Masterchef 2013

Natalie Coleman from Hackney, E.London - wins well-deserved Masterchef award

yay!Natalie

All the Contestants for the Final

Great British Menu 2012

I haven't been watching every episode of this series, but try not to miss Fridays when the judging is done.  I have enjoyed it, and love the judges crits.   I probably mostly go with Pru.  (I also love her jewellery!)  I do believe, in general, that Foodies watch with great interest, but most of us couldn't in any way achieve the heights reached - certainly not at home! Somehow or other, amongst all the dishes 'plated up' the judges manage to choose the most excellent.  As much as Oliver Peyton is a slight grump during the series, he shows so much enthusiasm on the day and is terrific.   There's definitely a fascination about watching these programmes.  Cant wait for the next series.

Hairy Bikers - Bakeation

I love watching The Hairy Bikers - I know they are quite corny, but I love their recipes and they always make me smile. Their new series is lovely  - BBC 2 Tuesdays

Raymond Blanc - The Very Hungry Frenchman

I hope you've been watching Raymond Blanc's new series The Very Hungry Frenchman. This week's episode was in Provence and was just delightful.  Check out the recipes.

The Hungry Sailors

I have been watching Dick and James Strawbridge (father and son) - The Hungry Sailors - at 4 pm each week day on ITV1- it's absolutely delightful. (Dick strawbridge is an ex-Masterchef winner).  He and his son, James,  have been sailing around our coastline on the Amelie Rose, stopping off at various places and cooking dishes from produce they find locally.  All of the dishes are uncomplicated, as they only have a galley to cook in, but the combination of looking around an area, finding lovely products/producers, and cooking for them - is super.

They do also, (however), make the odd contraption or two - for example - a windmill-type-sail construction attached to a coffee grinder, hoisted on a pole - to get the wind force to grind coffee! :)  It is fun!

The ITV Recipe section has closed down, but here are some links with some Dick Strawbridge recipes:

BBC 1.
BBC 2.
AMAZON BOOKS
Recipes

Alan Titchmarsh

I love Alan Titchmarsh!  He is going to have a new gardening programme on ITV1 on Fridays at 8.00 pm.  There are  also going to be 'garden' recipes with Valentine Warner and Honey Ice Cream is the first one ........... am really looking forward to the programme.

Alan's Website

Honey Ice Cream - Valentine Warner

Ingredients

250ml full fat milk
570ml (1 pint) double cream
10 large free-range egg yolks
114g (4 oz) honey (runny)

Method

1. Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan. Heat gently, bringing to the boil.
2. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the mixture is boiling.
3. Put the egg yolks into a bowl and add the honey. Whisk together until the mixture is pale and creamy.
4. Pour the hot cream on to the eggs and honey mixture, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
5. Return the mixture to a clean saucepan and heat over a low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a clean bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to cool.

If using an ice cream maker:

1. Pour the cooled mixture into a pre-frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until thick and smooth.

If making by hand:

1. Pour the cooled mixture into a freezer-proof bowl and place in the freezer.
2. Remove the mixture every two hours, stir vigorously and put back in the freezer. Do this until the mixture has set.

PS: Saw this programme on Friday, and have to say as much as I love Alan - I was a little disappointed.  Gardeners World and the Scottish version - Beechgrove Gardens take some beating.


PPS: Have now seen the second episode and thought it was very good indeed.

Great British Menu 2011 - critique ......

I have been watching this series - (I love Friday's judging day), with Matthew Fort, Pru Leith and Oliver Peyton. Oliver Peyton grumbles his way through the judging and is usually very critical. I don't find anything wrong with this - as his judgement is often right. I love Pru Leith, who seems to calm both men down from almost coming to blows, and her criticisms are also very on target. Matthew too is a major part of this team. They work extremely well together and I love watching them.

