TV Chefs (UK's First one)

[MrX]

Just found a youtube video of the UK's classic 1950s/1960s/70s TV chef, the very proper Fanny Craddock (yes that was really her name!)

Just thought I'd share it!

Very interesting character, and very interesting 1950s fashion sense!

 

[spoodles]

I love a bit of Fanny!

 

[spoodles]

Fierce!

 

[danemodsandy]

They're All Eccentric:

When Julia Child's show was first aired in the UK, the Beeb was flooded with calls wanting to know "what on earth a drunken or demented American woman was doing on the Third Programme".

And we all know how that turned out.

 

[danemodsandy]

By the Way:

While I rather doubt she appeared on TV much (if at all), Britain's Elizabeth David was tops for knowledge about cooking. She specialised in cookery of the Mediterranean and France. Her first cookbook was published not long after the war, with Britain still rationed. It must have been a bit frustrating reading her recipes for French specialities, knowing that very few of the ingredients could be had.

 

[jamiel]

I've got an interesting cookbook I bought at the Imperial War Museum on Post-War British cookery---Marguerite Patten--essentially went through the years 1945-1955 (when rationing was finally lifted) talking about how the tastes changed. Interesting advertising reprints also. Believe the title is "The Post-War Kitchen"

 

[danemodsandy]

The Other End of the Spectrum:

For a completely different take on British cookery, you might follow the link to a reprint of a 1950s cookbook published by Atora, the suet people. For the Americans present, suet is beef fat; Atora purify it and make it into a somewhat granular sort of substance. Britons use it in baking where Americans might use lard or the French would use butter. At any rate, this little pamphlet features the late great Gracie Fields, looking fierce enough to have Fanny Cradock as an hors d'oeuvre before consuming Lady Norah Docker for her entree.

"Lancashire hot pot and tripe and onions - there's nowt to touch them for good honest fare. Mind you, a well-made steak and kidney pudding or a toad-in-the-hole made with a really light batter takes a bit of beating. Here are my recipes for these "old-timers" and, for good measure, recipes for chicken Maryland and potted shrimps, too."

http://www.flaneur.org.uk/html/food/gracie1.html

 

[MrX]

This is Ireland's current TV queen of all things culinar

Here's Rachel Allen, Ireland's current TV Chef of the moment.

http://www.rte.ie/tv/rachelsfavouritefood/

 

[maytagbear]

Is this Rachel

any relation to Myrtle or Darina?

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[MrX]

Yup! She's Darina's daughter in-law and seem to be carrying on the family TV chef empire..

 

[MrX]

She's a bit more Nigela Lawson than Darina Allen though..

 

[launderess]

That Fanny Craddock

Looks as if she could give Dot Cotton (Eastenders) a run for her money.

 

[foraloysius]

My all time favourite is....

Delia Smith!

 

[foraloysius]

And here is her website:

http://www.deliaonline.com/