I watch food shows.  Whatcha gonna do about it?  There are some very good ones on Food Network that teach you interesting stuff.  Alton Brown's "Good Eats," dorky and proud, is an unsweatable source of information on ingredients, technique, implements, food history, and science.  "Molto Mario" is fast-paced and educational, hardcore Italian-food preparation pornography at its best.  Three onlookers are seated across the counter from Mario Batali as he works, bothering him and asking questions at inopportune moments.  Once, I swear he forced them to eat something straight out of the fryer so they would shut up.  Blues X-Man Russell Simins appears as a respectful, non-speaking onlooker in one episode, no kidding.  Sarah Moulton hosts a more relaxed cook-along, you can't touch her skills, and the knife she uses is huge and deadly.  Damn, it's so hot.

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