Live webchat with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Thursday 15th September 1.30 - 2.30 pm

[RachelMumsnet]

To celebrate the publication of his new book Cottage Veg Every Day and accompanying Channel 4 Series which starts on Thursday 20 October 20. Hugh is joining us this Thursday (15 September) between 1.30pm and 2.30pm for a live webchat. As well as being an award-winning cookery writer and broadcaster and founder of River Cottage, Hugh is also involved in a number of campaigns including Hugh's Fish Fight, Chicken Out and Landshare.

Join us on Thursday to quiz him about his campaigning, cooking veggies and tap into his knowledge of rearing livestock, growing produce and, of course, cooking and baking. If you're unable join us on Thursday, send your advance questions to this thread.

All mumsnetters who send in questions to Hugh will be entered into a draw to win one of five copies of River Cottage Veg Every Day. We'll announce the winners post webchat.

Been thinking all morning about a question and I have one!

-> What do you say to people who insist that "we can't feed the world without factory farming".

Because I just go slightly purple when my FIL says that.

My question for Hugh is...I've a sister I've been trying unsuccessfully for months to teach her to make yeast bread by hand...for some crazy reason her bread never rises ...we use the exact same ingredients and make our bread together - side by side, mine rises - hers does not...can you help us understand why her bread will not rise whereas mine always does? This has us totally baffled...

I'm sorry if someone else has posted this, but I haven't had a chance to catch up, and I'm supposed to be working now so shouldn't be here!

My question - which may be a bit untimely given your defection to Vegetable Loving - how can we persuade more butchers and especially supermarket butchers' counters - to offer properly named cuts of meat, as well as a wider range of meats?

I have your Meat book, and many of the recipes are simply unattainable as I can't find that cut in my local supermarket. I have a one good butcher that I go to for special occasions, but it's a good 20 minutes drive there, a battle to park and then another 20 minutes home, which is hardly convenient.

A simple example. I was taught by my mother that shin of beef is the best cut for stewing. Fatty enough to stay moist after slow cooking. But it's rarely sold as shin. Sainsbury's label their meat as either 'braising' or 'stewing' steak. I bet not many people could tell you:

a) what the difference between braising and stewing is
b) what cuts of meat would be classified as either

I know it's shin because I recognise what it looks like. But why don't we get the right kind of information?

I hate cooking

Would you come and cook dinner for me please?
Don't mind what it is as long as it doesn't contain mushrooms

Thank you

does that count as a proper question?

Hi Hugh! We are big fans of yours in this house, have been following you for many years. We decided to become veggie a few months ago so we are very pleased about your forthcoming book. We grow a few veggies in our very small garden but do have to buy the bulk of it from shops and markets. My question is, In your opinion is it better to buy organic produce which may have travelled hundreds of food miles or to buy local produce which is more than likely not organic?

Hello Hugh! (how exciting!)

Do you have any advice for someone who longs to have their own farm/smallholding but no experience worth speaking of and not enough money to just go and buy one and give it a go (and who's still waiting for an allotment and has had no luck so far finding a suitable landsharer in the area). I had thought of joining our local young farmers association or finding a friendly farmer in the area and offering myself as free labour and/or renting a field, but am a bit worried I'd be laughed out of town.

Not a sneaky second question, more of a general wondering, but I'd be interested to know what you do with your Bramleys when you're all crumbled, pied and chutneyed out?

And I for one, am a big fan of your puns. Or rather, I for pun.

Well you've confirmed either that Loose Women isn't recorded live, or are you Superhuman from all that lovely organic veg and can wing it really quickly to Mn towers? bear in mind I am dim and know nothing about how tv land works

In your opinion, which is more favourable to do,

purchase local
or
purchase organic

(you are not allowed to say both )

I do local as I put my community before whether chemicals have been used

Hugh, Hugh.... we love you.....

You have inspired me to make jam, forage for stuff, make wine, cider, cook more imaginatively, grow my own food and make my own bread and to live the lifestyle we've been wanting to live for years. However,you have inspired DP to stop cutting his hair so he keeps being mistaken for you...

I have been teaching my stepsons to cook from an early age, but the eldest seem to be loosing interest now he has hit 12 even though he loves eating the fruits of his brothers labour. How can I keep him interested? I've had a bit of success with cooking stuff he has picked himself - bilberry muffins etc. DO you have any other ideas to keep a pre-teen/teenager interested in cooking?

Hi Hugh, love watching your programmes. I stumbled upon your River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook in the library and was delighted to see that you advocate baby-led weaning. I have used this approach with my daughter who is now 8 months old and loves veggie's, fruit and a wide range of flavours and textures. Seeing how natural and nutritional this approach is, I am shocked that it isnt more advocated by health professionals (many of which still dont understand it) and how it is still viewed as a relatively 'alternative' or 'hippy' approach (as well as sometimes seen as the lazy approach - check out Mumsnets guide to weaning!).

My question is...do you have any plans to advocate more widely about this approach given your success and passion about it with your son? It would be great if you could do for baby-led weaning what Jamie Oliver has done for school dinners, after all its the best way to get fresh (even homegrown) goodness into little ones and kick start their big adventure and love of healthy food!

Thanks

Oh and I hope you have turned your phone off. I heard you get told off on radio 4 this morning. :0

I've just seen you on Loose Women a daytime programme where you say that you've gone veggie as you think that cooking with meat makes you a lazy cook

Since I thought the River Cottage 'thing' was about using the whole animal, not just the prime cuts etc, but how to use the 'cheaper' cuts/offal etc, it seems like a massive sell out to me.
People are cynical, I am cynical, you've made a career out of telling people they can cook with meat within a budget, but with a bit of effort it can be done.

I'm not buying into it right now, convince me otherwise?

iog'gggiuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuol/m//,,uftlc.gj iug;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;b

Argh I am very sorry. My three legged cat was rolling about on the laptop.

As you were.

Sorry!

Hi Hugh, we're on our 2nd year of growing veg now. Would you recommend switching the crops in each bed each year? If so, is there an ideal way to rotate them? Thanks. :)

are you really a veggie?

We are here at hugh's building, charging up the stairs. May be just a couple of mins late to start. All our fault, not hugh's!

Afternoon Hugh. Just a couple of things from me...

1. Thank you for teaching my brother to cure meat and make the most amazing ham. My world is a better place for his knowledge and enthusiasm (nice ham is a mn speciality).
2. Runner beans and courgettes. Why do I always grow so many, and what on EARTH do I do with this many marrows?

Ooh, and 3. Cheers for the elderflower champagne recipe, I'm very proud of it, and it has the most perfect sparkle! OOh 4! Loving the fish fight work, the grumpys are fully fledged sustainable fish shoppers!

Justine shame on you! We'll have a chat about your time keeping later!

Hello, Hugh here, fresh from the studios of Loose Women. Not sure if any of you were watching but please be gentle with me! Anyway here I am, ready and willing to answer as many of your questions as I possibly can. It's great to be talking to Mumsnet!

Hello Hugh
How can I learn to love cabbage? It keeps popping up in my veg box and then sits there for ages. Is there a simple way of cooking it to make it inspiring and tasty for myself and my 3 year old?

Hello.

::has a slight swoon::

SqueeTiggaxx

BigHairyLeggedSpider

Please tell me Hugh didn't inspire you to eat the fourth leg. There is a limit to cheap cuts.

Are we only supposed to be asking questions about vegetables then?

my question is up there^^

and yes, i saw you on LW