Just like the television versions of the cooking shows, the audience had one big treat — Dana Elliott of Taste of Home — was cooking live, with all the benefits of smelling the creations.
“This is live, this ain’t no Rachael Ray,” Elliott told the audience as she said a little prayer that her first concoction, an almond cream cheese bundt, would slide out of its pan perfectly.
Marilyn and Eldon Baker along with young Austin Oelschlager of Knox were excited to be a part of the live look at cooking.
“We love these kind of shows,” said Marilyn. “Whether we can be there or watch on TV we watch all the time.”
Eldon was particularly interested in picking up a few recipes to try at home in their kitchen.
“I’m really hoping to pick up a new dessert recipe like a cobbler or something to try at home,” he said. “I love to cook.”
“He gets an ‘A’ for effort,” said Marilyn with a smile. “I will say the kitchen is upside down when he’s done.”
“I want it put down that I always clean up my mess too,” said Eldon, laughing.
Austin meantime had picked out his own recipe from the books provided by Taste of Home that he was hoping they would try.
Elliott led the crowd through a myriad of delicious recipes including the main entree of the night, a stir fry sesame pork.
Peppered in her presentation were a liberal portion of advice, tips and a few stories.
In the course of the night the audience learned everything from the source of the phrase “open sesame” to why chefs cut vegetables to julienne style.
“My brother called and asked for a dish to make his girlfriend,” Elliott said, seasoning the pork with some garlic cloves. “The next day I asked him how it went and he told me it was a little ‘garlicky.’ I said ‘there was only one clove in the recipe. Come to find out he thought a bulb was a clove.”
He may have gotten another date if he had just attended his sister’s show.