- 2 days ago
Episode 7: The Challenge – Minestrone Showdown. Host Marc Ford teams up with Darren Denison to tackle a deceptively simple classic. Minestrone soup. What begins as a humble pot of vegetables, beans, and broth quickly turns into a high-stakes culinary puzzle. Balancing depth of flavor, texture, and tradition while racing against the clock. From selecting the right seasonal ingredients to mastering the slow build of aromatics and stock, every decision matters, and every misstep risks a bland or broken bowl. Can they transform this rustic Italian staple into something unforgettable, or will the challenge expose just how difficult simplicity can be? Join us as the heat rises, the flavors clash, and the ultimate test of technique unfolds in a battle of patience, precision, and creativity. Level Up!
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00:00And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for...
00:03Timster! Timster! Timster!
00:12Darren, how are you today?
00:14Hey, Mark. I'm doing well. How are you?
00:17I'm doing pretty good now that we finally got a chance to connect and start this exciting new challenge podcast
00:24series with you.
00:25So, yeah. So, I got your email yesterday. It looks like you nicely chose one of the recipes from my
00:33cookbook, from my 30-minute cookbook for two, the minestrone soup that you challenged me to make today.
00:40Yep.
00:41I love it. So, I went grocery shopping yesterday. I'm excited about this challenge. I think it's notoriously known that
00:49I suck at cooking.
00:51I can put together recipes, but I actually am not that proficient at cooking, nor do I actually particularly like
00:59cooking. That's why all the recipes in the cookbook are under 30 minutes, because I don't have the attention span
01:06like you, Darren.
01:07You're a phenomenal cook, and, you know, you're a master chef, and you can make these big elaborate meals that
01:15I certainly can't, and you've got the patience of a saint.
01:17Oh, well, thank you very much. Well, I have my pots and pans out, so I'm ready whenever you are.
01:24Yeah, yeah. I got my stuff out as well, and I turned on my background noise cancellation. So, well, it's
01:32a filter for this podcast, so you can't hear the pots and pans clinging in the background.
01:39I thought I'd spare us. So, yeah, so I went grocery shopping. I got the – let me see. I'm
01:46looking at your list here of ingredients I needed to get.
01:50So, yeah, so olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, small pasta.
02:01I got the small shells, oregano, basil, black pepper, and, of course, Parmesan cheese.
02:10So, yep, you got all that as well?
02:12Yes, I do. I'm impressed, Mark.
02:15Well, thank you. Yeah, well, I just – all I needed to do was just follow them and –
02:22Hey, you know what? I can use that filter too. Could you send it to me? Because I don't want
02:27to be making lots of noise.
02:30Yeah, yeah. Okay, let me just send it to you now.
02:32All right.
02:33Yeah, I'll send it to you here in the chat so you can click on that and add the background
02:38filter.
02:39Great.
02:40And then we'll use that going forward on future episodes since we're going to be doing some cooking.
02:45And hopefully one day I can be – my goal is to be half as good as you.
02:49If I can get to half as good as you, I'll be very happy.
02:54Thank you very much. I should have it all done by 20 minutes, but we'll see.
02:58Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah. Me, it might take me a little bit longer.
03:06I'm looking at the instructions now. So, I actually cheated a little bit. It says saute vegetables in a pot.
03:12Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onions and garlic, sauteing until softened and fragrant.
03:19So, I've been kind of doing that a little bit because I just thought it would take a little bit
03:22of a while to do that.
03:23So, now I'm going to be adding the carrots, the celery, and the zucchini.
03:29So, it says add diced carrots, celery, and zucchini to the pot and then cook for five to seven minutes
03:35until the vegetables begin to soften.
03:37Okay. So, we've got about five to seven minutes.
03:40Well, actually, my instructions.
03:42Yes.
03:43Because it's from my cookbook.
03:44I am going by your cookbook.
03:46So, hopefully it turns out okay.
03:48Yes, yes. Well, I'm sure it'll be amazing.
03:51You know, I have a slight cold, so I figured this would be the perfect recipe to do.
03:57Yes, yes. Soup, of course.
03:59And our timing is perfect because, you know, it's still a little bit – today's pretty foggy.
04:05It's raining. It's a little bit on the chilly side.
04:09Same here.
04:10Yeah. Yeah, there as well.
04:11Exactly.
04:12I think we're getting 80 degrees in a few days.
04:15Oh, really?
04:16Yeah. So, maybe soup would be good in 80 degrees, but it's certainly good in 40, 50 degrees, which is
04:23what I have now.
04:24But now that we have five to seven minutes here, tell me what's going on.
04:28Like, what are you working on?
