What feels like months ago, we found out about Netflix’s The Final Table through one of our favorite chefs. Monique Fiso is a Kiwi chef focusing on reviving Māori cuisine. We have followed her on social media for quite some time; when she announced that she would be on a cooking competition we were thrilled to see her in action. We were thrilled to see her bring attention to the cultures and cuisines within New Zealand.
Recently, I had a Downton Abbey get-together with a few friends. I’ve been watching with one friend who has just started because I love the series so much, I don’t mind to watch it all again! And because I recently got the Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook, I wanted to turn a simple Downton Abbey viewing into a food-included party! There were a few things on the menu: cucumber sandwiches, egg salad tea sandwiches, a beautiful salad, tea (of course), and raspberry meringue pie. The others will be coming as a recipe to Hungry and Fit soon, but for now, let’s start with the Raspberry Meringue Pie.
This pie has a wonderful tartness that comes from pure beautiful raspberries co-mingled with the small meringue atop it. I’m really not a fan of super sweet pies, so the tart ones are my favorite (see: my mum’s rhubarb pie). I shouldn’t say exactly how much of this pie I ate, but it was more than one serving. This pie brings the dessert to you without all the sugar-y sweetness you’ll find in most pies. I had a lot of help from Jamie (our resident guest chef) on this one. Let’s dig in.
Food Network was and still is the most-viewed network in our household. Over the course of 20 years, that hasn’t changed but the personalities and themes certainly have. While it’s not fair to say whether it’s for better or for worse because that would be so subjective, we can definitely say what we enjoy more or less. Everyone has strong feelings for Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, and all the baking contests, but there are just some shows that give you a little bit of everything. Cutthroat Kitchen is one of them.
For the longest time, we watched a lot of Chopped and we still do. It has its practical application. While the focus of most competition cooking shows isn’t being healthy, there are two major components that will make the life easier of the everyday chef, or the home chef. Those two factors are time and convenience. In most of these competitions, the chefs are only given 20-30 minutes to prepare a meal. That’s right, on Chopped they’re not making a single dish. They have to prepare four portions, which could be exactly how many you need to make for your family! Most of us don’t have hours every day to make fresh meals, so we often resort to opting for some not-so-fresh meals but that often sacrifices the health factor. Frozen food and fast food are time-friendly and have large portions, but typically are filled with unnatural ingredients, excess calories, tons of sodium, and a lack of nutrients. On these shows, top chefs show you how to save time.
The Greyjoys.
Recently, as I was driving through LA, I saw this apple TV banner. While I haven’t watched Game of Thrones since the end of the first season came out live, I’ve heard a lot about it from others. Since we read the books before the TV series was out, we were shocked to find out they were making a series in the first place. No one else knew what A Song of Ice and Fire was since it came out in the early 90s. I can’t imagine there were too many people out there that were more excited about this show than us.
Sorry for the no-Monday post, but I was busy studying and Chris was busy scuba-diving. I thought I would share the weekend in pictures…enjoy!
Chris getting his scuba certification
Great start to a Saturday…
Visited tons of farms and went pumpkin picking
Little Salvation Army visit…
Obviously visited the Humane Society…
Chris almost took this guy home
Awwwwwwwww
Video games
Castle marathons
Going to the Flatirons Mall and enjoying some Sarku
Grocery shopping
Some home-cooked meals
Study snacks (totally stole this from Chocolate Covered Race Medals)
Not to mention WORKOUTS
Chris surprised me with a 3-course meal from one of our favorite restaurants, Dagabi Cucina
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BONUS KITTY PIC
^.^
We do not watch very much television and we certainly do not follow series. The only non-Food Network, Animal Planet, or anime based television series that I have ever really followed have been Spartacus Blood and Sand/Gods of the Arena and Burn Notice, which I stopped watching due to college.
Firefly is one of my favorite television series of all time but it only lasted a season before it cut short well before it deserved to be. Nathan Fillion was the rock on-screen that made that show what it was and he has never had the opportunity he truly deserved, until now.
Even though Castle has been out since 2009 and we have known about it for years, it was only recently that we started watching it. Within the past two weeks we have watched all of Season 3, most of 2, some of 1, and just began 4. The 6th season begins today and there are many loose ends that will need to be tied up but we need to catch up first.
The show is about an author who begins working with the NYPD in order to research the character for his new book series. He develops feelings for the detective and decides to stay even though she never returns his feelings. She has a wall that cannot come down until her mother’s murder is solved. Unfortunately, she needs to take down “The Dragon” in order to solve the case and he is very dangerous. At the same time Castle deals with his feelings for her, his daughter’s growth, and a serial killer who is determined to ruin Castle’s life.
It may sound like another NCIS, CSI, Bones, etc but for us the addition of Nathan Fillion is all we need to watch it. We think the stories are well-written and humorous, the cast is perfection, and the romantic struggle keeps us curious what will happen.
Part of the reason that we have not been posting so much is because we have been watching so much Castle but we will catch up soon and then just watch the new episodes as they come out. We’re excited so let us know what your favorite television series of all time or right now is! Couch potatoes are not so hungry and fit but a little bit of relaxation helps!
BONUS KITTY PIC
Nymeria looking ridiculously sleepy
So, I start all my posts with so. What a bad habit, but not as bad a habit as buying ridiculous things, which ended up with us having a 39″ television in our little apartment. When I was in college, I can’t remember what year, I decided to buy a nice television for my bedroom at home. (I think it was when I graduated actually.) Why? Because I love playing video games and watching movies/anime. Plain and simple.
Now, my room at home wasn’t the biggest, and my vision wasn’t the best, but bigger doesn’t always mean better. As a result, I bought the most environmentally friendly television at the time (or one of them). It was a cute little 22″ Philips LED 720p TV and it got the job done. When we decided to move, I couldn’t let this little guy, which I spent a whole $159.99 on just stay behind. So we took him/her, despite the sea of other things we got rid of over the months. Somehow, it made it all the way across the country despite the ridiculous heat and bumpy roads. But here in Boulder, in our apartment, the Philips just wasn’t working out and I decided to make a move.
An exciting bundle of packages that may or may not have our TV inside
After debating for weeks, with a little financial aid and TV input from my brother, I finally ordered a 39″ TCL 1080p 60HZ LED TV. It was nearly $350 on Amazon, but had free shipping. It made it in two days with Prime, and seemed to be in perfect shape, as we watched “The Avengers” the first night we got it. We haven’t used it since but I can’t wait for tomorrow. Why? Because I ordered this television for one reason. Resident Evil 6. And I might as well use it for Dishonored. And every other good game coming out soon but really I can’t wait to put it to good use. It doesn’t have an off-axis glare like the Philips had because of its size. It fits almost perfectly and I think that movie nights and video games will be so much better with it. Now Alana can use the Philips as a PC screen so she can play Skyrim in super mode. And now I can play Skyrim in super-mode too. Can’t wait for Resident Evil 6. PSN username KINGTUCCI for anyone that wants to play online multiplayer.
There it is, in all its glory
Thanks for reading the short post, I’ll let you know how the TV performs in my soon to come review of Resident Evil 6.
Bonus Pic: Misty being pissy
