Rick is certainly in my top three TV cooks. I feel able to call him by his first name as I once saw the back of his head in his Padstow deli as well as the infamous Jack Russell Chalky (RIP) tied up outside - bosom buddies. Whilst the conquest of Padstein is a bone of contention to some locals and leaves me feeling a little queasy (how long before Ricks Burgers opens on the harbour-front?) I’ll leave that particular bone for the ghost of Chalky to grapple with rather than adding it to my personal cupboard.
His enthusiasm for food is catching, his obsession with ingredients pre-dates the current trendiness for local, seasonal produce - strangely, (for a TV cook) I think he even had a vegetable garden before they became the essential tax-deductible accessory for the celebrity chef. I particularly like his travel programmes, when abroad Ricks passions seem to be amplified and the dialogue and film footage manage to be both evocative and inspirational. I never thought I’d like to travel through France on a barge or drive across Sicily in a Land Rover until I saw RS do it.
Finish all that off with the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, which is the scene of some of my favourite restaurant meals — one can’t ask for much more from a chef.
If you want a fish cookery book, then I don’t think you can go far wrong when choosing one of Ricks…
Of all the cooks that I’m writing about in this series, Keith Floyd is probably the one whose televised work has had a greater influence on me than his written work. In fact it wasn’t until I came to write this piece on Keith, that I even gave his books much thought.
It’s his joie-de-vivre that makes him such a charismatic figure and TV conveys that far better than print. There can’t be many red-blooded drinkers & cookers who don’t secretly desire trading places with Keith, knocking together some frankly knocked together food in a sultry corner of Italy whilst keeping cool with copious quantities of Vino Verde. Or frying reindeer hocks in butter in some dusky Scandanavian tundra whilst pickling oneself with a vat of vodka.
After all that his books are bound to pale by comparison.
Another thing about Keith which one must admit is do we really care about his recipes ? Is it really Keith we turn to for a Chicken Korma recipe and jugged or Royal Hare Stew, blood and all is perhaps a minority pursuit. His best stuff such as Irene Cleaves’ southern fried chicken or Evander Preston’s crabmeat fritters are really someone elses. Surely Elizabeth David is a better source for let’s say Southern French recipes and we’ll leave North African food to Sam and Sam Clark… let’s make a resolution to enjoy Keith for what he’s best at - making damn fine, entertaining TV prog’s with backing music by the Stranglers!
Of all the cooks I’ve written about in this series, Mitch Tonks is the only one that I can claim to have personally insulted.
We ate in one of his restaurants two or three years back when they were running a Good Food evening (which was great value 6 or 7 courses and as much as you could drink). I made some quip about there being no seats (it was busy & there was a lot to drink) which embarrassed Mitch and lead to us being ushered to the back of the restaurant where there was a table out of harms ways. I sure it didn’t even register, but sorry Mitch.
I’ve eaten in his Bristol restaurant a couple of times and used the Fish Works fish shops both in Bristol and Bath on a number of occasions. I actually had my only case of seafood poisoning from a batch of mussels from the shop in Bath…but don’t let me put you off - I blame myself for not checking them thoroughly enough (or perhaps it was revenge for the restaurant episode).
Anyway, having set the scene so eloquently through embarrassment and food poisoning (!) I must admit that I really like Mitch’s food and recipes. Great produce, simply cooked. In the world of fish Rick Stein is the king of the kitchen, with his seemingly encyclopaedic knowledge of classical cookery, farflung travels and giddy passion and Mitch is perhaps the Prince-in-waiting with a more modern, simpler, lighter touch!
Of all the cooks I’ve considered as part of this series, husband and wife team Sam and Sam Clark have perhaps opened my eyes to new tastes and flavours more than any others. I first developed an interest in Spanish cooking a number of years ago when my wife and I spent a number of holidays in the sun and dust of Andalusia. This led to a frosty Christmas purchase of the first Moro book (actually as a gift for my Mother that soon found its way back to me) and a transcription of recipes to well travelled pieces of paper that enabled me to make Tortilla and Gazpacho under a roasting Andalusian sun on subsequent trips without dragging a cookery book to Spain.