04:29I think the last time we spoke, you said something about, you know, obviously you moved to a new location
04:34and you kind of set up this basement situation where you've got – you know, you kind of made your
04:39own studio, your own editing studio, your own content creation studio.
04:44And you're getting back into filmmaking?
04:47Yes. You know, I'm a film director, producer, and writer with over 20-plus years working internationally in television, film,
04:56and media production.
04:58And, yeah, I have my own company.
05:00I'm the founder of Denison Global Entertainment.
05:02You know, and it's a studio – yeah, it's a studio focused on storytelling, you know, creative strategy and emerging
05:11AI integrated production tools as well since we are moving into the future.
05:15So, we might as well keep up with it.
05:18Yeah.
05:18What do you plan to do with AI?
05:20What are you looking at actually doing the entire content in AI or just maybe some of the editing tools
05:26or just the background?
05:28Like, how are you incorporating AI into what you're doing?
05:31Well, at this point, like, I am redoing a shelved project that – a film project.
05:38And so, I'm integrating AI-created shots to blend in that we didn't get a chance to shoot.
05:45It was a time when the economy was not the best.
05:49And so, financially, like many films at studios, in fact, are actually giving new life to shelved projects because of
06:00AI and being able to add some of those tools of adding shots or, you know, correcting sound and so
06:08forth.
06:09And also adding new scenes.
06:11Like, I think the last Indiana Jones movie was a younger version of Harrison Ford, right?
06:17Well, yes, yes.
06:17I believe that's, you know, visual effects that they had at the time.
06:22But I'm not really sure about AI.
06:24No, it wasn't AI.
06:25But now, AI will be even better at doing that.
06:28Exactly.
06:29Exactly.
06:30So, I've been, you know, learning a lot more.
06:34And I, you know, as you said, I bought a new house.
06:37And I already had a really beautiful studio basement that is, you know, all set up for media stuff and,
06:47you know, a setup.
06:48So, I set up a post-production setup in the basement, which is, you know, a professional setup.
06:55And I figured, you know, going forward, it would be cost-effective to just do all the post-production at
07:03my house.
07:05And so, I'm very happy with, you know, the setup.
07:08You know, and I like working at home when I'm home.
07:10Otherwise, when I'm traveling, you know, it's, you know, it's just, it's good to be home when I'm home.
07:17So, and now that I bought a new home, a new house, you know, I have a dog.
07:22And I brought my dog over from Kosovo nearly two years ago after I worked in Kosovo producing, directing, writing.
07:31But you got your dog from Kosovo?
07:32Tell me about that story.
07:33Yes, yes.
07:35Yes.
07:36So, what happened was when I was working in Kosovo and I was directing, I was working 16-hour days.
07:45And it was a lot.
07:46But in Kosovo...
07:47You were working on a project there or like a film or TV project?
07:50Yes, a TV series.
07:52Okay.
07:52A TV series.
07:53Very cool.
07:54Yeah, it was sponsored and paid for by a national television company over there.
08:00So, and they hired me to come over and do it.
08:04So, so anyway, one day my producer, I was having coffee with him and at a cafe and he said,
08:13Hey, Darren, the day before, you know, you had mentioned that you would have loved to have one of the
08:21dogs that were on the streets because, you know, they have dogs that are wondering about and, you know...
08:27They're just straight...
08:28Yeah, straight dogs.
08:30And I, and I had mentioned to him, like, if I can only take one of these dogs, I'm just,
08:35I would love to have a dog.
08:37And anyway, so as we were sipping our coffee, he basically said, well, Darren, I think we found one for
08:45you.
08:45And I'm like, what?
08:47And he said, yeah, it's, it's a puppy.
08:49I'm like, oh, oh, don't tempt me.
08:52Oh, come on.
08:53And so anyway, he said, yeah, let's come, let's go to the office because...
08:56Was it part of a litter or was it on its own?
08:59It was on its own.
09:00Oh, wow.
09:01And so anyway, so apparently my producer found a puppy outside his apartment and it was hiding under a car
09:10during a rainstorm.
09:11And he, you know, he rescued it and he brought it to his office, fed it, you know, and he
09:17also brought it to the local vet to, you know, see that it was, it was okay.
09:22And then, so he brought me to go see it and his associate presented the puppy to me and I'm
09:30like, I fell in love.
09:31It's just a little black puppy that was the size of my hand.
09:36I can literally hold her in my hand and she was so sweet and she just was very cuddly and
09:46just gazed at me and I'm like, oh, we're bonding.
09:49We're bonding.
09:50Anyway, so my producer and his associate was saying, you're a perfect match.
09:55You must take him.
