The Food Network selected me as one of the 16 best cooks in America! So off to NY I went to compete against the other 15.

Ok so let's rewind for a second. I received a call from a lady at the Food Network (How Cool!) and she asked if I was Ernie, so of course I said yes! After a series of other questions she said that she would be in touch. A couple of weeks later another fella from the Food Network calls. We talk about food and what I do day in and day out and he says I'll be in touch. Weeks went by so I thought oh well that was fun for a minute. But he finally called back. He asked me to cook for some Food Network personnel and of course I said yes!! So I drove to Atlanta, with me I have the perfect Smoked Pulled Pork Deviled Egg.

Yes they loved it! We spoke for over an hour and of course I had to wait for another phone call. More weeks of waiting and wondering, then finally I get a call from a producer saying that they want me to be on a Food Network show! Woo woo!

It was not until I (we) got to New York, did I find out that 16 of us were all hand picked by the Food Network as America's Best Cooks. And this is also when we find out that the competition is on...

So as you know by now I was selected to represent the South and Cat Cora was our Team Mentor. But what know one knew was that I had planned in advance to make homemade pasta regardless of the produce or protein that our team might be given. Some might find this to be foolish and even though the outcome was not what I wanted I would do it again tomorrow! I wanted to do difficult but great all in 30 minutes. So the first thing that crossed my mind is to make a Shrimp Mousse Ravioli with a nice cream sauce or infused oil lightly drizzled over the plate. And in that split second I go back to my Gumbo recipe and decided to use the shrimp heads and shells to create a Court Bouillon. I have to tell you the Court Bouillon was heaven! But of course I had to make the pasta first.

MORE TO COME

#Bestcook #Justthecook

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63848-food-network-launches-new-series-america-s-best-cook