However, when watching Oliver on The big day of the "Street Banquet" - - he was just a joy to behold. He seemed to be having a wonderful time, and was thoroughly proud of the occasion. Somehow or other, they come up with the goods, and it looked as if absolutely everyone enjoyed the day too. It must have been a very stressful event for the Chefs, but the food looked tremendous

Recipes Link

Banquet video

Two Greedy Italians

Two Greedy Italians - Lovely new series on BBC on Wednesdays - (even my husband watches it!)

Lovely Recipe for Ricotta Dumplings

Recipes from the series

Valentine Warner - What to eat now!

This new series is just super. Lovely programme - delicious recipes and VW has such a lot of enthusiasm - it's a joy to watch.

Celebrity Masterchef 2009

Masterchef Winner
Jayne's Menu:
Seared scallops on apple puree with ground walnut sauce & fresh herbs.
Pan fried Veal on a bed of baby red chard with truffle potatoes and a veal jus.
Lavender Pannacotta decorated with crystalised violets.

Iwan's Menu
Spicy Thai Prawn soup with straw mushrooms, chilli, lemongrass & ginger.
Pan fried sea bream, red mullet & scallop on mediterranean vegetables
with tomato salsa.
Eton Mess with wild strawberry liqueur

Wendi's Menu
Baked goats chees on beetroot puree and peashoots, thyme roasted baby beets, accompanied by soda bread.
Roast turbot with lobster on mashed potato and green beans with
a lobster sauce & vinaigrette.
Chocolate bread and butter pudding with prunes soaked in armagnac
and vanilla cream.

Celebrity Masterchef

PS: September 2009: I haven't been seriously following the latest Masterchef, as I've really lost my interest in the programme. I decided to watch a recent episode on iPlayer, and as much as I love food and foodie programmes, I dont think I have the patience to watch this series all the way through. Does anyone else feel the same way?

The Supersizers eat ...............

Do watch Sue Perkins and Giles Coren in this super series - it's great fun.
(Marie Antoinette, Louis XIV and The French Revolution will never be the same again!)
(pic. above not from the French Revolution!)

Celebrity Masterchef - July 2009

This Celebrity Masterchef has been watchable (but not madly exciting), with John and Gregg giving their normal good advice and genuinely looking as though they are going through all the traumas with the celebrity contestants - Wendi Peters, Jayne Middlemiss and Iwan Thomas.

I cant say I've felt a spark of excitement with many of their dishes, although the Moroccan dishes looked very tasty. However, the celebrities worked their socks off and I wouldn't have envied them their semi-final tasks, ending with cooking for Pierre Koffman, Michel Roux, Michel Roux Jnr, Alexis Gaultier and Patrice Martineau - this was rather a daunting and hefty line-up to say the least - and compliments from these great chefs doesn't come easily but I think all the celebrities came away suitably awestruck.

new entry:
PS: Jayne Middlemiss won.

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall - June 2009 TV Series

Celebrating Summer in Hugh's new series of River Cottage, which started yesterday on Channel 4 is as delightful as his past series. He has a lovely presentational style, and we get a super view of the countryside to boot! He also shows us about his 'landshare scheme' and other country matters (which us Townies know very little about). ( I might mention that he may go slightly over the top with his puns - - - - but we dont mind at all!)

His Wholemeal Honey & Carrot Cake is a recipe I shall definitely be trying out.

This ice cream recipe sounds lovely too (from The Guardian) ................... Mint and mascarpone ice-cream

Try some more recipes from Hugh's River Cottage website.

James Martin

Check out James Martin's website - includes recipes and a current blog.

I tend to rewatch his tv cookery programmes - (lots of recipes on this link). I love his style and find his recipes very do-able. I particularly enjoyed his veggie growing series - James Martin Digs Deep - plus the recipes that went with the programme.
(Mind you, I do like watching all his programmes.)

Books available at Amazon

Masterchef 2009

This is from an older series: Greg Wallace and John Torode - Presenters

Mat Follas - Andy Oliver - Chris Gates

Well! the last few episodes of Masterchef were very exciting. I wished all three contestants could have been awarded the Masterchef title. Their tasks were extremely tough and they all did wonderfully. Cooking for some of the world's top restaurants and chefs cant be easy on the nerves! However, only one won - - deservedly -- but I feel positive that the other two will find work in no time at all - they certainly wont stop cooking!

