicious forest, I've consciously and with great effort tried to describe the individual trees along with all their components- branches, leaves, squirrels and squirrel nests, nuts, and seeds, birds and bird nests, and mistletoe, the occasional weed, and Spanish Moss, if you're lucky. (Spanish Moss growth means the area has good oxygen.) all of which made that forest so damn delicious. BUT ... Sometimes food is ... simply ... DELICIOUS. Period. You don't need to describe the subtle nuances. To do so would be superfluous, redundant, and moot. Did I mention repetitive? Just celebrate the food. And know, and relish, in the fact, that it is, indeed, delicious. Period. I did use the word "delicious" the other day when I described my apple sauce. To wit: "I cooked for one more hour. And this applesauce is delicious."

I actually hesitated the other day before using the word "delicious" because I have that anal thing that the editor and profreader in me say not to do. But I went ahead and used the word anyway. Which brings me back to the very beginning of this post - Yeah, the video at 1:27. Yes, that's a time INto a video. No, that's not a bible chapter and verse. - about not using the word "delicious." My dinner tonight was abso-effin'-lutely delicious!!!! And that would be the TEASE.