I am desperately hoping that tonight we will be treated to another real episode of Top Chef.  Not that I disliked seeing Karla, Casey, and C.J. again, but I am ready for some real Top Chef.  You hear that Bravo?

Per last week, my knockout pick is still Kevin and if Robin is knocked out, I win my knockout pool.  If not, well… how could I not???  Seriously, Robin, love you, but this season you’ve been a hawt mess.  Just saying.

Be back later, but for now follow Thursday Night Smackdown‘s Live Blogging!  (or else)

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Okay, real quick.  The standings:

Me: 24
Michele: 20
Josh: 15
Karen: 14
Debbie: 13
Colleen: 13
Elise: 8

Yikes.  Thank goodness for a Michael V win.  That’s about all I have keeping me in first place.  Phew!

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With that being said, let’s turn our attention to the dish that sent Robin home: panna cotta. 

First of all, what is panna cotta?

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert, that translates to “cooked cream.”  It is, as Ms. Lawson said, an easy dish to make where heavy cream, milk, and sugar are boiled with gelatin and then allowed to sit for several hours.  No fuss, no muss.

Sadly, given Ms. Lawson’s comments, I had hoped to find a recipe from her on how to make panna cotta, but could not find any.  Instead, here is one from Giada De Laurentiis and another from the BBC  for how to make panna cotta at home.  Seems pretty simple. 

The thing that weirds me out is Giada’s recipe requires six hours to set and the BBC’s 12.  How Robin made hers in 3 I’ll never know.  That’s probably where the firm texture came in: she had to use too much gelatin to make the panna cotta set.

Either that, or she had a better recipe.

Anyway, until next time enjoy!