Mat Follas took the Masterchef title.
Recipes from previous Masterchefs

Masterchef - BBC

NEW ENTRY for April 2010: I haven't been following the latest Masterchef series at all - just little bits and pieces. I've found it unexciting and boring. Maybe it's reached it's sell-by date? I haven't found any watchable cookery programmes on at all.


New Entry: 20th Feb 2009:
......... getting very exciting! Quite a turn-around yesterday!

new entry: 13th Feb 2009:
I believe the series is improving and getting a little more exciting. I think unless the personalities of the cooks are interesting to follow - I tend to get a little bored. The cooking is secondary! ........
Well, I cant help it if I'm shallow!

post for 10th Jan 2009:
the new series (5) of BBC's Masterchef ............. well, it's ok. I still watch it, but haven't found it very exciting at all. I would find it hard to judge the contestants, as my feelings towards their personalities would override their cooking abilities! The only thing I do find annoying with the judging, is the way in which both John Torode and Greg Wallace - (who(m) I really like) - so very carefully put each fork or spoonful into their mouths - I dont suggest they just gulp them down, but it's just looks a little too medicinal ?!

The Woman Who Ate Scotland!

Nell Nelson presents this lovely series. She cycles around Scotland, tasting its treats! Try some of the recipes on UKTVFood.

Hugh Fearnley-W. & Valentine Warner - - - TV Food Programmes - (UK)

Two of the nicest food programmes on tv at the moment, (in the UK), are
'What to Eat Now' with Valentine Warner and 'River Cottage Autumn' with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. There are some terrific recipes in both programmes, and both are lovely to watch.

I am missing 'Britains Best Dish' - which was very well presented and enjoyable. (The judges - Jilly Goolden, Ed Baines and John Burton-Race were great.

'The Restaurant' with Raymond Blanc is also worth watching - although this has almost finished. Anyone who's been addicted to watching this may be wondering who will actually win a partnership with M.Blanc - I personally, dont like any of the contestants or what I've seen of their food. Maybe the final episode will reveal all!

James Martin's Brittany; Britain's Best Dish and Masterchef ..... TV Cookery Programmes

There are (as usual) tons of cookery programmes on tv and two of the nicest, I've found currently are - 'James Martin's Brittany' on UKTVFood and 'Britain's Best Dish' on itv.

'James Martin's Brittany' is a bit of a boy's romp through Brittany with some of his friends. It's very watchable with some super cooking and scenic views and showing us just wonderful local French markets -- (drool!)

'Britain's Best Dish' is also great to watch. It has an excellent panel of judges (not at all 'pseudy'), is well presented, and seems to have taken on board all the annoying points of cookery competitions and done away with them. The actual judging doesn't dwell for an endless amount of dramatic time on the poor contestants waiting to find out whether they've got through or not. I like that, and there's not any unecessary prattle by the presenter. The standard of good home-cooked food from the winning contestants, is also good to watch, and I shall certainly be trying a few of the recipes.

The 'well seasoned' "Masterchef" on BBC has become very boring - - the chefs and the recipes. I like Michel Roux very much, and feel he could probably do this programme on his own, but I think the format with John Torode and Gregg Wallace worked very well - despite the over-dramatic bits!

James Martin's Brittany

This is a really watchable new series and has just had two episodes with The Hairy Bikers - who I also love to watch. Apart from the 'do-able' recipes, it's very informal and they all look as though they've been having a great time!
UKTVFood 9.00 pm. - worth watching.

It does make me a little sad though, because we just dont seem to have the same beautifully displayed foods, (generally), over here in the UK, or the same choice and quality - especially in our supermarkets. Why not? Brittany is only a relatively short distance away from our shores - how come we are so different? There are tons of cookery programmes on tv, so there must be an interest here - but - do we still eat to live - rather than live to eat?