Cooking Channel serves up food-oriented programming

Have you ever turned on Food Network and saw Sandra Lee describing her tablescape or Ina Garten painstakingly laugh with her husband Jeffrey?

If so, you've probably instantly turned the channel (unless you like that kind of thing).

Now, you have the option of turning it to another channel dedicated to food lovers.

Scripps Networks Interactive, the Food Network's parent company, introduced its first spin-off network called Cooking Channel on Memorial Day.

The network is described as being "for food people, by food people." If you have Comcast in Morgantown, it takes the place of the Fine Living Network on channel 137.

The channel is filled with a more liberal programming schedule, with less emphasis on competition shows like "Iron Chef America" and "Next Food Network Star" and more traditional how-to cooking shows.

The channel tackles some items Food Network seems to lack, like baking, beer and other international cuisines.

There are also new personalities that can be a nice change up from Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray. There are also a few that just don't cut it.

Here's a viewers guide to some of newest shows on the Cooking Channel.

"David Rocco's Dolce Vita"

If you sometimes get bored trying to figure out how Giada's head can be so big but her body so small and her food is turning into a blur, Rocco's show will give you the Italian fix you've been looking for.

He is inspired by his heritage and cooks traditional Italian meals that are pretty easy to copy. His personality is pretty easy to watch, too. He's not overly technical. He's kind of like Paula Dean, but a guy and Italian.

The only negative is that he spends some of his show hanging with friends and happily eating instead of cooking.

Verdict: Can't miss

"Drink Up"

The first show dedicated solely to delectable concoctions college students pride themselves on drinking so well has finally hit the TV.

Darryl Robinson hosts the show which dedicates 30 minutes to a certain alcohol. Not only does it go into the history of said alcohol, but it also shows how to use it in recipes.

If you like to know a little bit about what you're putting into your body on a late-night trip down to High Street, take a look. It is something Food Network had never dared airing before.

Verdict: Grab a beer and take a seat

"Everyday Exotic"

Roger Mooking, who is half-chef/half-musician, takes odd ingredients like saffron, papaya, mango and panko and shows you how to create meals around those ingredients.

While Mooking seems like a nice guy and his knife skills are fun to watch, I really can't get into his cooking with the smooth-jazz attitude getting in the way.

Verdict: Only if "Top Chef" isn't on

"Food Jammers"

To me, this is most creative show on the Cooking Channel. Think MTV's "Jackass" meets food. Three guys set out to try to make food interesting.

For example, they take an average cookout and turn it into a science experiment. They take things like heat guns, bicycle wheels and cable and turn it into cooking elements to create a menu of 10-feet of sausage, tiny tofu burgers and a pendulum swinging barbecued chicken.

If you want to be entertained and don't really feel like recreating the food, this is for you.

Verdict: Stop everything and watch

"International cuisine"

The Cooking Channel is debuting more than five shows dedicated to certain international foods (Latin, Greek, Indian, Chinese, French to name a few).

These shows don't really do it for me on an everyday basis. I like to check out what these TV chefs are making before I commit to watching an entire episode.

But, if you're looking for a certain cuisine, these shows give you a good deal of help getting to know cultural flavor profiles and international traditions.

Verdict: If you're in the mood for Chinese (or something)

Later this summer, the channel will debut new shows with Iron Chef Michael Symon, Flay and Ray. Be sure to check those out, as well.

Other shows to check out: "Food(ography)," "Foodcrafters," "Rachel Allen: Bake!" and "Two Fat Ladies."

Other shows to ignore: Food Network defections like "Simply Delicioso" and "Nigella Lawson."