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« Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Episode Recap: Berlin
“I was promised pork and beer.” These were the intellectual words uttered by Anthony Bourdain ( Tony for those of us close), in tonight’s episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations in Berlin. Tony goes on a voyage to 1) explore Berlin’s underground sensibility and 2) rid himself of his three word association to Berlin: sausage, beer, and David Hasslehoff. The opening segment was rather interesting tonight, and for those of you who actually watched you know what I’m talking about: Tony in a creepy museum hotel trying to find the most compatible room to sleep in without being completely turned off. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do it! Especially since one of the opening shots of the hotel featured a sign saying “No sex in the coffin,” and I’m not even going to go there.
Tony ditches the hotel for food at Prayer Garden in hopes of getting some “classic German light cuisine.” I say that sarcastically because I don’t think there’s anything “light” about the German diet, let me give you a visual. I’m talking about schnitzel aka veal cutlet with potatoes, hard boil egg, the German version of French toast, and beer. Not to mention, I’m probably missing a side or two.
The next meal he tackled with his good ol buddy Nigel was currywurst made out of pork sausage with a side of fries aka heart attack on a plate. Nigel points out that the big question here when consuming this meal is, do I want my currywurst circumcised or not? Maybe he doesn’t say it in those words, but that’s kind of how I like to think of it, and did I forget to mention that the currywurst is deep fried too? The fun just doesn’t stop!
Post currywurst consumption, Tony and Nigel take a look back and manage to get in a pretty heavy history lesson this episode. However other notable highlights were featured as the following:
• Tony’s trip to Ragacki and it’s “staggering variety,” that consisted of hedge cheese, liverwurst, sauerkraut, fried fish, blood sausage, mashed potatoes, white asparagus, and three types of herring…basically a vegetarian’s nightmare, but it is amusing how Tony ogles at the colors and textures of the food. It’s just the type of thing to get a chef all excited.
• The somewhat creepy segment with the art guy. One of my favorite lines of the night, Tony asks ‘when do you know it’s done?” The art guy replies, “the art tells me it’s done, or my mother tells me…or I take note from other people.” It doesn’t read nearly as funny as it sounded, but I guess you had to be there.
• Tony’s “trip to Turkey,” and the Doner accompanied by a smorgasbord of kebabs, his meal at Brastubal, and his look into Caberat.
You gotta love Anthony Bourdain!
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Jan 15, 2008 4:58 AM
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It's head cheese, not hedge cheese.
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Jan 15, 2008 8:29 AM
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Lisa, I'm sure you're a very nice, well-meaning person, but... You could really use an editor, a copy of Strunk & White and some fact-checking. If nothing else, you might want to read one of Mr. Bourdain's books. I'd suggest starting with Kitchen Confidential, which established - and cemented - his rock 'n' roll bad-boy persona.
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Jan 15, 2008 10:25 PM
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pammykay, you said it all. Not wanting to sound like a biatch, but someone should blog this that "gets" Bourdain.
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Jan 16, 2008 11:55 AM
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Don't be so hard on Lisa - she's new to the Bourdain universe and I'm just happy to have a blog here where we can all discuss the foodie rebel that we love so much. Although Kitchen Confidential is a must read if you get a chance Lisa.
Certainly my favorite moments included his attempt to find a room at that hotel that wouldn't give him nightmares as well as his commentary on the cabaret. Of course, my favorite bits are always when he is at his snarkiest.
Sort of surprising was his appreciation for a vegetable - the white asparagus. That doesn't happen everyday. Of course his plate wasn't lacking in meat so I'm sure his contentment level was high.
Looking forward to seeing his take on Vancouver next week!
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Jan 16, 2008 2:40 PM
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HEAD Cheese! Where the heck do you get Hedge Cheese? That doesn't even exist.
Head cheese (AmE) or brawn (BrE) is in fact not a cheese, but rather a terrine of meat from the head of a calf or pig (sometimes a sheep or cow). It may also include meat from the feet and heart. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature as a luncheon meat. It is sometimes also known as soucemeat, particularly if pickled with vinegar.
Historically the cleaned (all organs removed) head was simmered to produce a gelatin (formed from the collagen in the bone) containing any incidental meat which came off the head. The more modern method involves adding gelatin to meat, which is then cooked in a mould.
Obviously, the blogger is not a foodie. :P
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Jan 16, 2008 5:51 PM
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HEAD Cheese!
Head cheese (AmE) or brawn (BrE) is in fact not a cheese, but rather a terrine of meat from the head of a calf or pig (sometimes a sheep or cow). It may also include meat from the feet and heart. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature as a luncheon meat. It is sometimes also known as soucemeat, particularly if pickled with vinegar.
Historically the cleaned (all organs removed) head was simmered to produce a gelatin (formed from the collagen in the bone) containing any incidental meat which came off the head. The more modern method involves adding gelatin to meat, which is then cooked in a mould.
Obviously, the blogger is not a foodie. :P
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Jan 16, 2008 5:52 PM
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i'm kinda scared to ask a question of this tough crowd. i'm fairly new to the show, but not to his new york personality and abrasive ways. in fact i admire his honesty, as i cringe at some of the things he does and says.
i saw parts of his visit to las vegas (and yes to you strunk & white fans, i know those are supposed to be in caps, but i'm an editor and have been copy editing on deadline all flippin ass day, week actually, so i'm not about to do it here too). tony in las vegas is priceless, btw. anyway, some guy was supposed to take him to the airport but didnt cuz he didnt like tony's personality. can someone please explain what happened between those two? i apologize if this is a super old show, like i said i'm a newby (but do i redeem myself a little bit for thinking he's SEXY!).
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Jan 16, 2008 6:06 PM
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I thought Lisa did a pretty good job reviewing the show, which I happened to catch. One misspelled or misheard word surely can be forgiven. We all make mistakes. I watch this show all the time, enjoy it and am glad someone else is talking about it. I also happen to enjoy this foodie rebel and his abrasive New York personality. We see a side of these different countries and cultures, with his humor and honesty, that we don't with other shows.
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Jan 16, 2008 11:35 PM
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The man traveling with Tony in Las Vegas was Michael Ruhlman, another very great food writer. They were spoofing on Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas with Ruhlman as the Dr. Gonzo character.
The Berlin episode was fun, but I'm really looking forward to upcoming shos in Vancouver, Hawaii (Tony does SPAM!) and the Greek Isles. Love this show and I'm glad there's a blog for it. This is the one reality show I've loved, regardless of a writer's strike! It's educational and fun.
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Jan 17, 2008 10:38 AM
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thanks iheartmytelevision! all i saw was the guy in the limo and the wonderful fried twinkie scene, which was priceless. tony was truly pained having to eat that thing. i felt bad for him, but that made for some seriously GOOD television! maybe if it had been fried in pig fat...
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Jan 17, 2008 12:43 PM
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