To think Mary Berry needs to get with the times?

[WhineandDine1]

Ok maybe I am being a bit unreasonable, I know she's 82. But I couldn't help but find myself a little irked yesterday on the one show when asked what a good Valentine's Day meal would be and she said "well all men love a bit of steak don't they." So Valentine's Day is a day for women to cook for the man??

My 89 year old grandmother was watching as well and actually commented before I did saying "well that doesn't mean I would like steak!!" Which made me feel a little better about perhaps being overly judgemental of a much older generation. But really Mary, not sure why the focus is on what darling husband/boyfriend would want

She's a cook. That's her job.

If a TV presenter asks her a question about a meal, she is of course going to assume that the question is about her cooking.

YABVVVU. Mary Berry is perfect and can do no wrong. You heathen you!

hmm I'm still unsure as to why a Valentine's Day meal has to cater only to what the man would like? If you asked a chef friend of yours what a good meal would be and they said "well what's husband/boyfriend's favourite food? Cook that." Would you not think "well what about what I like and want to eat?"

I suppose because Valentine's Day (if you're into it - I'm not) is about doing something special for the one you love and for some people that might mean cooking them their favourite meal. Mary's a heterosexual woman so would likely be cooking for a man if she wanted to make a meal to show her affection so would be thinking of what men would like.

Macca i usually love her too! But think she needs to understand a woman isn't always having to cater to her husband's wants

She is 82, a cook, and her whole image is the grand motherly lady. A little quaint. I don't think she needs to change anything to conform with the current dogma (even if it is one I feel closer too)
She is not hurting anyone, should we all be identical bots?

I find her very annoying, I'm a Nigel Slater type cook so hate being told I must cook it her way. DH and I shared tonight's cooking ,I chopped the veg ,( apart from evil onions) and DH cooked creole prawns with mixed rice, ice cream for pud

She's a female heterosexual cook. And she brings her life to her show.

There are plenty of male cooks with telly programmes if you want to see it from the other side.

What HotCrossBun said - Valentine's is about doing something nice for another person.

In Mary's case, this would be her husband.

I didn't see the programme but ' all men like...' is an assumption I can't agree with and I do find her cooking shows aimed at a very small demographic. One she is part of, and fair play if you're fine with that. I no longer watch, though.

I could cope with that (primarily because I don't have a man in my life) and any steak I cook will be for myself.

However, the one thing for which I can't forgive her is recommending victoria sponges be made with Stork margarine instead of butter. I only tried it once and it was so gross I binned it after taking one bite. Shame on you Mary Berry.

On the "What's for Valentine dinner" thread almost everyone seems to be having steak, so she's not far wrong.
Steak is an easy quick treat, so it's just what's needed tonight.

She is very very annoying. My DM in her 70s can't stand her as she remembers her from first time around making v boring meals and lecturing people women about how to make nice meals for their husbands.

She gives my DM the rage.

Mary Berry was quite ahead of her time in being a working mother and now she's a working grandmother. I bet she gets her husband to cook her something sometimes too.

That woman is as hard as nails.

She’s said some pretty dodgy stuff about women having careers (the fucking irony!) too...

She is the image of my (late) MIl................'nuff said.

That's probably what she grew up with given her age and class.

It's harmless really isn't it?

I’m sure she understand full well that women can have successful careers! I also think she’s wise enough to know many women enjoy cooking a lovely meal for their husbands...and that many women like beautiful bouquets or jewellery. That doesn’t stop,men and women being equal but gives everyone pleasure. Is that so awful?

OP:

Maybe she meant the couple would eat steak in a - you know... radical idea coming up - restaurant?

I'll never quite forgive her for having words about my belovéd Delia.

As far as I'm concerned Mary Berry can go scratch.

Rosewithtips she didn't refer to a "couple", just the man. And she was asked what's good to cook for Valentine's Day so no, I don't think she was referring to a restaurant.

She also recommends margarine for cakes and witters on about how it is necessary to precisely weigh everything.

Well seeing as there are a million different recipes on the internet for cake, and they all produce cake, I can't see how that is true.

she recommends margarine?!?! seriously?

OFFS!!!!!!!!!

Well I can't be arsed with Valentines Day at all but as a heterosexual feminist, if I was a cook so was specifically being asked what I would cook, I'd say I'd be cooking something he liked. If I'm cooking specifically for someone I love, I generally go for something the person really likes and she was being asked a generic, inane question so gave a generic inane answer.

If my husband was asked (as he's actually a better cook), he probably say he was cooking seafood linguine and if he was being an arse he probably add some stupid comment.

Much as I love to analyse, don't think I can get worked up about this one!