FYI - There are not going to be any photos in this post. I didn't have time to take photos, that is why Marlboro Man is the only one that was taking photos. And, sorry, but this is a really long post.
Like PW, I have no idea where to start.
It all started about a week before the actual Throwdown. PW was out of town, and needed some help getting things around for an "event." After I committed to helping her out in her time of need, she added, "Oh, and you'll need to sign a confidentiality agreement." At first, I thought she was kidding but, I didn't ask any questions.
I ran all over Green Country, okay so I drove, but I did get to travel some of the back roads that I drove so many times before. And let me tell you, I love the back roads. There are several roads that if I could have gone faster I would have felt like I was on a roller coaster. Of course, I didn't drive at high speeds on said roller coaster roads for safety reasons. Not because I didn't want to.
I got one text message that said, when you come over tomorrow be camera ready. But I know to be "camera ready" any time I'm in PW's presence, it's just a given. But when she said camera ready this time, I didn't realize she meant CAMERA ready. Like filming. Like Food Network cameras.
So, I toodled on over to the ranch (camera ready), and that is when I saw all the cameras in her kitchen. I was glad I didn't get over there during that. She only needed two assistants in the kitchen. And they all looked so pretty, didn't they?
When they finished shooting, they came over to the couch where I was and started talking. That is when I found out that we were doing a Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Really, as soon as I heard "throwdown" I knew. I was too tired to do a happy dance, but I was screaming and jumping for joy in the inside.
The day of the Throwdown we had a lot of excitement going on, believe it or not. There are things that PW probably didn't even know happened, until later of course.
We had to move all of the food from the house to the lodge. Team Ree was busy at the house while Team Bobby was busy at the lodge. Now, I have to say that I knew we were doing something that involved the Food Network because when I would stop in at the lodge to do something there were a bunch of people running around in white jackets that said "Food Network" on them. I just smiled, said hello, and went about my business like I am always around Food Network people.
McD and PW's father-in-law were escorting people to the lodge, so he needed his pick-up. Let me explain. There isn't enough parking at the lodge for 75+ cars, so the guys had everyone park at the top of the hill and then would give them rides down to the lodge. Since McD was using his pick-up I had to use PW's mother-in-law's vehicle to cart food up to the lodge.
Let me just say... I love On-Star! I love you, I love you, I love you!
I usually don't lock car doors, unless I am in the big city. So imagine my surprise when I went to open the door and it was locked. LOCKED! WITH ALL THE FOOD INSIDE! I almost panicked! But then we called On-Star (que the harp music). I never left the keys inside the vehicle again. I learned my lesson, that is for sure.
PW came up to get her mic put on her, and I decided that I might need to get my hiney back down to the house to get "camera ready." Because if you were at the lodge that day then you were fair game. If that camera landed on you, you had to be ready.
What was funny was seeing all of the guests hanging out trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Seriously, they had no clue that Bobby Flay was getting ready to walk through that door. You could sense their curiosity grow each time a camera man would appear in the window. It was great!
It was a sauna in there. How we all kept make-up on is beyond me. And, you know how people get cranky when they are too hot? Well, that didn't happen.
They said action, I don't really remember if they really said action, but when all the action started happening everything became a blur. I remember Jay, a lovely lady on Team Bobby, telling me that I really needed to be on camera, and me saying no as I moved farther away from the kitchen. I remember getting aluminum foil for Miriam, using hot pads that were embroidered with "BF" on them, checking pies, dishing pies and drizzling them with whiskey cream sauce. I remember watching MM's grandmother, and trying to make sure she was taken care of. It was so hot in there, and I just wanted her to be comfy. I truly love that woman, and her daughter, but I won't get mushy here.
It was time for the judges to come in, and there was another surprise. There were only a few people that knew who the judges would be, and we weren't in on it. So all the surprised looks in the crowd, PW included, were genuine. They judged everything, and well, they announced the winner. I almost cried! I was so proud of PW! I tell you, she is a natural at this kind of thing.
After it was all over, PW's youngest daughter and I went back to see Bobby so she could get his autograph. He was so nice. He was nice to everyone, and was pretty pleasant to be around. The same goes for the rest of his team, everyone was just a joy to be around.
As soon as we could, we all headed outside because it was more comfortable out there, temperature wise. It was almost like we were in a dream. We, Team Ree, had just beat Bobby Flay or Team Bobby, on a Throwdown. I never thought in a million years that I would be talking to Bobby Flay, or Trisha Yearwood. I made a complete idiot of myself in front of Trisha, and I will tell of that another day. I will say this, Trisha, I'd like a do-over. :)
Recent Comments