Getting Hungry with "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" on Food Network

Is it the weather -- we had a short bout of cold weather here in Florida -- or the season, or am I merely always hungry? Honesty, it's that last one, and it might explain why I've been ferretting out, like some out-of-control, mac n'cheese-seeking ICBM, the airings of the unbelievably delicious Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on Food Network lately. Hosted, by Guy Fieri, DDaD visits small local-type eateries across the U.S.A. to sample the favorites that keep their customers coming back again and again.

Everything -- and I mean everything -- on this show looks completely delectable. You want to hop on a plane and order what you've just seen, right now, and get another one for take-out to eat on the flight back. This isn't fancy dining by candlelight, it's just great little restaurants serving insanely delectable burgers, or fried chicken, or regional dishes, or matzo ball soup, or whatever else hits that irresistible sweet spot on your palate. Truly, this show will make you hungry whenever you watch it, and if maybe it's not convenient to arise and start rustling up an onion-topped cheddar burger at 3am, then it will provide inspiration for later and send you running to the computer to look up the many recipes online from the show.

If you ever find yourself in a cooking slump, I guarantee DDaD will get you thinking again about flavors and tastes -- everything you love about preparing foods. The many chefs, cooks and restaurant owners featured on the show are delightfully devoid of ego, most seeming to completely enjoy making their special dishes and serving them to appreciative diners. They really get a kick out of the food, and it's infectious. Chef and restauranteur Fieri is also an appreciative host and has a friendly and open demeanor which brings out the best in the folks he visits. Here's a neat clip where he visits a Peruvian restaurant, and I'm sure you can practically taste it while you watch -- I can!

The show isn't new; it's been on since 2006 and Fieri's done over a hundred episodes, so there's plenty of good eating and cooking to discover. I've been salivating my way through the episodes and the online recipes, wishing maybe I lived near some of these places, but more grateful that we can watch and delight in some of the best food around. Happy eating!