Yes, culinary sports fans, we have reached the end of the long, tiring journey that is Top Chef 5. Someone pointed out towards the first episode back in October or November (I'm not keeping track anymore) that only once has the person who won the first challenge not gone on to win for the season (th...

I've had a looooooong, busy, exhausting day today, people. My mind is just not into Top Chef 5 tonight. That coupled with the fact that I might just fall asleep somewhere during the action tells me that I will be either useless or pretty damn entertaining tonight if I do live-blog. That and these pe...

The TV reception is finally back up, and instead of doing the haiku-format of the live-blog I think I'll just stick with the tried and true format I usually follow. But Japan is not far away, as tonight's drinking game beverage of choice is Mura Mura's "Canyon" line of Junmai Ginjo Saké (out of For...

Aw hell, who cares this week? I don't even understand why Baltimoreans give a damn about the Super Bowl, since we got soclose to actually being there. I'm not watching. I also now have my reception up and running, but most people who care already know what happened this week on Top Chef, and hardly ...

I was not sure if I'd be able to do Restaurant Week this year, time and money wise, but I did manage to get around to it. So I asked my friend Eric if he and his better half would like to go to Red Maple. I wanted to try it out since the chef - Jill Snyder - is now locally famous. Fortunately for us...

I've gotten away from the cable-less-ness of home and am at the parents' house, getting ready to watch Top Chef 5's repeat of "Restaurant Wars." No beer, no up-to-the-minute updates. Just occasional observations, which may be interrupted by a spate or two of laundry. Note: I have deliberately avoide...

It's time to get all Top Chef-y! And I'm gonna make a prediction already: It's Carla's night to go home. Yup. She's been faring pretty poorly these last few weeks, and y'all know the other cheftestants are wondering how she has been able to stick around. I don't dislike her or anything. I just think...

The live-blog is back tonight! And thankfully, tonight's episode appears to be a mere 60 minutes. Will Jamie still be the bridesmaid and not the bride? Will Stefan still be a prick? And will anyone other than the judges ever agree that Ariane deserves to win challenge after challenge? That includes ...

Martha would not be amused. I am being gauche by drinking a fall hefeweizen during a month where I should clearly be downing a nice winter beer. The hefeweizen in question is the Shiner Hefeweizen by Spoetzl Brewery out of Shiner, TX. Shiner is a wheat ale, "brewed with orange and lemon peels - with...

It's weddin' season at Top Chef 5, and our hapless cheftestants have to cater Gail's bridal shower. Hopefully this means there won't be a wedding challenge later this season? Oh that we were so lucky. For the most part, the same drinking game rules apply as last week: Drink once if: anyone makes a f...