Customer Reviews

Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I actually taught myself to cook using this book. I had never been much of a cook before I discovered the Two Fat Ladies television program, but was so intrigued that I ordered their cookbook after seeing only a few episodes. The recipes it contains offer genuine flavor and not the tasteless slimmed-down "light" cuisine I find almost inedible. The desserts are particularly good, and I have successfully made the Adult Chocolate Cake, the Danish Apple and Prune Cake, and the Galette Des Trois Roix. Unlike other cookbooks I have tried, these recipes actually worked. Moreover, the ladies' overall cooking philosophy comes through in the book, emphasizing organic ingredients and better quality meats over bland supermarket-stocked products. You'll also benefit from the interesting food history cited throughout that comes from Clarissa Dicksen-Wright's vast knowledge of earlier cooking techniques, and the tremendous good humor of the memorable and beloved Jennifer Paterson. I highly recommend the book, together with the sequals from the follow on series.

The Two Fat Ladies have compiled some of their best recipes to form this cookbook. Some of the dishes have odd names, but are usually good eating. Anyone looking for an interesting dish to try, will need to own this book. A true combination of wit and good food.

An absolutley excellent book. Lots of pictures loads of brilliant recipes and loads of excellent little stories.

This book is FUN to use ( though if you cook like this everyday the paramedics should be standing close by). Jennifer Patterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright comment on each receipe from the book, which gives their own unique twist on the food to be prepared and even some history of the dish itself. The strongest part of the book is the way its written. You can actually hear the fat ladies speak as they describe the receipe. The only constructive critism of the book is its not a "teaching" book--not much emphasis on culinary technique. Still a very nice addition to your collection--even if just for kicks.

My husband, who is the chef in our family, and I never miss Jennifer and Clarissa on TV and the book is more of the same. Not since Julia Child have there been any cooks with more personality and joie de vivre. The cook and the gourmand in our family loved this book! (I want to be Jennifer when I grow up.)

When The Food Network decided to air a cooking program with these two very colorful ladies as the hosts I immediately became a huge fan. In addition to the underlying humor of their motorcycle and side-car travels to their local markets, they have adopted the essential Julia Child ambiance (Julia Child - The French Chef) with their "grab a chicken [or a big fish] and get on with the recipe" approach to scratch English cooking.

The "two fat ladies," Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson, have assembled a cookbook which markedly epitomizes the essential culture of English prepared dishes. This is the real deal and here are a few of my favorites of the many recipes you'll discover in the book:

-- Scallops with Leeks (p. 26)
-- Pork Tenderloin in Pastry (p. 48)
-- Duck in Honey Sauce (p. 62)
-- Chopped Walnut and Coffee Cake (p.79)
-- Bubble and Squeak (It doesn't get more English than this, p. 97)
-- Partridge Roasted in Grape Leaves (I substitute wild ruffed grouse which can be hunted here in southern Ohio, p. 129)
-- Elizabethan Rabbit (p. 142)
-- Potato Salad (p. 181)

This cookbook also features lots of black-and-white pictures of the gals whisking about here and there on that hilarious contrivance which they use for transportation; however, many of the actual dishes are conveyed through beautifully effected color photographs, and these are mostly full-page spreads so you can see the smallest details of the finished dishes.

The large format of the book and the adequate font size makes for easy reading (all ingredients are published in bold type) and there are 192 pages in all, including a coherent index.

I practically stole this 1996 hardcover treasure, in perfect condition with the dust jacket, just a few days ago at the local Goodwill Store for three bucks! I hope you get a good deal too.

Highly recommended!

Another of my favorite Food Network English Chefs (albeit, he's a bit unorthodox at times!) is Jamie Oliver: The Naked Chef. His recipes are always hearty and typically well thought-out.

Ya' gotta love these gals. I never miss their television show. Their refreshing, down-to-earth style and recipes are like a breath of fresh air. This is a useful and entertaining cookbook for "real people."

Great food and good writing from Wright and Paterson. I ordered my copy after watching their DVD. The directions are clear and easy to follow. Their recipes and the preparation (almost) foolproof. Now I'm cooking my way through the recipes by the two fat ladies and enjoying it. I'll substitute other fish in the recipes for roasted conger eel and monkfish rosmarin and then will start on the meat and poultry dishes. I* wish I'd discovered Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies when it was first published. It's good eating.

You wouldn't think that the book could be as entertaining as the TV show, but it is (I actually took it to bed to read!). Their brief recipe descriptions and the lengthier anecdotes carry the same irreverent tone. You can tell the two fat ladies have gotten around, and have collected their recipes from some interesting people and places along the way. Given what they might have included (spotted dick?) the recipe selection is actually pretty accessible to the American palate. More, please!

Jennifer and Clarissa are a hoot. If you get the chance watch the reruns of their cooking show on the FoodTV channel. The recipes are just plain old fashioned good. I would have given this 5 stars but there aren't enough pics to keep me happy.