Alton Brown's Favorite Comfort Snack Includes A Cocktail Combo

Alton Brown is one of the culinary world's most curious personalities. Arguably a scholar first and a chef second, Brown has been unveiling the science behind cooking for decades, including 14 years writing and hosting "Good Eats" on the Food Network. The famed show ended in 2012, but Brown appeased his many fans when bringing the series back in 2019. In an episode of the revamped show, "Good Eats Reloaded," Brown revealed his favorite comfort foods, and it's not the typical mac and cheese or mom's chicken noodle soup. In fact, it's hardly a meal at all, but Brown doesn't hesitate to declare potato chips and martinis his all-time favorite comfort snack. As simple as the duo is, there are a lot of ways to approach Brown's favorite snack. The salty chips — which Brown insists must be kettle-cooked — complement the brininess of a gin martini in particular, his spirit of choice here.

For those who wouldn't call a cocktail a snack, Brown raises you the martini olive. He opts for olives "because it's important to get your greens," but in all seriousness, that briny flavor leads each sip. If he had it his way, Brown would garnish every martini with not one, but three olives. "And yes, gin, not vodka. I'm not a savage," Brown shared in the episode.

The snack combo might sound plain, but Brown's preferences make it special. Unlike regular chips, kettle-style potato chips prioritize that crunch, with denser, less greasy bites. Brown has his own recipe for these crisps, which involves carefully frying sliced potatoes in batches rather than flash-frying a heap at once. The extra crunch and earthiness of the chips is a perfect companion for a crisp, gin martini.

Brown is certainly a gin man, and his taste is longstanding. In an early episode of "Good Eats" from 2006, he got into the mechanics behind classic cocktails and asserted his love of gin over vodka in martinis. "I really do believe that a real martini is always built upon gin," Brown declared. When comparing the two spirits, Brown points out that vodka is essentially unseasoned gin. "Gin is vodka with herbs and juniper added," he informed his viewers. While a martini calls for the same ingredients regardless of the base spirit, the preparation should slightly differ. Martinis are famously served frosty cold, but gin should never fall below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Brown. As an aromatic, gin is a little more temperamental than vodka, and the icy temperatures can soften the nose.