Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 and two pre-cooked baked potatoes . Yet another item I had no idea you could buy . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Why would anyone want a pre-cooked baked potato? I just don't understand that! Perhaps it could be served with frozen omelettes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 And that is where Delia has shone in the past and where she should continue to ply herself - I learnt most of my cookery skills from her books. Rather than colluding with the belief that lack of money = intensively farmed meat and over processed spuds, she should be educating them in how to buy decent quality meat and serve it up with freshly prepared veg. After all the cost of a free range chicken and a 12.5kg bag of farm spuds would probably cost the same as a cheap chicken and 3 bags of frozen mash The only ones profiting from the latter are the supermarkets and their shareholders. Couldn't have put it better myself Snowy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 It is so nice to come on here and read some reasoned thoughts instead of the vitriolic postings over on the RC forum. For some reason a couple of people over there have decided to pick on one poor person who has written passionately against Delia I've been rendered almost speechless by the stupid woman (Delia ), all weekend If people don't know how to cook - then encourage them to do so instead of pandering to the belief that's it's OK to buy sub-standard food at inflated prices To say that she believes that poor people should be able to buy cheap food - and advocating the standard chicken - and then to list very expensive ingredients to go with it just defies belief. We bought a 25kg bag of beautiful potatoes from the farm shop for £6 yesterday.......... not everyone has the ability to collect from a farm shop, I know..........or somewhere cool to store them..... but loose potatoes from the supermarket would still cost a lot less than frozen, surely? I've never like the woman since she was so rude about vegetarians many years ago.......... and then jumped on the bandwagon by bringing out her own vegetarian cookbook I dislike her even more now. I have one book of hers - the seasonal garden produce one - I've never felt more like having a bonfire ............ but I couldn't do that so I will take it to the charity shop instead........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Many of my basic recipes and skills have come from Delia's books over the years. The first cookbook I ever owned was One is Fun which my mum bought for me when I left home. However, I have have found her more and more patronising in recent series, she can be very dogmatic about the correct way to cook something or the right product to buy. She has done many people a useful service over the years but her reputation must be in tatters now surely. I would be interested to know how many of the people who pre-ordered her latest book realised quite how much cheating was involved. If I need a ready meal I would rather buy a top quality one with as few unecessary ingredients as possible than trawl around various shops to buy ready made ingredients then have to assemble the thing myself, which must work out more costly in both time and resources. There was a good article in yesterdays Sunday Times about Delia and her new book. I haven't heard any of her interviews but it sounds like she is way out of touch with most of the people who have previously followed and respected her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 I started this thread to say that I had followed one of her cheat suggestions & put some frozen mash on top of a home made Shepherds Pie,to see if it would work. It did & I was really pleased with the results. I will certainly use it again. I know its more exspensive that potatoes, but its my decision to buy & cook with what I want. I make 95% of my maels from scratch but wanted to give this a try. To be quite honest I feel a bit got at by some of the comments on here & on the other thread in the nesting box. I most certainly do not agree with Delias more recent comments on battery farming & feeding the poor of this country, but to have a few decent cheats in ones repetoire as a family cook cannot be a bad thing,surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flo Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I am really dissapointed by the things Delia has been saying. I went to a press launch for the book last year and thought that it was a really exciting concept. I thought that it was going to be about providing "cheat recipes" to save people time and also to be less daunting than some cookery books by saying that you don't have to make a whole dish from scratch. I like to cook a lot and am happy to experiment but I think some people find the whole thing off putting. I have always seen Delia as someone to go to for the basics but what has dissapointed me is that she has dismissed out of hand the whole issue about where our food comes from, which I think is an issue for all of us not just people who are interested in the politics of food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I started this thread to say that I had followed one of her cheat suggestions & put some frozen mash on top of a home made Shepherds Pie,to see if it would work.It did & I was really pleased with the results. I will certainly use it again. I know its more exspensive that potatoes, but its my decision to buy & cook with what I want. I make 95% of my maels from scratch but wanted to give this a try. To be quite honest I feel a bit got at by some of the comments on here & on the other thread in the nesting box. I most certainly do not agree with Delias more recent comments on battery farming & feeding the poor of this country, but to have a few decent cheats in ones repetoire as a family cook cannot be a bad thing,surely? Oh Sarah, I'm so sorry you feel like this. Apologies if it was anything I said. We do come across a bit militant don't we? But you are right, there is no reason why we cannot have decent cheats in a repetoire (I would be a complete hyprocrite if I suggested otherwise ). If there weren't decent cheats available I'd spend all day cooking and never get on the forum for one thing! It's just the way she appears to be saying that these cheats are a valid option for those on low incomes, when I think we all know that aren't - unfortunately we hijacked your post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Sorry if we have all taken over your post, we all cheat from time to time and most people's comments have been aimed at Delia's lack of sensitivity rather than anyone who has a go at any of her recipes. One of my favourite cheats is to chop up some tinned corned beef mix it with an onion and bung some mashed potato on top and cook it in the oven it is really mmm. I hope we have not caused too much offence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Sorry Sarah..... I wasn't getting at you at all..... just the whole Delia thing. I hadn't realised that you'd started the thread in a different vein altogether......I wasn't paying attention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I started this thread to say that I had followed one of her cheat suggestions & put some frozen mash on top of a home made Shepherds Pie,to see if it would work.It did & I was really pleased with the results. I