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Al Bundy from “Married… with Children” — Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon, above. Peg Bundy was a housewife of leisure, known more for eating sweets than preparing a meal for her family. In this clip, Al boasts about a nonexistent “beef stew made from scratch” to try to confront his heckling neighbors, so I figured he would enjoy a bowl of this classic French one to celebrate the day.
Uncle Phil from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” — Essential Mashed Potatoes. Though Hillary is a food influencer in the reimagined version of this series, it’s Uncle Phil who is the food-loving character in the original. Thanksgiving is his favorite meal, and of all of the typical items on the holiday plate, it’s the “pillowy mounds of mashed potatoes” that stand out most to me.
Bob Belcher from “Bob’s Burgers” — ‘Italian’ Burgers. The name of this show alone tells you what type of recipe the patriarch of the Belcher family would enjoy. But what type? In my limited viewings thus far, I’ve enjoyed the creative specialty burgers on offer at the family’s restaurant, so I figured Bob would want a burger that’s not the norm, too, and this one with crispy prosciutto, mushrooms and Taleggio seems to fit the bill.
Sandy Cohen from “The OC” — Best of Bagels. Deemed an “artist with cream cheese” by his wife, this California dad is more than happy to “teach you how to schmear.” And what better canvas than this reader-favorite bagel recipe?
Hank Hill from “King of the Hill” — Seared, Slow-Roasted Steak. Hank is an expert at the grill who loves his steaks medium-rare. But if you’re more of a steak novice and want a foolproof way to get a rosy, medium-rare throughout, this two-pronged method from “Modernist Cuisine at Home” is here to the rescue.
Carl Winslow from “Family Matters” — Whole Lemon Tart. In the first season of this ’90s sitcom, viewers learn of the Winslow secret family recipe that has been passed down through the men in the family for generations. Looking to make a profit, they agree to sell it to a local restaurant that places an order for 12,000. Naturally, calamity ensues. But if you’re looking to make just one delectable lemon tart, this recipe fits the bill.
Homer Simpson from “The Simpsons” — Vanilla-Glazed Brioche Donuts. In thinking about what recipe to pick for the dad from the longest running television show, I realized just how much gastronomy is a part of the series. Just to name a few, there’s chili, bacon, a whole scene dedicated to the foods of New Orleans and, of course, all of the beer. But, to me, there’s nothing more central to Homer than donuts.