This thread contains comments to "Discuss Fresh with Anna Olson" from embedding this forum at /ontv/shows/show_forum.html.

What do you all think about Fresh? I personally preferred her show Sugar. Maybe that's because I love sweets though!

I also liked Sugar. A good comprehensive show focusing on desserts.  It played to her strengths as a pastry chef.  Actually one of the shows you'd think would be rerun to contribute to the CRTC CDN content requirements, but no, we still are being bombarded with Restaurant Makeover.

Fresh is pretty watchable, although Olson can talk to the camera in a condescending way that often assumes her audience is 8 yrs old (" We're going to have fresh peaches today, oh yum ") Some of her routine field trips to local supliers are kind of lame , but you have to fill your 22 minutes right ? 

Everything I learned about baking came from the show Sugar. I consider Anna my baking mentor. Sadly, I really don't like Fresh. I have tried a couple of the cooking recipes and the green beans with grapefruit recipe? Well, let's just say we had to let it go. I will never question Anna's ability to bake but cooking is a different type of process, a different art form. Just putting fresh ingredients together is not necessarily a good recipe.

I agree Richard, some of the patter is condescending. I miss the old days when on Sugar she would get excited just thinking up new and interesting possible combinations for her baked goods. The dining together at the end also feels so uncomfortable and unnatural. It works on other shows but not this one, not sure why. 

I really, REALLY wanted to enjoy Fresh but I don't trust the recipes. What a bummer, I adore Anna!

Maybe she could let her husband cook on the show with her. He's got a good culinary game going on and has a calm on camera presence.

I'd love to have one of those Meat McHunker pizza ovens she has in her kitchen though.

I have often wondered what his food tastes like, good point. And that oven?! OMG, in my DREAMS!

There was something really genuine about her in Sugar, it was interesting and I always loved to see what she would come up with. But Fresh doesn't do that for me. I end up turning the channel because I don't like the recipe or enjoy watching her journeys to the store.

It's so true Val! She was so cute and into baking, getting excited and having fun. She made me want to bake and play in the kitchen. I must admit seeing her in her fancy car and in her giant home kind of turns me off but then maybe I am just being jealous, LOL. It all feels so staged which makes it quite ironic that Sugar felt organic and Fresh feels very forced and unnatural. I so wanted to like her recipes too but when it comes to cooking, I like more complex flavours I think. 

Wow, I feel alone in this world. I was a fan of Sugar and I'm a big fan of Fresh. I used to enjoy trips to her old bakery, although I've not yet been to the new one at the winery. I always thought her presence on Sugar was a bit stilted and unsure, whereas she's come into her own on Fresh. Odd how people can view something so differently!

Cheers!

That's OK gogglespythano, that's awesome you are enjoying it! I did bake her maple apple bites and loved them:

I was not a fan of Sugar. Though, when she first started off, I enjoyed her show, it being the only one to focus on baking. Eventually, she got too "obscure" and would create ridiculous deserts that nobody cared re-creating at home. Not only that, but the show was cookie-cutteresque (no pun intended) and  boring.

Fresh is...FRESH. Nothing ground breaking or NEW compared to a lot of what Food Network has to offer (though still lacking in substancial shows). I liked her down to earth approach to cooking. She seemed a lot more relaxed. Not to mention, any show that focus on home town eats and local farming gets a plus on me.

Hi, I love the show Fresh, I am not a fan of the Sugar one. Does anybody know the episode where she had a friend that took pictures of her food for her new cookbook? I though it was call "Phto Day" but I can not find it.

Thank you.

Hey bessy21 do you remember what they cooked together? It'll help me find the episode.

Hiya,

The theme composer is Michael Wellsmann. I can't seem to find the title of it. The show was recorded with Peace Point Begins Production, perhaps they would know the name.

There's a clip on our site with Anna and our blogger, CJ where she's asked about the theme song. She doesn't provide the name, but perhaps it'll help in your search.