Take away all of the culinary creations of the past 10,000 years and what are you left with? Barley. But ancient though it may be, barley is no dino-seed when is comes to versatility in the modern kitchen. Alton Brown shows us how to grind our own grains and makes Barley Bread, Barley and Lamb Stew, Baked Barley, Barley Salad and Barley Water.
The world may not be flat, but thanks to the tortilla we can enjoy almost anything edible with a quick fold, flip, or wrap. Why is it then that so few cooks make their own tortillas at home? Alton Brown hopes to reverse the trend by introducing the world to the virtues of Lime Tortilla Chips and Corn Tortillas.
Aroma can do a lot, but can it help sell a house? Alton Brown hopes to find out as he whips up several tasty breakfast breads in search of the secret scent of real estate success, making Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, Overnight Citrus Ginger Ring and Overnight Monkey Bread.
Cube steak: mysterious meat stuff or misunderstood marvel? Alton Brown makes good use of the only meat capable of being "knitted" together in an attempt to bring country cooking home again. The menu features Country Style Steak, Chicken Fried Steak and Swiss Steak.
Join Alton Brown as he heads upstream in search of the world's most important ingredient: water. Where does it come from, how is it made safe to drink, and what does it take to get from the source to our kitchen sinks? Alton answers all, including what it means to be labeled "spring," "mineral," or "drinking" water.
In his second exploration of the only ingredient pumped directly into our homes, Alton Brown looks at water from the inside out with the help of a friendly water molecule. Along the way, he explains how water is scrubbed clean before it reaches our homes.
Few fruit are as sweet, succulent, or downright sexy as a peach. So why is it so hard to find a good peach at the grocery store? Alton Brown trades commercial convenience for farm stand flavor and discovers what he's been missing. Orchard fresh peaches are nothing short of a miracle and perfect for Grilled Peach Melba or Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake.
Culinary superstars come in all shapes and sizes, but none is more misunderstood than the much-maligned Southern mystery known as okra. Join Alton Brown as he explores this versatile veggie from the inside out and turns a bad case of okraphobia into a craving for all things okra. On the menu: Dry Fried Okra, Wet Fried Okra, Okra and Tomatoes and Pickled Okra.
In many restaurants, calamari has replaced onion rings as the deep fried hors d'oeuvre de jour. So why is it that so many cooks fail when it comes to cooking calamari? Alton Brown ships out aboard a squid research vessel in search of answers to this question and a few good appetizers. With recipes for Squid Stuffed Squid, Wet Fried Calamari, Dry Fried Calamari and Seaside Squid Salad.
No foodstuff screams American pop culture as loudly as popcorn, but modern movie popcorn tastes more like butter-flavored packing material than actual corn. Alton Brown takes a trip to the past to uncover the origins of the tasty treat, reveals the best corn for the job, and leaves no kernel un-popped in his search for the perfect popper. With recipes for Perfect Popcorn, Savory Herb Popcorn and Slacker Jacks.
Alton Brown finds himself in a fix when a local cooking club pickets his house protesting the fact that he doesn't use enough leftovers. He responds with a kitchen full of Enchilada Lasagna, Masa Tot and a serious platter of Ultimate Nachos.
Alton Brown takes a closer look at the king of spices, pepper, goes in search of the perfect peppermill, and examines the peculiar (but delicious) properties of pepper's essential oils. With recipes for Black Pepper Mango Sorbet, 4-Pepper Deviled Eggs, Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops and Pepper Vodka.
Join Alton Brown as he explores an alien fruit: the pomegranate. As he dissects this mysterious fruit, Alton Brown reveals a variety of applications for all of the pomegranates juicy goodness, like Pomegranate Syrup or Molasses, Tequila Sunrise, Pomegranate Gelatin and Grilled Leg of Lamb with Pomegranate Molasses.
Join host Alton Brown as he considers one of the oldest and most versatile players in the pantry, the lentil. The lentil has more to offer than fiber, minerals and a steak's worth of protein, as Alton details while making Lentil Soup, Lentil Salad and Lentil Cookies ... yes, cookies.
Alton Brown breaks down the whole concept of gumbo, clarifies the differences between Cajun and Creole and explains the importance of the roux this classic dish. Alton comes up with a foolproof method for making a brick (dark) roux and the perfect Shrimp Gumbo.
Join Alton Brown as he shares his favorite weeknight meal, Cornish game hen, with an eye on food safety. Alton's Grilled Curry Cornish Hens and Cornish Game Hen with Bacon and Onions are not just good eats, they're also safe eats.
Join Alton Brown as he explains how the beans, the grind, the machine and the hand make up the essential components in brewing the perfect cup of espresso.
Alton Brown kicks off his investigation of the vast arena of American classic dishes with the spinach salad. He examines his recipe for Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing ingredient by ingredient, tracing the history of how each element became part of the traditional and tasty salad.
Join Alton Brown as he makes a traditional Corned Beef to rival any New York deli. From selecting the proper cut of meat to pickling or corning it, Alton serves two classic applications: Corned Beef and Cabbage and Corned Beef Hash.