[Photo] Candid martinhesselius shot

Next Iron Chef

Why can't we have this in the UK? I think there was a season on Challenge a year ago or two but I don't think it's a regular feature.
Mean challenge today: Each cook gets a cooler full of random ingredients which they have to cook outside on a bbq (which they need to light first, something that seems to be the biggest challenge for a few), with a limited set of tools an no permission to touch the herb garden behind them. ;o)

Alton Brown's Good Eats is a bit like Delia's How to Cook, only real, down to Earth and actually useful.

ION, I'm almost packed, just need to pack the stuff I need tonight and in the morning. I might even get to bed early! I have less excess crap than I thought as mostly is bottles of water and juice which is only for the road and can stay in the car, depending on how easy access to my car at the Memphis hotel will be.
The plan is to leave 8ish so I have plenty of time for a leisurely cruise to Memphis on backroads while still arriving before rush hour. When I looked at the map earlier, I realised that one of the routes I could take was the one I drove on this afternoon. Oh well.

IOON: Dracula the ballet? o_O

[us07] Memphis

After 7 hours of driving through pouring rain and deluges, I've arrived.
I'm on the 11th floor and can see the Mississippi and the Pyramid from my window.
Now to explore a bit, come back and then wander down Beale Street tonight.