Jamie Oliver - my food muse

[Diane CBPFC]

My husband just bought me Food Revolution for Easter. Now, before you get all mushy, it was more a case of going shopping with him (who was looking for an air compressor), picking up the book, pointing at it and and saying, "I would like you to buy me this book for Easter".

Anyway - it is really cool and I have been inspired to cook ever since. I made Chicken Korma with Basmati rice and Nan bread when we got home yesterday; today I made a huge pot of chilli with cheese and bacon biscuits in the shape of bunnies - the bacon chunk was for the eyes, (put half in the freezer) and tomorrow I plan to roast a turkey along with these beautiful new baby potatoes I bought. I also plan to do something wonderful with strawberries.

I think Jamie Oliver is great. I didn't use any of his recipies - just looking at him cooking and chopping is all the inspiration I need.

Who is your cooking muse?

[Vulture]

I agree with you, Diane. Jamie's great to watch (even bought a DVD of his..!), and I've even tried a couple of his recipes (not so great!), but watching him at work seems to be his forte (if that's the right word).

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Nigella Lawson - forgive me!

[Vulture]

Nigella Lawson - forgive me!

Are you asking the rest of us to forgive you for watching Nigella, or Nigella for you watching her?   

[Tom]

I watched Nigella Lawson once... she made egg on toast.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

And I bet it was a real treat too, Tom - especially if it was for breakfast.

Are you asking the rest of us to forgive you for watching Nigella, or Nigella for you watching her?   

Neither actually, Vult - I was asking forgiveness of a higher authority (and I don't mean either Peepsie or Mince) for the reasons why I enjoy Nigella's style so much. I could never quite comprehend how she could possibly be the offspring of such an odious creature as Thatcher's former Chancellor.

[Diamond Lil]

I have several of Nigella's books and made her chocolate cloud cake only the other day for a friend's birthday...it doesn't have any flour in it so is meant to fall in the middle...my kind of recipe!  I don't, however, particularly like watching her and almost gave up in the last series when she was fondly rubbing what turned out to be a raw potato.  Sophie Dahl is trying the same thing with her series (only this time she was squeezing the life out of a chunk of buffalo mozzarella) but doesn't have the recipes to back up the soft, well-risen porn.

[Jack]

Recipes?

I personally favour the use-whatever's-in-the-cupboard-and-pray-it-turns-out-edible approach myself.

In the event of failure, add sauce.

[Diane CBPFC]

I made a nice turkey supper this evening for us and one other family - all the trimmings, baby potatoes roasted, stuffing, steamed brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes - and still my son put ketchup on it. It seems such a shame as everything tastes the same smothered in ketchup.

I think it is good to watch a cooking show every now and again to get you chopping up more veggies. Sometimes I pretend there is a camera filming my wonderful productions... watch these steaming hot bunny biscuits come out of the oven and notice how the bacon bits look just like eyes...my that's clever, but then that is why Diane is a TV chef and you are not.

[Diane CBPFC]

[The Peepmaster]

I made a nice turkey supper this evening for us and one other family - all the trimmings, baby potatoes roasted, stuffing, steamed brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes - and still my son put ketchup on it. It seems such a shame as everything tastes the same smothered in ketchup.

Well, the ketchup certainly gives it colour, but there does appear to be something fundamentally wrong with your roast dinner, Diane.

[Diane CBPFC]

I also plan to do something wonderful with strawberries.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I also plan to do something wonderful with strawberries.

Ah! I didn't think that had anything to do with cooking.

[Vulture]

I made a nice turkey supper this evening for us and one other family - all the trimmings, baby potatoes roasted, stuffing, steamed brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes - and still my son put ketchup on it. It seems such a shame as everything tastes the same smothered in ketchup.

When my children were sproglets, I refused to buy ketchup; the gooey black mess round the top of the bottle and inside the lid - yuk!

[Fyodor]

I have several of Nigella's books and made her chocolate cloud cake only the other day for a friend's birthday...it doesn't have any flour in it so is meant to fall in the middle...my kind of recipe!  I don't, however, particularly like watching her and almost gave up in the last series when she was fondly rubbing what turned out to be a raw potato.  Sophie Dahl is trying the same thing with her series (only this time she was squeezing the life out of a chunk of buffalo mozzarella) but doesn't have the recipes to back up the soft, well-risen porn.

Go for it girl! I loves it when you talks dirty.