Delia says cheating is ok.

boo81

My dad has told me that he saw something she had written promoting non free range chicken as people have the right to cheap food. I find this quite upsetting that someone in the public eye and with people who follow their every move. She should be more careful what she says, she certainly has gone down in my estimation.

Doesnt the cheating go against the healthy ethics they are trying to drum into people to get them cooking again, tackle child obesity etc etc?

Bongedone

boo81 wrote: »

My dad has told me that he saw something she had written promoting non free range chicken as people have the right to cheap food. I find this quite upsetting that someone in the public eye and with people who follow their every move. She should be more careful what she says, she certainly has gone down in my estimation.

Doesnt the cheating go against the healthy ethics they are trying to drum into people to get them cooking again, tackle child obesity etc etc?

That was the lead story in the free London Paper on Friday afternoon.

Zazen999

I've always cheated - it's about mixing and matching [my baked bean curry is fabulous - even if I say so myself].

dan1979

mary43 wrote: »

Have to confess to always having a packet of instant mash in the cupboard.........just in case we run out of the real thing

Whenever I'm making mash I do more than I need and freeze the excess in sealable bags, can't see why anyone would need the instant stuff.

catkins

boo81 wrote: »

My dad has told me that he saw something she had written promoting non free range chicken as people have the right to cheap food. I find this quite upsetting that someone in the public eye and with people who follow their every move. She should be more careful what she says, she certainly has gone down in my estimation.

Doesnt the cheating go against the healthy ethics they are trying to drum into people to get them cooking again, tackle child obesity etc etc?

She was on the One Show on Friday night and said she was misquoted. She said "if people cannot afford organic or free range chicken then there should be alternatives and there are plenty of those". She said she lives near a battery farm and gets upset everytime she sees a lorry come out of there and that there is no way she would promote battery farming.

The British press strike again!!!!

ravylesley

I am not a great fan of St Delia but only on the tv.I love reading her books and have tried loads of her recipes with great success.I can see the point of this book as I left home at 18 being able to cook only one meal and that was grilled pork chop,instant mash and tinned garden peas.So this book would have been a godsend to me.I learnt all my cookery skills from books

Lesleyxx

Lord_Lardington

In defence of Delia, I really have found her books useful in the past and am sure that there are still lots of people that could make use of her “Complete Cookery Course”.

Would I reference her for making, say, .. a Sashimi Dressing? No, of course not. But you know, when I first got interested in cooking a million centuries ago, I did find myself at a stage where I could cook a fairly decent Beef and Broccoli with Ginger (or whatever), or an edible plate of sushi but could not make pastry or pancakes to save my life. Enter Mrs Smith (Ooerr!!)

I know that there are loads of accomplished cooks on here but those of us who aren’t could do worse than looking at the main Delia books. Patronising to some perhaps, but invaluable if you just don’t know.

Pink.

Lord_Lardington wrote: »

In defence of Delia, I really have found her books useful in the past and am sure that there are still lots of people that could make use of her “Complete Cookery Course”.

Would I reference her for making, say, .. a Sashimi Dressing? No, of course not. But you know, when I first got interested in cooking a million centuries ago, I did find myself at a stage where I could cook a fairly decent Beef and Broccoli with Ginger (or whatever), or an edible plate of sushi but could not make pastry or pancakes to save my life. Enter Mrs Smith (Ooerr!!)

I know that there are loads of accomplished cooks on here but those of us who aren’t could do worse than looking at the main Delia books. Patronising to some perhaps, but invaluable if you just don’t know.

I couldn't agree more. Delia Smith's complete cookery course taught me the basics of how to cook and gave me the interest I now have in preparing food.

Pink

Mrs_Flittersnoop

Lord_Lardington wrote: »

In defence of Delia, I really have found her books useful in the past and am sure that there are still lots of people that could make use of her “Complete Cookery Course”.

Would I reference her for making, say, .. a Sashimi Dressing? No, of course not. But you know, when I first got interested in cooking a million centuries ago, I did find myself at a stage where I could cook a fairly decent Beef and Broccoli with Ginger (or whatever), or an edible plate of sushi but could not make pastry or pancakes to save my life. Enter Mrs Smith (Ooerr!!)

I know that there are loads of accomplished cooks on here but those of us who aren’t could do worse than looking at the main Delia books. Patronising to some perhaps, but invaluable if you just don’t know.

I agree too. I don't find Delia particularly patronising, but then my school teachers had the same way of getting their message across back in the 70s so maybe I'm just used to it :rotfl: . I have a copy of the original 1971 How to Cheat book and when I was first married found it invaluable - she didn't particularly insist on using everything out of a tin or a packet but just suggested ways of timesaving by using the odd ready made item - for example I used to love her salmon mousse recipe which was made using a tin of salmon, eggs and cream - turned out great for dinner parties (which I used to hold back in those days!). In this respect she used the tin of salmon instead of fresh - I don't think any of us here on OS would slam her for that even these days (I use tinned tuna all the time).

As usual I think she has been misquoted for sensationalisms' sake (I'm sure that's not a word, LOL). And the fact that the book has been an instant best seller must tell us something about all those non-OS but keen to learn cooks out there.

thriftlady_2

The thing about Delia is that she is a teacher not an entertainer. She is an excellent teacher. She gives clear explanations without being intimidating. Cookery programmes used to be made by the education dept of the BBC, now of course cookery 'shows' are full-on entertainment.

While some TV chefs are indeed entertaining to watch, do people who can't cook learn from them ?