food shows visit Spain

Last night we watched back to back food shows on the Travel Channel--Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World--and both were about Spain. We tuned in 2/3 through No Reservations, so I'm hoping to find the show somewhere online or find out when the Spain episode is scheduled to be rebroadcast.

Anyway--what struck me most was the huge contrast between these two shows and their treatment of the land and cuisine that I love.

Bourdain reflects on the culture that gives rise to artists like Victor Arguinzoniz of Etxebarri and the very famous Ferran Adrià of elBulli, showing respect for the ingredients, the customized equipment, and the skill of chefs who have mastered the use of both to produce perfection in cuisine.

Zimmern, when visiting a 300-year-old restaurant in Madrid, cuts his lip by enthusiastically tearing into a suckling pig's skull to get at the brains.

Different strokes for different folks, eh?