Friday, March 31, 2006

Finally, an entry not about films or plays.

Most friends of mine would know that the TV programmes I (have time, and put time aside to) watch are about soccer, specifically, the English Premier League. Hence, I am often watching ESPN and Starsports' channels, with programmes like EPL Highlights, Football Focus, Goals!, Here We Go, Tiger First Edition, the regular weekend live matches, and Final Score.

Hey, I would love to watch NBA Basketball and American Football too, except that they are always on weekday mornings, which is not an ideal time to watch TV, when everybody else is working. Besides, the Americans have developed the fine art of dddrrrrasssgggiiinnnggg the sports programme with incessant time-outs, commercials, pom-pom girls, cheerleaders, mascots, etc, that we simply don't have the time to sit out for a 4 hour programme ...

But anyway, other than soccer, I have developed another indulgence on TV. This happens on the Discovery Travel and Living channel. The culprits are Anthony Bourdain, Paul Bassett and Kevin Brauch. Together they feast my eyes, and often my stomach, with the three deadly sins, food, coffee, food, beer, food, wine ... you get the picture.

I first got started with Bourdain's A Cook's Tour. Previously I was hooked on Jackie Wu's Shi Zi Lu Kou, but the programme's timing shifted from Monday late night to Saturday night, which was quite impossible for me to follow. I was surfing channels when I chanced upon this American chef talking about his experiences in American bars, on how to best enjoy oneself in a pub. Now, while I thought that other hosts like Jamie Oliver, Keith Floyd, even Ian Wright were not too much to my liking, I developed an instant liking to this middle-aged, chain-smoking American chap. I like the way he shows fascination with cuisines from around the world, taking (calculated) risks at food that people from that side of the world would cringe at, for which we have no problems swallowing ...

After this escapade, I got hooked up with another two programmes too, Living Coffee with Paul Bassett, and The Thirsty Traveller with Kevin Brauch. Both deals with two important drink cultures, coffee and beer / wine. Like every other programme on this channel, they are witty, charming, not afraid to be challenged, risking their stomachs sometimes for the perfect brew ...

TV watching is so much more pleasurable with soccer and food ...

♥ 9:44 am