Steve Barnes: TV cook rules the roost on her farm

[...] when a television producer approached her about hosting a cooking and lifestyle show, she says the conversation went like this:

In most episodes she visits a local site — a winery, cheesemaker, farm, bakery, friend's home — before returning to the farmhouse to cook a meal.

In the episode slated to air Saturday, Fuller hosts a homecoming party for a nephew and his military buddies after they return from Afghanistan.

The menu is fried pork chops, braised kale and tomatoes, apple pie with cheddar crust and beer-ginger shandy.

Fuller, chatting during a phone interview last week, says she's most proud of the way that "Farmhouse Rules" showcases the people, agriculture and products of the Hudson Valley.

When Fuller was recently recognized in an airport by fans, they told her an episode featuring beef Wellington, in which tenderloin is wrapped in puff pastry and baked, gave them the confidence to try it and sufficient instruction to have the dish come out successfully.