Harissa and bravas sauce are now never far from my thoughts, a dull chicken or piece of lamb soon spiced up and filled with Mediterranean sunshine and North African fire.
The Clark’s offer classic exotic (to the average British palate) recipes - for the uninitiated a great place to start exploring theircusine is the Guardian Unlimited article from 2004 that heralded the release of the Casa Moro book. Their cookery is that “of Spain and the Muslim Mediterranean” and their three books The Moro Cookbook, Casa Moro: The Second Cookbook and Moro East track a tasty, easy course through the Med and its abundant table. For further web based reading, the diversity of these rich and varied culinary traditions is well demonstrated by the vegan recipes and ingredients given in Samatha Clarks Vegan Inspirations article on the BBC website.
It is through the two fat ladies that I can begin to understand the British Empire. So few people with plumy accents and indomitable attitudes ruling over so many. With ladies like Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson you can start to see how they did it - all that fox-hunting, gin and those stiff upper lips.
Their food, whilst old fashioned, bourgeoisie and liable to fur up your arteries and steeply reduce your life-expectancy has a solidity and properness about it that’s undeniably attractive…For example, one of the few recipes available on the ‘net is the high tea (how long is it since you heard that term?) dish of Rigo Jancsi Chocolate Slices = jam, sugar, cream and chocolate and to hell with the calories.
The story of the Ladies on the web is one of desolation and moved or missing pages which is a shame - the BBC Food Site seems to have removed all recipes except for a rather forlorn one for Potted turkey (which I won’t even link to in disgust at the BBC) and the food network message board and dedicated page is long gone. To even up this absence, I’ll research some Two Fat Ladies Inspired recipes and bring them to mwnch soon … watch this space!
In the meantime, you might like to peruse some of the Ladies books.
Despite recent strange diversions Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is one of the pillars upon which my culinary world is built.
I loved his early adventures in cooking rooks and placentas on Cook on the Wild Side and TV Dinners, River Cottage as a concept is close to my idea of heaven and his recent exploration of sustainable fish stocks is admirable and thought provoking.
Of all of Hugh’s work, his thoughtful writing on animal husbandry, care and the symbiotic relationship between people and domesticated livestock has informed and reinforced my farmer’s son attitude to this thorny subject.
You can find a number of Hugh recipes for free on the BBC website including a favourite of mine pumpkin risotto. Hugh’s own site River Cottage also has some great seasonal recipes. Finally, Guardian Unlimited has a very attractive selection of writing and recipes, including a very topical one given my new blackberry based theme on mwnch, an article on Black beauties.
Then of course, there are his books, all of which I thoroughly recommend.
Just one piece of advice, stop hanging around in the play-ground with that bully Ramsay and his blubbery lipped side-kick Oliver and find some nice, sensitive friends of your own.
Whilst I don’t think I’ve ever followed a recipe to every ingredient, weight, measure or direction, like everyone with a love of food I seek inspiration from books, TV and the ‘net.
In homage, respect and sometimes ridicule of our kitchen messiahs I’m going to write a series of posts on cooks, chefs and other kitchen botherers … keep reading …
It is nearly asparagus season - keep checking those market stalls give the supermarkets as miss...
I keep feeling guilty for not buying any of their produce as it looks so fine and local, keep your eyes peeled for their Really Welsh produce Really Welsh
On a new addiction... by blogengage on February 2nd, 2008 Well I'm not a big curry fan but one word of advice you stink really bad after eating it! You may not notice but your friends and people around you will! I don't suggest eating it at all! I worked in a restaurant once and the east Indians always stunk like curry and it's nothing nice let me tell you! I would suggest quitting cold turkey and the tase isn't anything special anyways, very bland!.
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track a tasty, easy course through the Med and its abundant table. For further web based reading, the diversity of these rich and varied culinary traditions is well demonstrated by the vegan recipes and ingredients given in Samatha Clarks 
