Support group for disgruntled fans of Delia

[downbutnotout]

I was brought up by an ardent fan of Delia who owns everything she has ever written and I learned most of my own (admittedly limited) cookery skills from her books (esp. the fabulous Complete Cookery Course). In fact, given the amount of Delia meals I've eaten in my lifetime, I am substantially her creation.

And what has she done to me in return? Spawned some ghastly book and TV series where she harps on about the delights of frozen and processed foods (presumably while pocketing a ton of cash from the maufacturers and the supermarkets). At the very time when I am trying my best to give my family the benefits of organic home-cooked food and reduce the amount of waste and packaging we produce. And to encourage my child to enjoy creating delicious food from scratch.

Doesn't she care about anything except her own bulging pockets?

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

I have a theory. It is not Delia, it is her evil twin.
The real Delia is locked in a larder somewhere shouting 'Let me out!' and attempting to pick the lock using a key whittled from pork chop bones.

[elliott]

No. I came to the conclusion that this must be the only reason for doing it. Then I thought perhaps she can't bear seeing Nigella compete with her and has decided to try and take her on on her own terms - doesn't quite work though does it, hardly an aspirational lifestyle....

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

I am a lazy cow, but even I wouldn't use frozen mash.

However, I did like the look of some of her stuff last night - even though I really didn't want to, iyswim.

[bundle]

have frozen my own shepherd's pies therefore have made frozen mash

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

It pisses me off too.
Similarly I used to be a fan of Ramsey until I saw U.S.A Kitchen Nightmares. The only reason he would act in those so clearly set up scenes is for money.

[Twinkie1]

DH reckons she is trying to be all Nigelaish - but drew the line at wanting to watch Delia get all sexy with the ready mades!

Though it was ok programme - although would be concerned about amount of salt in some of the stuff she was using - she actually looked quite embarrased throughout the programme - maybe because this is going so strongly against the grain!

And she really didn't have to show the drunken ramblin 'Lets be avin ya' again!

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Actually, some of her ideas are really good. There are some spanish recipes such as Patatas Arequila (dodgy spelling there) and Gambas Pil Pil, plus some italian recipes and very good ideas for one-pot ropasts that I am looking forward to trying. I agree that the idea of using tinned minced lamb (urgh) is beyond me, but not all the recipes are full of processed crap.

[Botbot]

It's all very odd.

I reckon she's been pushed into it by the programme's producers. I can imagine some wanky commissioning meeting where someone shouted 'I know! How about "doing fancy things with shit food"? That hasn't been done yet!'

And all that lifestyley stuff was so cringey - it was horrid with Jamie Oliver five years ago, and it's horrid now.

It also had a vague air of swansong - is the BBC trying to pension her off by deliberately putting her in a shit programme guaranteed to cause controversy and ruin her reputation?

Or yes, she could just be trying to make more money.

[bundle]

barf @ tinned mince

last night bunged shoulder of lamb into oven on bed of potatoes, carrots, onions with glass of red wine, water and stock

easy peasy and not an e number in sight..

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[GetOrfMoiLand]

DWP - you are so right about Ramsays Nightmares USA, that programme is terrible. He acts up so much in it (pretending to throw up etc). It's embarassing to watch.

It's such a typical american crap tv show, terrible editing, constant repeating, daft aerial shots and zooming in on 'shocked' faces. I think he has really let himself down badly on that one.

Goorrdooon, I used to lurve you, now I just think you're a twat!

[downbutnotout]

Loving the evil twin theory - still don't understand Nigel Slater's involvement though. And what's with all the backgournd scenes from Delia's life anyway? I don't care if she's best friends with Nigel/Fanny Cradock/the Archbishop of Canterbury. I just want Delia, making nice food and talking about it in that very soothing voice of hers.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

have not watched the Delia programme (can't bear to, she is too earnest) but mum got me the recipe book for my birthday (cheers, mum) and it's not bad.

[WowOoo]

Yep, what I saw of it looked minging. But, people feel so guilty about using processed stuff these days. We just had frozen food and will have a nice steak later if I can get to the shops!

[WowOoo]

PS It was nice frozen food prepared by me!!

[bundle]

only saw soup as flicked over

ok apart from the frozen mash

[ruddynorah]

i watched her programme literaly open mouthed. i could not believe it. my dear old gran is a big delia fan, has all her books (well not this most recent one) and yes she does love things like lazy garlic and so on, but dear god not discs of mash or feking cheese sauce in a tub. or ready grated cheese.

i do my omelettes the delia way, now if she shows me how to open a pack of frozen omelettes i will just barf.

[captainmummy]

Can't stand Gordon - he might be a good cook, but he's a complete misogynist and a terrible actor. Even in those crapppppp ads for radio.

[serenity]

Didn't she originally publish this book back in the early 70's? This is just an updated version, and surely all the books/TV series have been about making money?

[downbutnotout]

Incidentally, my mum has a copy of the original "How to to Cheat at Cooking". I'll check it out next time I'm at hers - I'll bet there's no fecking frozen mash in there.

[SheherazadetheGoat]

she has always been shit on the telly, all that prissy moueing at the camera. her books are great though. think i will be giving this one a miss. sounds v. retro 1950's 'isn't corned beef and powered milk thrilling'

[captainmummy]

I'm sure there are books for this sort of cooking already - i remember seeing a book for students, involving cans of soup/beans/pasta that could get turned into something else vile.

But that was for people with no money/clue/tastebuds. Students, like I said.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Getorfmoiland. Indeed, it is classic american documentary style. They have to spoon feed everything and bring up a visual for every single word in the commentary. I really think he has demeaned himself.
Plus it's hardly like he needs the money.

[ruddynorah]

'busy mums' (hate that term btw) do not need this shitola. what they need is franny doing a couple of shows about batch cooking and how to make 10 meals out of two dishes etc. not how to line aunt bessies and mr mcain's pockets.

next we'll have delia in conjunction with cow and gate showing us the easy way to feed our babies. harumph.

[CatIsSleepy]

most of the food looked pretty gross I thought- I had to stop watching when she made the sauce for that potato wedge thing as it was making me feel a bit sick

excessive and unnecessary use of frozen mash

not good, really