Children's Hospital Telethon 2010

Chef Ricky, Melanie Hebert and myself! Children's Hospital Telethon

Miracle Network

WDSU TV, New Orleans

Sunday, June 6, 2010

OK, THIS IS GONNA BE FUN!!!

Ms Melanie Hebert, is the co-anchor of "News Channel 6 This Morning" and as any professional interviewer she peppered Ricky and I with questions about what we were cooking? Why were we there? Who were we?........ So I told her that she was a little short, so we picked her up, we didn't want her to be lost between us!!

When she took that in fun, I knew this was going to be special!!

I have to thank Dave Willis for taking the pics. He is the husband of Nancy Willis who is head of Volunteer Services for the hospital. You may remember him as our "Crab Whisperer" from last year! Dave took plenty of pics..... but notice that from whatever angle there were a TON of people gathered around the cooktop. There had to have been 15 people just inches from being off camera!!

Our Menu:

Coconut Curried Chicken and Shrimp

Basmati Rice with Leeks, Peppers and Peas

Chef Ricky was working hard at boiling down the chicken meat with onions and celery for the Coconut Curried Sauce, and of course, chatting with every woman on the set!! .......... I was making sure that Melaine had her glass full of white wine!!

We had two 5 minute segments to fill.....we needed it because we had plenty to cook and plenty to talk about Children's Hospital. In the first segment we discussed that the proper ingredients are very important!! Fresh Lemon Grass, smoke roasted paprika and chicken stock are MUSTS! We also discussed talked about "The Fear of curry"!!! I think that not all curries are created equal...... Ya gotta go out and buy several, try them and find the ones you like!! On the set I had 2 different curry pastes and 4 different powders. Behind the scenes, people were trying them all!!!

NOW, That's what cooking on camera is all about..... fun and educational!

Melanie, when we are talking about cooking with wine, we mean to get some in the pot, not ALL in the cook!

We also thought it was important to feature Louisiana's Gulf Shrimp. No one knows what is going to be the outcome of the BP Oil spill, but for now we can get GREAT - FRESH LOUISIANA Shrimp (I used 5 lbs from the Westwego shrimp stands). So of course, we wanted to support our local shrimpers! Let me tell you the aromas of the shrimp filled the studio, Melanie and I mused on camera that there should be SMELL -O-VISION!

After the first live segment, a guy came out from the crowd and introduced himself as Bill Stieffel! (left) Who knew that I had a long lost cousin on the Northshore?? Anyway, while I am connecting with lost relatives, Chef Ricky is plying the ladies on his side of the set with a bottle of Pernod!

The second segment was dedicated to finishing the dish, tasting and talking about how Children's Hospital has helped my family. Both my daughter and son have been patients at Children's. It is a FANTASTIC institution, and I am soooo very privileged to donate our cooking and services.

Well, Melanie got to add the remaining ingredients, Ricky stirred and we all drank a little wine and tasted the sauce!

Every year Dave Willis takes pictures of the on air people and present them with a framed memento.

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