<-- Previous EpisodeNext Episode -->
Good Eats: Fermentation Nation
One can, of course, simply drink wine or beer with a meal. But Alton sets out to prove that the rumors are true, and that one can cook with these potables also, and they will intensify flavors, release aromas, and even tenderize meat. The key lies in properly matching the food to the alcohol bearing liquid, a subject on which Alton offers a few tips. Along the way, he shares recipes for Lamb Shoulder Chops in Red Wine and Beer Bread.
| 6/10 (2 Votes cast) |
Episode Info
|
Episode number: 13x8 Production Number: EA1310H Airdate: Monday October 19th, 2009 |
Recap
In his basement (or perhaps wine cellar), Alton contemplates cooking with alcohol-containing liquids. There are many such, ranging from beer and wine to stronger spirits. For this half-hour, he focuses on beer and wine, promising the stronger stuff for another show. In this show, Alton wants to learn whether beer and wine can do what their proponents claim. Can they intensify flavors, release aromas, and even tenderize meats? Or are those claims hokum, mere excuses for the cook to tenderize himself? If they pass the test, they'll be... Good Eats!..Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Cards
- The 3rd century B.C., Egyptians were malting barley and wheat to make beer.
- Good cooking varietals: Mourvèdre, Grenache, Shiraz.
- “I enjoy cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food I'm cooking.” - Julia Child.
- The first cork screws were derived from a tool used to clean musket barrels.
- To save leftover red wine for cooking, freeze it in ice cube trays or muffin tins, then move it to freezer bags for long term storage.
- Leftover wine? Pair with the dish for a delicious combination.
- Hildegard, a 12th century Benedictine nun, was the first to mention the use of hops in brewing beer.
Food Network names this show, “Fermentation Nation,” but Alton's refrigerator calls it “Food Under the Influence.” This name comes from “driving under the influence” which is popularly abbreviated “DUI” and is a fairly serious crime in many places, since alcohol leads to quite a number of road fatalities each year.
Episode Quotes
Alton: I want to spend some time with the more common, and yet more compelling, low alcohol players: wine and beer. Can they do everything their proponents claim? Can they intensify flavors, tenderize meats, liberate aromas, or... are these claims simply excuses to... tenderize the cook, if you get my meaning.
Alton: Join us, won't you, for a half-hour investigation wherein we attempt to ascertain if wine and beer are actually... Good Eats!
Alton: Yeast produce ethyl alcohol, which makes them the heroes of college kids everywhere.
Lever Man: (Alton has rejected his wine opening recommendations, and he is now bitter.) You better hope you never have to change a tire again, or take a turn at bit, hit the slots or have to open a bottle, buddy, because this... I won't forget!
Alton: A short marinade in wine, just two to three hours, does serve a purpose. Going all night or several days? That's just crazy chef talk!
Alton: Pour two cups of the wine/broth back into the pan over medium-low heat. Now, this is important, okay? Wine is fragile stuff, and the hotter you cook it the more ornery it's going to get. By that I mean bitter, dull, astringent... nasty!
Alton: Dark, spicy porters, on the other hand, are quite good in chocolate cakes and brownies, which I occasionally serve to visiting children on Christmas Eve. (Alton mimes snoring, suggesting such treats have a soporific effect on the tykes.)
Cultural References
In his wine cellar, Alton claps twice to turn on the lights. Evidently, his lights are connected to The Clapper, a sound activated switch sound since the middle 1980s. Two claps turns on whatever is plugged into this device; two more turn the lamp or appliance off. The Clapper's jingle, “Clap on... clap off” was well known in the era of its introduction, and is still heard from time to time.
lton refers to the first and second rules of cooking with wine. The concept of the first and second rules, especially when these rules are the same, originated with a 1999 Brad Pitt film titled Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club was, don't take about Fight Club, and the second rule of Fight Club was... don't talk about Fight Club. This particular scene (during which Pitt's character Tyler Durden enumerates several other now forgotten rules of Fight Club) has been parodied relentlessly in pop culture ever since.
A sommelier brings Alton wine in a bag. This presentation suggests a cheap wine, of the sort a homeless alcoholic (a wino) might purchase for very little money at a corner liquor store and drink in public. The paper sack is a poor attempt by the wino to pretend he is not desperate enough to break laws forbidding public consumption of alcohol outside of establishments licensed for that purpose.
One of Lever Man's wine opener options is a needle device that uses gas pressure to pop a cork, “like in the scene from Pulp Fiction.” In 1994, Pulp Fiction arrived in theaters, a series of loosely connected stories featuring two characters. One of them, John Travolta's Vincent Vega, received an assignment to look after his criminal bosses' wife. During this adventure, she accidentally overdoses, and Vincent takes her to a contact who revives her with a shot of adrenaline, which he delivers directly to her heart by stabbing her with a large hypodermic needle.
Comparing marinade times, Alton produces two cuts of lamb should, both alike in dignity. This paraphrases the first lines of Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, which introduces the audience to the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets around which the play hangs. He has alluded to this play in past episodes.
Episode References
But That's Another Show: Alton promises two additional shows (at least) in this episode: one that will deal with the use of high proof spirits in cooking, and one that will discuss fish and chips. Although he promises to spin sequels discussing more uses for beer and wine, he doesn't use his traditional phrase, “but that's another show.”
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | Alton Brown |
| • Executive Producer | DeAnna Brown |
| • Line Producer | Dana Popoff |
| • Music | Patrick Belden |
| • Camera Operator | Ramon Engle |
| • Director of Photography | Marion Laney |
| • Sound Mixer | James Green (1) |
Syfy Cancels Sanctuary After Four Seasons
Canadian produced sci-fi/fantasy series Sanctuary has quietly been a mainstay of Syfy's..
Samuel L. Jackson Will Host The 2012 BET Awards
He's been known by many names. John Shaft. Jules Winfield. Mace Windu. Nick Fury...
Saturday Night Live: Sudeikis, Samberg Might Not Exit
Saturday's season finale of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Mick Jagger, saw the..
Info Center | Contact | Advertise | TOS |
Privacy | Copyright | RSS | Banners | Writers Wanted