Live webchat with Mumsnet Best Award winner and actress Fay Ripley - Friday 11th Feb 12.30 - 1.30

[RachelMumsnet]

Our week of foodie webchats and Q and As ends with a live webchat on Friday lunchtime with Fay Ripley. Fay's cook book Fay's Family Food was recently voted the best cookery book in the Mumsnet Best Awards 2011.

Fed up with cooking separately for her one-year-old, then her five-year-old and then, with the kids in bed, finally thinking about cooking something to enjoy with her husband, she started working out meals that all of them could eat together. Fay's book is full dishes that everyone can enjoy, without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Fay says; 'Food brings people together. I am not suggesting that a moist muffin turns a mad, dysfunctional family into the Von Trapps, but food makes us happy, healthy and... full. The idea is to cook food from which you can remove your babies' and kids' portions if needs be, before adding the more challenging ingredients for yourselves; or better still, all tuck in together.'

Join Fay on Friday lunchtime at 12.30 or feel free to post a question to her in advance here.

Hi Fay

I LOVE your book. I confess when I saw it I thought "pah, another "celeb" getting involved in an area they know nothing about". Then I read the reviews on Amazon and I was convinced to buy it. I had recently weaned my son and was looking to broaden my repertoire, but lacked confidence with a tiny and delicate palate to appeal to.

It is BY FAR the most used cookbook in my collection (I have a Gordon Ramsay one that I've only ever made one dish from ). It's terrific.

Will you do another?
Please!!

Hi Fay, I'm a big fan of your book, my nan got it for me, I'm not sure she read some of your recipe descriptions though, especially the banana one , anyway, do you have any plans for more recipe books now your children are getting older with recipes for growing tastes?

Hi Fay, love your book. Our favourite family recipe in it is the Sweet Marinated Pork Fillet, so delicious. The photos are excellent.

Looking forward to Book No2, please tell us you've started it!

Is there anything you avoid cooking, ie too nervous, it's always a disaster etc? Mine is Souffles.....

Hi Fay,

Just wanted to say I absolutely loved Cold Feet as did many of my contempories and have recently re watched the series on DVD. DH and I spent many happy days 'courting' in Didsbury and Manchester during those years and even saw you once or twice on location.

Have to say Dh has as my mother correctly noted at the time morphed into David ...

Any plans for a new series ??

I just want to say a huge THANK YOU! I got your book for my birthday, I've never laughed my way through a cook book before!

Now that I am cooking for my daughter, she is loving literally every recipe I make, the bolognaise is definitely her and our favourite though!

So thank you for helping me to keep up the pretense of being a domestic goddess!

Fay - I'm also a huge fan of the book - pasta bake and brownies are the favourites, and my DS only started eating sausages after tasting the made up Tuscan sausage stew - have you got plans for another book?

Can I ask - what's your absolute emergency stand by meal - the one you make when you've got the kids in from whatever after school activity has gone on, the toddler's whining and tea needs to be on the table in 15 minutes tops. I'm struggling for inspiration so that my lot don't get cheese on toast too often!

Oh and the brownies rock

I was also sceptical when I read about your book but having now read this thread I want it!!

I agree Imfab - will definitely be putting it on to my wish list :)

Hi there Fay, love yer recipes :) The curry is fab !

Hi Fay,

I actually met you YEARS ago (when you were with JP), and I remember you cooking a lovely meal (roast dinner, if I remember) at a New Year house party for loads of people. So I can vouch for your expertise in the kitchen!

So my question is, if you were having a big house party, adults and kids, what dishes would you cook?

I've not been able to obtain the book
Does anyone know if it includes a recipe for walnut cake?
I love anything with a walnut :)

I don't think there is a recipe for Walnut cake in the book or AIBU ?

I would like to congratulate you on writing a book based on what sensible women have been doing for years.

Making one meal for the whole family isn't quite rocket science is it, but having the balls to put pen to paper about it and be hailed the new celebrity domestic goddess, is a true stroke of genius.

Well done you!

Tbh I hadn't heard if your book until I saw this thread, having looked at the comments I have ordered it, what would you recommend I try first?

The reason I wondered onto the thread was just to say your dh is beautiful, well done

Saucer of milk for Jaqueline on table two...

That's not your kitchen, is it? I'm sure I saw it in a magazine a while ago .... nice though.

Reluctant as I am to like your book purely on the basis that you are a 'sleb', it is really good, and your cup cakes are the best - and I have tried many, many recipes.

Sort of a back handed compliment as opposed to a question really.

Am interested in this because i have a toddler who hardly eats anything - even things I know he likes and am sick of throwing food away - have just read in your blurb that you even throw pans away.

Have a new baby too (3m) that I will be weaning soon enough and don't want to make the same mistake twice, so what do you think makes a non-eater eat? I have tried peer pressure but when he has mates round for lunch, he is so excited to go and play it doesn't work.

Any advice gratefully received (am meant to be out at lunchtime but as we're all still in pjs may still be here!)

Haven't seen the book and didn't watch Cold Feet so only know you off the Tesco ads. Do you shop there?
What is your favourite biscuit?

at ohforfoxsake name. I didn't think of it first.

Hello Fay
We have swimming at lunchtime but I wondered if you did Baby led Weaning on your LOs?

Just popping in to say I love your book Fay - the recipes are really simple to follow, not to mention tasty!

me again - can't be around at lunchtime alas, but wanted to ask regarding your other job. Really enjoyed Perrin and thought you and Mr Clunes worked really well together.

Can I ask
What will we see you in next?
Who has been the easiest (as in must fun to work with) actorrrrr to work with?
Who would you love to work with that you haven't yet?

(Know that's cheeky as it's lots of qs, but you know what they say, if you don't ask, you don't get )

cheers

Fay's here, just getting settled, will start in a mo.
Thanks to everyone who has posted questions - and hello to Fay.

Hello, just finished first school run, dashed here. Very excited to do this as have only just mastered emails! Fire away!