I'm someone who loves to cook. I used to watch food channel every chance I got when I had time to watch tv. Years ago, I would come home around 4 pm and watch the show "Cooking Live" with Sara Moulton (Editor of Gourmet Magazine). It was a 1 hour show. She would cook while taking questions on the air from typical viewers. It was truly educational. I was a true addict. I always wanted to try a new restaurant and I would try cooking new recipes constantly, always thinking about food and what to cook next. I must say cooking is an expensive hobby. Costs of ingredients always add up. Tons of food was wasted (trial and error) as well as making too much. In addition, I had gained a few pounds.
It seems as though there are all these new and old "traveling" food shows. Food network even had a reality show - winner might have got his/her own cooking show. The only food show, that was added in the last couple of years, I truly enjoy watching now is the host of Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Alot of her recipes look like everyday food, not too complicated recipes. Sometimes Good Eats too, with Alton Brown. I've looked up his recipe version of "mac and cheese" on www.foodtv.com and I wasn't too happy with his version of it, so I've watched him less ever since; he's less credible to me now. Rachel Ray of 30 minute meals is ok too.
I don't think about food as much. If I do cook, it is usually something simple that I've already made before. I'll go to the same restaurants again and again. I have 1-2 restaurants for each type of food (sushi/japanese, mexican, greek, steak, etc) that I usually go to whenever I'm in the mood. I don't try new recipes or new restaurants as much as before.