09:56And I'm like, I'm only here for like several months.
10:00How could I, you know?
10:01And they said, no, no, you need to, and I think they were doing whatever they could to keep me
10:08there in Kosovo.
10:10And so anyway, I took the puppy.
10:13I realized though it was a huge responsibility in the middle of production to, you know, sleep with me and
10:21then keep me up.
10:22But like, I only had average, like four hours sleep and I'd be working like, you know, 12 to 16
10:29hour days.
10:30So it was quite a challenge, but you know, it was a worth, it was worth it.
10:34And I named her Donika and it's, you know, here in America, we call her Donika because it rhymes with
10:42Monica.
10:43And so people are more familiar, but with the name, but Donika is, yeah, so she, so the name Donika
10:53means a gift from God.
10:55It also means morning star, new beginning.
10:59So I felt to like, it was a great name for my little puppy who has grown significantly.
11:07She is over half my weight, you know, so she's 85 pounds now, but there's more to love.
11:17Yeah.
11:17So anyway, how are you doing with the cooking?
11:20Yeah.
11:20Yeah.
11:21It's, it's actually, I'm just checking it right now.
11:24I think it's softened.
11:26It seems like it's softened.
11:28So I think I'm, I think I'm ready to, I don't know about you.
11:30I don't know how yours is looking.
11:32I think I'm going to go ahead and add the beans and the tomatoes and the broth.
11:35And then I'm going to, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and stir in here, the kidney beans and the,
11:39I diced up the tomatoes while you were chatting.
11:43I'm going to add some of the broth and maybe I'll add the oregano and the basil, a little bit
11:48of salt here, some black pepper.
11:51Where's the black pepper?
11:52Oh, it's right here.
11:52Okay.
11:53Some black pepper.
11:54And then it says, let me look here.
11:56Bring the soup to a simmer.
11:58Okay.
11:59So I'm going to bring it up.
12:00All right.
12:01And then now add the pasta.
12:04Okay.
12:04Add the small pasta to the simmering soup.
12:07It looks like it's simmering.
12:08Uh, I'm assuming it's simmering.
12:11Not quite sure what that definition is, but it looks like it is.
12:14Cook according to the pasta package instructions.
12:16Okay.
12:17Well, since this is fresh, okay.
12:19It says one to five minutes.
12:20Okay.
12:21So, so yeah, I guess I'll just, I'll just keep an eye on it.
12:23So I'm going to go ahead and add here the pasta.
12:27All right.
12:27Okay.
12:27So I'll just keep an eye on it.
12:29And yeah, it says one to five minutes.
12:31So, yep.
12:32Perfect.
12:32Impressed.
12:33I'm impressed.
12:34So have you done projects in the past in, in Kosovo in that, that region?
12:38Yes.
12:39Um, no, I, I've been, let's see, it's been about 10 years now, but I've been going back
12:44and forth, Kosovo and Albania the first few times, um, we did a lot of development, you
12:52know, of projects and so forth, you know, and, and funding is difficult over there in
12:57Kosovo.
12:58Um, and so it's, you know, it's been an unstable economy.
13:03So it hasn't always presented itself in a way that would bring fruition at certain times.
13:10So it was, it was a challenge, but you know what?
13:13I learned a lot from over the years being there and just what the typical Albanian or
13:20Kosovo needs to deal with, you know, in the, in the hardship of being a poor country, it
13:27does have a lot going for itself and the people are very hospitable, the very, um, they're just
13:36empathic, lovable people.
13:38But in spite of that, they've, you know, it hasn't been really easy for them.
13:43And, you know, as you know, Albanians were under Serbian rule at a certain time, um, for
13:50a number of years where they were not allowed to work and they, uh, they just, uh, you know,
13:57they were basically treated like, so, so there was that friction.
14:01And then of course the Kosovo war happened.
14:06And so that was about 89, 90, that had happened.
14:11So, so anyway, it's taken a long time for them to grow.
14:18And, but you know, they're fighters, they're fighters.
14:22They, they do what they can to make things happen.
14:26And so, yeah, so over the years, I feel like it's been a real education and, and supporting
14:32them and, and supporting creatives there and actors and, and so forth.
14:39So it's.
14:40Have you been to any of the other neighboring countries like North Macedonia or Albania or
14:45anywhere else?
14:46I, well, Albania, yes.
14:47I mean, I, I've been, you know, in the last 10 years as well, I've been going to Albania,
14:53you know, visiting, and I heard it's spectacular.
14:56I heard the beaches are some of the nicest in all of Europe.
15:00Like it looks like the, yeah, it looks like the Riviera, like the French Riviera.
15:04Like it's.
