Top Picks: 'Wonders of the Sea 3D,' the podcast 'Proof,' and more
Pastry chef Claire Saffitz reverse-engineers chemical confections (such as Twinkies or Gushers) using whole-food ingredients in the series ' Gourmet Makes,' screen legends Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin star in the Netflix series 'The Kominsky Method,' and more top picks.
Gourmet treats
Bon Appétit magazine has made its mark on the YouTube scene, mostly thanks to the charming pastry chef Claire Saffitz in the series Gourmet Makes. In each episode, she wades amiably into the finicky process of reverse-engineering chemical confections (such as Twinkies or Gushers) using whole-food ingredients. Expect to learn a few culinary secrets along the way, like the role of pectins in setting liquids. Find “Gourmet Makes” and more at youtube.com/user/BonAppetitDotCom.
Sea wonders
If the cold is getting to be too much, escape into the ocean with Wonders of the Sea 3D. The movie stars Jean-Michel Cousteau and his children, charting their travels to places like the Bahamas and Fiji. It’s being shown in select theaters through Fathom Events. Check out the Fathom Events website (www.fathomevents.com) to see if it’s playing near you.
Food trends
America’s Test Kitchen brings you the new podcast Proof. The podcast explores food in culture, such as why celery used to be more popular and the ubiquity of bowls today, from grain bowls to smoothie bowls to various other permutations of the trend. Go to www.americastestkitchen.com/proof to find episodes of the podcast.
Method acting
Screen legends Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin star in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method, which tells the story of an acting coach (Douglas) and his best friend (Arkin). The first season is streaming on Netflix.
Sweet rom-com
Another of Nick Hornby’s novels is adapted for the screen with Juliet, Naked, which stars Rose Byrne as museum worker Annie, whose boyfriend (Chris O’Dowd) manages a fan blog for musician Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). When Annie slams Tucker’s work on the blog, Annie and Tucker begin corresponding over email. Monitor film critic Peter Rainer writes that the movie is “rather sweet and unprepossessing. Unusual for a rom-com these days, it actually manages to be both romantic and comedic.” It’s available on DVD and Blu-ray and is rated R for language.