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Top Chef: "Focus Groups"

Published on January 7, 2009 By Emily. Updated on January 7, 2009

Pre-show thoughts on contestants: He may not be the best chef, but I love Hosea.  He’s one of the few that has yet to do something on the show that annoys me and I think his food’s decent-he did win the challenge last week.  I like Ariane and Radhika as well.  The Europeans, Stefan and Fabio, don’t do much for me at all, not because they’re European but because they have ridiculous attitudes.  Jeff seems pretty personality less. Of course, all this perception is based on all the editing they do.  It is television, after all.

Quick-fire Challenge: Create a sugar free dessert. I’m not at all opposed to sugar-free desserts, but darned if I could come up with one myself.  I am always amazed at the ability of the Top Chef contestants to come up instantly.  Of course, everything looked pretty good.  Radhika won, which is fine by me.

Elimination Challenge: No Limits (mostly)! A family style meal with blind judging?! That’s new, but I imagine that it makes it fairer.  A double elimination was a pretty serious threat, but also fair considering the judges didn’t eliminate anyone last episode.  I think it was awesome that the rest of the contestants were the “food experts” and even more nice that the contestants who were being judged got to watch it on television.  That poor second set when they realized every mean thing they had been said that been seen by the chef who cooked it.   It was also nice to see Jamie get some vindication for her bad scallops last week, one of the few positive moments of the discussion.  Melissa made fish tacos that got really criticized and then there was discussion from her and a comment from Hosea that she hadn’t put out her best work–its Top Chef, not your home kitchen!  You should always do your best work if you’re playing to win.  Toby Young, the judge brought in to replace Gail Simmons,  is especially not nice.  I’m not sure why Top Chef didn’t try to find someone more Gail-like.  I suppose in a way he brings some more drama, but didn’t we have enough drama already?

Judges Panel: Ariane, Jamie and Stefan had the top dishes.  Jamie won, which is really nice for her.  Melissa (surprise!), Eugene and Carla were the bottom three.  I thought Carla handled herself well and her response to the judges was well thought out (except maybe for the comment that her dish was perfect without the scallops, clearly she should have done vegetarian like she wanted to).  I don’t believe that Melissa wants to be there, at least she doesn’t act like it.  I have mixed feelings on Eugene.  At any rate, Melissa and Eugene went home; I’m glad Carla got to stay.  She’s a pretty good cook and she deserves another chance.

For a different (and pretty clever) take on the episode check out the Top Chef Liveblogging at the Internet Food Association.

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Emily
Spring has finally come to the Berkshires! It has Spring has finally come to the Berkshires!
It has been such a joy to finally spend time outside regularly and see everything in bloom.

I bought myself a bike and, after the initial adjustment of learning how to ride again after a nearly 25 year hiatus, it's become one of my favorite ways to experience the outdoors. (None of these photos was taken while riding. I barely stay upright with both hands on the bike.)
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #AshwillticookRailTrail
Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring a sitter for a rare night out. We went to dinner at @publicna and took advantage of the opportunity with drinks, appetizers and dessert.

Pictured:
- Citrus Braised Beef Tacos
- "Chicken and Waffles"
- House Fries with Garlic Aioli
- Fried Chickpeas
- Blood Orange Cheesecake
It was no surprise that Public was close to full on a Wednesday night - everything was so good. 

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#igers413_food #igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #PublicEatAndDrink
New year, new theme word! This year's word is "enr New year, new theme word!
This year's word is "enrich" and I'm really excited about it.

I've written more about this year's theme on the blog. Click in the link in my profile or follow the link below to read the post.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/my-2023-theme-word-enrich/
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#YearlyTheme #MyOneWord #2023 #enrich2023 #NewYearsResolution
It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post. It's It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post.
It's almost all #Berkshires content this year, which is great.
1. A pasta salad reel that took longer to create than the recipe took to make.
2. A reel from North Carolina where I could have watched birds all day.
3. The @thelazygenius book giveaway.
4.@plantconnector 
5. @berkshiremuseum 
6.@sculpture.now at @themountlenox 
7. @massmoca 
8. @mountainviewfarm413 
9. The #AshuwillticookRailTrail
New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year' New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year's theme word - resume. 

I was able to get back to many activities that were meaningful to me this year and I'm calling this theme a success. Follow the link below or click the link in my profile to read more.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/reflections-on-resuming-in-2022/
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#resume2022 #newyearsresolution #myoneword #yearlytheme
New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022. For New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022.

For the fourth year, I've recapped the best new (to me) recipes I made this year in the hope that they'll give you some new dishes to try. This year's list is short, but delicious. It includes @budgetbytes My Favorite Recipes of 2022
Published on December 30, 2022 By Emily. Updated on December 30, 2022

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is basically behind us. Though overall this year found me getting back to the person I want to be (post-babies and “post”-pandemic), I did not try nearly as many new recipes this year as I used to. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’d made note of any new-to-me recipes I wanted to share in this post. This year’s list is short, but delicious. It includes recipes from @budgetbytes, @smittenkitchen and @howsweeteats.
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Read the post by visiting the link in my profile or 
https://www.relishments.com/blog/my-favorite-recipes-of-2022/
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#RecipeRoundUp #BestRecipes2022 #FavoriteRecipes
@coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one @coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one of the highlights of all my return trips to Boothbay and their annual Gardens Aglow event continues to impress. It was great to be back to walking the gardens instead of the pandemic drive through and there seemed to be more lights than ever.  I'm already looking forward to next year.
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#Boothbay #BoothbayMaine #CoastalMaineBotanicalGardens #GardensAglow #BotanicalGarden #MidcoastMaine
It has been a while, but there is finally a new CS It has been a while, but there is finally a new CSA menu plan on the blog! Visit the link below or in my profile to see how I plan to make use of some of the @mightyfoodfarm produce seen here.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/welcome-to-winter-farm-share-csa-menu-plan-148/
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#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but t Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but this year we've had weather that has also been outstanding. The past 2 weekends have included time at Jaeschke Orchards, the Greylock Glen, and the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail as well as stopping to photograph any random foliage I see. 
Check out the last slide for video of some feathered friends we saw on a walk.
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #FallFoliage #FallColors #autumn #AshuwillticookRailTrail #JaeschkeOrchards #GreylockGlen
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