will certainly use it again. I know its more exspensive that potatoes, but its my decision to buy & cook with what I want. I make 95% of my maels from scratch but wanted to give this a try. To be quite honest I feel a bit got at by some of the comments on here & on the other thread in the nesting box. I most certainly do not agree with Delias more recent comments on battery farming & feeding the poor of this country, but to have a few decent cheats in ones repetoire as a family cook cannot be a bad thing,surely? Sarah, I started the moaning about Delia. I was so disgusted with her at that point, I couldn't help myself even though I knew it wasn't really the right place. I definitely wasn't getting at you, not at all in any way. You are absolutely right that being aware of good cheats can help us all out at times. It's not necessarily the time is it? It's all the thinking and effort as well and sometimes I just can't be bothered, I'm sure I'm not alone. I used to use dried mashed potato until I decided that probably contained horrible things. I've got used to always making my own but there are times when I miss it - like when I'm ill and want egg in the nest. I don't think anyone was getting at you at all or thinking badly of you. I am very sorry that by leading the 'disgusted at Delia' discussion and hijacking your thread, I have upset you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I've just seen what you wrote Sarah and I'm sorry, me and my BIG mouth get carried away sometimes and I CERTAINLY wasn't aiming any of my ranting at you. God, everyone "cheats" now and again, it's not even cheating it's just cooking, we have junk days where we have chips beans and egg with not a green vegetable in sight. I was ranting about Little Ms Smith and her patronising assumption that cheap substandard food was good enough for "poor people" and I don't think it is. I'm really sorry if I caused offence. I really didn't mean to. (I think it was "light the blue touch paper and stand well back........!" ) Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milly Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Sarah, I think we were all upset by Delia's dismissive attitude in her interviews. We didn't mean to hijack your thread! Sorry. Milly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Somebody wisely copied some of Mrs.B's well written rants into the other thread in the Nesting Box - a much better place to discuss the shortcomings of Delia. If we keep the chat over there and leave this thread to continue in the spirit in which it was started............ we all 'cheat' at times and it's interesting to see just what can be acheived in a few minutes...... My very first cookbook was given to me by my mother when I married at the age of 16 - it was cooking with storecupboard items - split into 10mins. meals, 20 mins. meals and 30 mins. meals - I'll see if I can find a link to it anywhere - I should think it's long discontinued....... and probably even more un-PC than Delia I did used to use instant mash - my son used to sing his own version of the advert.......... "For mash get Smashed..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Unbelievably, it is available second hand through Amazon for 95p It is "The No Time To Cook Book" by Catherine Kirkpatrick Here's the photo of the store cupboard and the 10 minute recipe page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 (edited) Have just had a look at Amazon....and accidentally clicked the Buy now with one click button!! I keep doing that. Lesley and I will be able to reminisce! There are so many labels there that I recognise as blasts from the past. Spam will never go away! Heinz Beans haven't changed much. Heinz orange juice though....I remember tinned orange juice. It was viewed as a luxury. Very Californian. Anybody else remember or recognise the things on the shelves? It always tasted of tin. Brown and Poulsons Patent Cornflour. Why Patent I wonder? And Uncle Ben's Rice! That is a surprise....I hadn't realised it was going in those days. Can't see a Vesta Curry hiding between those Habitat storage jars. I've had a few of those. I love a trip down memory lane! Edited February 20, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I thought you might recognise a few of those! I was wondering where the Vesta curry was as well - I did used to eat the prawn one! My son uses the Uncle Ben's Rice in pouches. He and his girlfriend have a very tiny kitchen - they cook a sauce from scratch but the rice pouches mean one less saucepan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Anyone else got any reminiscences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 We used to have Vesta meals on special occasions . I'd forgotten all about them . My most vivid memories are of Rowntrees Jelly with Dream Topping and hundreds and thousands on top, Strawberry Angel Delight with Dream Topping and another special treat - Arctic Roll . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 We used to have Vesta meals on special occasions . I'd forgotten all about them . My most vivid memories are of Rowntrees Jelly with Dream Topping and hundreds and thousands on top, Strawberry Angel Delight with Dream Topping and another special treat - Arctic Roll . Blimey Kate! I had forgotten about those! memories to make us smile. You used to be able to get an 'orange juice' that you made up from a sort of powder, called Rise and Shine. I am convinced that it was mostly sugar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I remember that orange juice Clare It was in sachets. I also remember the Vesta curries, they used to do a beef one. I used to love the paella. They were probably the first ready meals we had and they were a treat at the time. We used to visit my nan on a Friday and always came home with a Birds trifle in a box, a packet of Jaffa Cakes and a tin of Ye Olde Oak ham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I may have a go at the frozen mash for the cottage pie. I try and make as much from scratch as I can but it is sometimes difficult when you work full time. I love cottage pie but don't make it often as I have a bit of a thing for lumpy potato never thought of buying ready made. In fact I think that has solved the problem of whats for tea. Thanks Cinnamon/Delia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 That's you sorted then Debs. I just love ready made puff pastry. I am more than happy to make regular pastry, but puff pastry is such a fag that I buy it and keep some in the freezer. I had some freerange local pork sausage meat in the freezer, waiting for me to give it a meaningful existance, so last night I made sausage rolls and cooked them in the Remoska.. they smelled didvine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I love cottage pie but don't make it often as I have a bit of a thing for lumpy potato If you use a potato ricer instead of a masher it is impossble to make lumpy mash I also remember Vesta curries, used to love the prawn one. Is anybody old enough to remember Camp coffee in a bottle? Weirdly I saw it still for sale in Sainsburys, I can't imagine who buys it now. And who are the people that still buy Izal germacide toilet paper somebody must still use it or they wouldn't manufacture it Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I do that too Clare - and I made sausage rolls yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