15:04It is.
15:05I mean, the water is turquoise blue.
15:08I mean, the Adriatic and the Mediterranean.
15:11It's very lush, very green.
15:15And it's, it's just, you know, and the first time I went there in my youth, you know, and
15:23as a, I guess you can say missions or missionaries, social relief or whatever.
15:28I went there with the group, with youth of the mission.
15:32And it was a time when, you know, it wasn't as developed as it is now.
15:38I mean, it's, in those days, it was very, it felt like I was in the 1930s or, you know,
15:44at least 1960s when Albania closed and it was communist.
15:49It was closed to the rest of the world.
15:52So anyway.
15:53Okay.
15:53Real quick.
15:54How's your pasta looking?
15:55It's looking really good.
15:57I mean, it's, I'm nearly done.
16:00I, I, yeah, I, I'm going to add.
16:02Okay.
16:02So next it says, once the pasta is almost cooked, it looks like mine is almost cooked.
16:06It was a little bit longer than five minutes, but it looks like it's almost cooked.
16:10Add the chopped spinach or kale to the soup.
16:12I don't have any spinach.
16:14I got kale.
16:15So I'm just going to add the kale and then cook for an additional two to three minutes.
16:20Okay.
16:20I'm going to go ahead and do that now.
16:22Sorry for interrupting.
16:23Hey, no problem.
16:24No problem.
16:25That's great.
16:26Okay.
16:26So I'm going to do that now.
16:28I'm going to add here the kale.
16:30Okay.
16:31I'm going to set my timer three minutes.
16:34Okay.
16:34Okay.
16:35Great.
16:35So, yeah.
16:37So what, uh, do you think the culture in Albania is, is similar to Greece just because obviously
16:44they're neighbors or what would you, what would you compare it to?
16:47I think, um, it's interesting because, you know, Hitler way back in the day spared Albanians
16:56lives because many of them were blonde and blue eyed and they looked more Aryan.
17:03Really?
17:04Like, yes, yes.
17:05Wow.
17:06That's unusual for Southern Europe.
17:08It is.
17:09It is.
17:09But a lot, there's a lot of mixture, uh, between the Turkish and Albanian DNA crossing over because,
17:17you know, um, there was a time when Albania was taken over or Albanians were taken over
17:24by the Turks and then they, uh, you know, um, intermarried and, and so there's, you know,
17:31you have your, you have your darker, you know, um, darker appearances to, you know, I have
17:37friends that are, you know, blonde hair, blue eyed.
17:40Right.
17:40So it's, it's a combination.
17:42They're very, I think Alexander the great, wasn't he a blonde and he was from like North Macedonia,
17:48right?
17:48Yeah.
17:48Well, he was, um, yeah.
17:49And his mom was Albanian.
17:51Yeah.
17:52Oh, okay.
17:53Yeah.
17:53Yeah.
17:53So, yeah.
17:54So they, they're beautiful people.
17:56I mean, they're among the most beautiful, beautiful people.
17:59And super friendly.
18:01I hear just really hospitable.
18:03Yes.
18:04Like very family focused.
18:06Yes.
18:07That's right.
18:08Yeah.
18:08And they, they just, um, yeah, they're just an amazing hospitable people and they, you know,
18:15they're very affectionate.
18:17They're very empathic.
18:19It's quite interesting.
18:20A lot of how they are is by feeling and, uh, they're deep feelers, which I can relate to
18:27because I am as well.
18:28And so, but there's so many stories I can tell you about my time in, in Albania and Kosovo
18:35and Albania has grown a lot.
18:38It's, I mean, like when I first went there and on the beaches, you know, they had the,
18:43um, the bunkers, you know, during, you know, like World War II and so forth.
18:48And, and now they're, you know, there's hotels right along where the bunkers, you know, are
18:54and the bunkers have been painted, you know, like beautiful artistic work as a work of art
19:02now.
19:03So when you see the bunkers, it's just amazing what they've done, what they've, you know,
19:08used and to preserve their, their culture and ruins and so forth.
19:13But there's a beautiful castle that belonged to Scott, uh, King Skundaveg that was just
19:19basically a ruin when I first saw it, you know, when I first went to Albania in my youth.
19:25And now it's a thriving museum and historical site.
19:31Um, it's been totally refurbished and there's a beautiful, uh, village attached to it, um,
19:39where you can buy like, um, you know, just little, uh, trinkets of, um, artifacts.
19:45And what are they known for as far as obviously the beaches and all that kind of stuff, but like
19:51in, in terms of exports, like, are they known for any particular food, any particular garment,
19:56any particular artifact, any, like what, what are they, are they known for anything specific?
