Last night I happened upon some old re-runs of the TV cookery show Two Fat Ladies. The series ended in 1999 therefore I was probably watching something that was at least 16 years old, however, it seemed utterly ancient compared with modern cookery programmes.
Clarissa Dickson Wright and co star Jennifer Paterson were two eccentric, loud, formidably intelligent, fat women who shared a love of food and an affected unconcern regarding fat or calories and pushing the boundaries.
Both women had plummy accents, rich with haughty disdain, they were both utterly un-pc and Jennifer in particular was wont to drink on set and regularly 'nipped out for a fag.' They used phrases such as 'yummo' whilst mixing large quantities of butter or lard into their recipes with fat fingers clad in chunky jewels.
They drove around the country in a Triumph Thunderbird motorbike and sidecar with the number plate N88 TFL the British bingo call for number 88 was 'Two Fat Ladies.' Clarissa once commented 'I never minded sitting in the sidecar when Jennifer drove, even if I knew she was on her second bottle of vodka.' One can see why the show was apparently the Queen Mother's favourite viewing!
Watching this old episode made me realise how times have changed, we are now constantly under the gaze of self-appointed pc warriors, it is virtually impossible to do or say anything challenging without incurring their wrath. The very notion of calling themselves Two Fat Ladies would now be seen as offensive, thus they belong to a bygone era (although I have no doubt they would have stuck two fat fingers up at the ideology of controlled public speech and thought.)
I've been watching the current series of Professional Masterchef and am amazed that many of the supposedly skilled chefs can't execute basic recipes. Innovation is the lingua franca of the food world and whilst most of the chefs can produce dishes such as chicken, foie, quince and cobnut ravioli or lapsang souchong infused saddle of venison, they can't make a pancake batter or cheese sauce.
In a recent episode chefs were challenged to make buck rarebit, a glorified cheese on toast, but surprisingly they all struggled with this very simple dish. Therefore I think it's worth posting because it really is the ultimate comfort food.
Buck rarebit
Recipe
White sauce
25g butter
25g plain flour
300ml milk
Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat
Stir in the flour and combine with the butter to form a paste
Add a little milk at a time, stirring continuously until you have a smooth, slightly thick sauce
Now you can add 1 free range egg and combine into sauce
Add 1 teaspoon of mustard
Add 225g of cheese, I like Stilton but mature Cheddar works equally well
Once the cheese has melted your sauce is ready
Place your bread under the grill and toast it on both sides until crisp and golden
Spread the cheese mixture onto the toast - right to the edges, then sprinkle with a light dusting of cayenne pepper
Place under the grill, 3 inches from the heat, until golden brown and bubbling
'Never throw away squeezed lemons, keep them by the sink. Then you can use them to remove fish, onion or garlic smells from your fingers. Or you can stick them on your elbows while you are reading a book, to soften and whiten your skin.'
- Jennifer Paterson.
'The term 'political correctness' has always appalled me, reminding me of Orwell's 'thought police' and fascist regimes.'
- Helmut Newton.
Love Donna xxxxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment