Cooking With Heart and Soul

Of the many cooking shows that are currently being aired on Discovery Channel, Kylie Kwong's "Cooking with Heart and Soul" is the one I enjoy watching the most. Come to think of it, it IS the only cooking show that I really watch on Discovery.

The funny thing is, I don't watch this show because I want to learn fab new recipes that I can prepare and lay out for my family and friends, or even for myself. I don't even take down the ingredients Kylie uses in her dishes, or even pay meticulous attention to details like how long you need to boil those fresh slices of pork, or just how much ginger, olive oil and salt is enough to give that sauce the best possible flavor.

I think what keeps me mesmerized with the show is Kylie herself. She has a unique style of preparing her dishes. She moves in brisk, practiced motions, expertly slicing and dicing anything from whole slabs of beef to small pieces of shrimp or tiny buttons of mushroom. And through the whole process, she explains what she's doing in a lively, slightly Australian-accented voice, infectious in her enthusiasm and passion for cooking. Even the show's set is reflective of Kylie's personality, as well as the way shots are taken with closeups and unexpected angles.

Her recipes are an interesting fusion of a thousand different flavors. All those ingredients you'd think couldn't possibly go together, she nonchalantly plops into a pot and somehow produces something that you just know will taste wonderful. (Or maybe that's just me and my non-existent cooking skills.) Her Chinese roots and Australian influences, as well as touches of Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern tastes, are evident in the unique and extremely varied dishes that she prepares.

So if you're looking for a not so run-of-the-mill type of cooking show, I suggest you check out Kylie Kwong's "Cooking with Heart and Soul." Your senses will be in for a different kind of experience.