20:01Well, for example, they, they're very much into coffee.
20:05I mean, they have among the best, the Albanians make the best coffee.
20:11Oh, real quick.
20:12It looks like my, what's my, looks like my soup is done.
20:16Okay, great.
20:17I'm just going to take a quick sip here.
20:20Let me grab my little ladle.
20:22Ooh, geez, it's hot.
20:25Wow.
20:26That, that tastes really good.
20:28Yeah.
20:28Maybe a little bit more salt and pepper, maybe a little bit.
20:32How's yours?
20:32How did yours turn out?
20:34Um, yeah, mine is delicious.
20:35It was done like a few minutes ago.
20:37Okay.
20:38Yeah.
20:39I can do, you know, I can cook and talk at the same time, you know, and not too bad.
20:44Well, well, I, I had prepped, I had diced and cut everything and, and prepared.
20:48You did?
20:49Wow.
20:50Of course, like, yeah, I can't do both at the same time.
20:53Okay.
20:54So I cheated a little bit.
20:55I got, I, I prepped everything before we started.
20:58Including this hot thing.
21:01We should have done this on one.
21:03It's still like it took me longer with mine.
21:04Maybe you just had a different pasta.
21:06I don't know.
21:06My pasta took, it said one to five minutes, but it took at least seven minutes.
21:09So I don't know, but it seems like it's finished, which is perfect timing because it's lunchtime
21:14for me now.
21:14So I'm, I'm all set for lunch.
21:16It's great.
21:17Well, one of these days we'll have to do this on video because I've been cutting carrots
21:21and all kinds of things and to add to it.
21:26Well, Albania sounds amazing.
21:27It's, it's definitely on my list of places I want to see.
21:30Do you still have a lot of friends there?
21:31Do you have any projects you plan to do there?
21:34Like in the future, I know you did a, you know, obviously you did the TV series and then
21:38do you have anything more you're going to do there?
21:40I do.
21:41I do.
21:42Yeah.
21:43I'm hoping to later this year.
21:44I have a project, a film project, and it would be headed by my company.
21:51And yeah, it's, it's, it's a historical, you know, project, film project.
21:56And yeah, so I'm really excited about it.
21:59And, um, I'm excited to be working with my Albanian crew and some of the actors I know
22:07that are among the best known ones in that region in Albania.
22:14And, um, yes, I'm very excited about it.
22:17That sounds great.
22:18Yeah.
22:19Sounds like a wonderful place and great people.
22:22So I'm sure, obviously you had a really good experience last time filming there.
22:25So, which is the reason why you want to go back and it's nice that you still have a lot
22:30of friends and everything, everyone's still there.
22:32So I think I'm going to eat my soup here before it gets cold.
22:35Okay.
22:36And I recommend you do the same.
22:38And so for the next session, we'll, uh, just pick another, pick another recipe, either
22:44from my cookbook or another one that you have that you think we could make in 30 minutes.
22:49And then I want to dig a little deeper into, I have a lot of questions about the project
22:54you're going to be working on over there.
22:56What, what's, what's the story?
22:58What's, you know, how are you, when are you planning to go?
23:00I want to learn a little bit more about Denison Global Entertainment.
23:03I want to learn more about, you know, whether you're doing just your own projects or you're
23:08open to doing other people's projects as a, for hire director or producer.
23:12I want to learn about whether you're going to get into commercials, especially now that
23:17you've got an AI studio.
23:18So I want to, want to dig into all that on the next episode.
23:21Sounds great.
23:22Sounds great.
23:23My dog is in the background, so I hope she's not making too much noise.
23:28No, no, she's fine.
23:30She's ready to play.
23:32You're so lucky.
23:33She's such a blessing.
23:33So she's, she's great.
23:35She is.
23:36But anyway.
23:37Well, thanks for joining us today.
23:38Sure.
23:39No, it was great.
23:40It was great to hear from you and I'm glad that I was able to join you, join you today.
23:45And I look forward to the next time.
23:47Great.
23:48We'll have a fantastic day.
23:50Hey, you too, Mark.
23:51You too.
23:52Okay.
23:52Okay.
23:52Bye.
23:53Bye.
23:58Bye.
23:59Bye.
23:59Bye.
24:00Bye.
24:01Bye.
24:01Bye.
24:01Bye.
24:01Good times ahead.
24:03Let's make this life sweet.
24:06The past had its shadows, but we're chasing the sun.
24:11Good times ahead.
24:15The best yet to come.
24:19The best yet to come.
24:20The best yet to come.
24:21The best yet to come.
24:22The best yet to come.
24:23The best yet to come.
24:23The best yet to come.
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