Top Chef(s)

The movie we wanted to see (Blindside .. for Rachel's benefit. Its already one of Melanie's favorites. But that's another story) was sold out. So, we decided to do something that didn't involve eating. So doing our own Top Chef was the answer, not bothered by the apparent inconsistencies of our goal and our choice.

We each had to do an appetizer using the same budget. We went to Smiths, were each given a budget of $5, which some of us respected more than others. Then, inspired by our Congress, raised the debt limit when it seemed inconvenient to $10.

Melanie seemed to enjoy the opportunity to wear her recently acquired Chef's shirt ($3 at Downeast clearance), and we all went to work. We recruited that well-known celebrity, Miriam, to sample and choose a winner.



Here Rachel is working the judges a bit, using her knowledge of nutrition and her winning smile. Padma, look out! She chose to do a tacquito with chicken, cream cheese and avocado. Melanie whipped together some crabcakes. Lacking crackers, she added oats. Celery, garlic and onion rounded out the recipe. Mike did a bacon wrapped around an asparagus spear nestled in a cream cheese and roasted pepper filling.




Rachel worked the judge a little.























Melanie seemed justifiably content with her choice. Her recipe let the crab meat flavor shine. Mike's was tasty, but the bacon and its salty was a bit strong. Rachel's tacquitos were a nice balance of the mildly crispy texture of the tortilla and the deftly woven flavors of the avocado and cream cheese chicken filling.


The contestants all seemed happy with their work. The judge was suitably complimentary, and polictically correct in not choosing a winner.