#Milwaukee show will give insight into America s Test Kitchen

By Nancy J. Stohs of the Journal Sentinel

Updated June 15, 2015

No recipe is subject to more scrutiny than an America's Test Kitchen recipe.

Before a recipe is deemed perfect, it has undergone two, sometimes three months of meticulous tests, according to Christopher Kimball, founder and editor of America's Test Kitchen.

But much more happens behind the scenes at the Boston-based recipe empire that produces the popular public television show, Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines and numerous cookbooks. And in November, Milwaukee-area fans of Kimball's operation can get a good glimpse of that at a performance of America's Test Kitchen Live! at the Pabst Theater.

Tickets go on sale at noon Friday for the event, a first for Milwaukee, which is scheduled for 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3, a Tuesday. Reserved seats are $45.50. A VIP meet greet book package, at $100, includes a chance to meet Kimball, an autographed copy of an America's Test Kitchen book and premium seating.

Come with questions, and be prepared to draw attention to yourself if you want to join Kimball and test cook Dan Souza on stage as an audience participant. Two sets of six to eight people will be chosen to do two taste tests apiece, Kimball said in a phone interview.

Proximity to the stage is a plus, Kimball said, asked how folks get chosen. Also how loud they shout. And we like to pick kids. In fact, we've had a few people say 'My 12-year-old is coming, this is her birthday present.' If we know ahead of time, we will sometimes invite them specifically.

The show includes video and stills displayed on a large screen, on-stage taste tests and science experiments, and a lot of time for questions from the audience.

A very rudimentary kitchen will be set up on stage, with hot plates and a microwave and not much more.

We do a little bit of cooking, but cooking in real time is not ideal, Kimball said. This is more like our radio show, not a show where we're demonstrating how to cook. You would fall asleep after 5 minutes.

It's entertainment, he said, and it's really a show about the audience.

Audience interaction changes everything, he said. Some audiences are charged up and ready to go. He suspects that will be the case here. As followers of America's Test Kitchen go, the Midwest is amazing, Kimball said.

Can't make this performance? Kimball and his crew will also be in Wisconsin in October for return appearances at the Kohler Food Wine Experience. Oct. 22 to 25.

Back in January, I wrote about an Internet phenomenon whereby commenters on a story would skirt the issue at hand and just post a pancake recipe. It was always the same one.

The other day, on (again) a story completely unrelated to food, I saw a variation of that post: I can't think of anything to comment so I'm just going to post a Blueberry-Strawberry Pancake recipe.

How seasonal, I thought, my mouth watering for some fresh local strawberries and fluffy pancakes.

I adapted the recipe that was posted to use buttermilk, which, in my book, still makes the best pancakes. I share it here for fellow berry lovers.

And finally, happy third birthday to Edible Milwaukee. the quarterly magazine devoted to local food in the greater Milwaukee area one of 84 Edible publications across the country. (The two others in Wisconsin are Edible Madison and Edible Door (County).)

To celebrate, a birthday bash is planned at Locavore restaurant, 1721 W. Canal St. at the Potawatomi Hotel Casino from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday. Attendees will find locally sourced charcuterie and cheese, passed hors d'oeuvres and a sneak preview of Locavore's new Fancy Fish Fry featuring Growing Power perch.

More details and tickets at $20 are available at emke3.bpt.me .

Nancy J. Stohs is food editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Email her at nstohs@journalsentinel.com. Facebook. jsonline.com/food/facebook. Twitter: @NancyJStohs .