Lorraine Pascale - Live webchat on Today 12 September at midday.

[RachelMumsnet]

Lorraine Pascale is joining us for a live webchat on Wednesday 12 September at midday until 1pm. Lorraine's latest book Fast, Fresh and Easy Food aims to help solve the dilemma of what to cook for the family after a busy day. Each main dish has an accompanying side dish and all recipes can be prepared in real time with no prepping or chopping work beforehand. We're delighted that Lorraine has agreed to share two of the recipes from the book with us; Sri-Lankan Chicken Curry and Lemon and poppy seed cake. Lorraine's series to accompany the book is currently running on BBC2 at 8.30pm on Mondays.

Lorraine became a model at 16 and was the first black British model to appear on the cover of American Elle. Keen to ensure a future career after modelling, she signed up for a diploma cookery course at Leighs School of Food and Wine. She's since graduated from Thames Valley University in Culinary Arts with a first class honours degree. Lorraine established herself as a specialist cake maker and has her own shop, Ella's Bakehouse in Covent Garden.

Having been adopted as a baby and lived for some time with foster parents, Lorraine is patron of TACT, the UK's largest fostering and adoption charity. She now lives with her daughter in London.

Join Lorraine for a chat on Wednesday at midday or post a question to her in advance here.

[VenetiaLanyon]

Hi Lorraine,

Just to say that I loved the BBQ episode with your Dad; it was so lovely that he was clearly doing his best not to let you down, whilst very obviously being not massively comfortable at making a TV appearance... Did you have to bribe him with lots of baked goods?

And I don't have any of your books yet, but was going to ask for one for Xmas; which one should I start with?

[dilbertina]

Hello Lorraine,
I was in the year above you at school in Devon, so you must be a year or so younger than me at most. How come you now look 20 years younger?! Congratulations on all your achievements.

[nicnak01]

My family are very fussy so have really dented my confidence about cooking. Its got to the point where I just don't bother cause I know no one will like it and I have wasted a good hour doing it and then have to tidy it up. The worst part is when I've made it I just don't enjoy eating it either. The only cook meal I make now is a Sunday roast and the rest is oven food. Any tips on fussy eaters.

[Jux]

Hi Lorraine, DH and I really enjoy your programme (though we have missed some of this latest series ), including the one on puff pastry. Luckily, I found your recipe and method on the internet. It was so easy, and dh still raves about it. Thank you.

My question is do you grow your own veg etc, and if so, what do you grow?

[Willemdefoeismine]

Hi Lorraine
It would seem from our own family experience, and that of other Mumsnetters, that your programme and recipes appeals to the children as much as their parents. I just wonder if your daughter has been inspired by you, cooking-wise, and would you consider doing a book aimed at children?

[HappyOrchid]

Love the crouching tiger, hidden zebra cake, but we made it in a 7" cake tin and it took a lot longer to cook through leaving overdone edges, also the centre rose and created almost a two tier cake. Any recommendations to prevent this?

[Frontpaw]

I liked the malteaser cake. When I first saw it I thought 'oh dear god, what is she thiking?' Then when I saw it... I really need to make it now! More fun stuff please! Maybe kids - snacks, lunches, high teas and party stuff!

[SlubberTarpWrangler]

Hi Lorraine,

I have no question but would like you to know that your slow roast pork with fennel is the most fabulous and piss easy recipe of all time. I have no idea how many times we have eaten it now but the crackling is TO DIE FOR. We may even eat it at Christmas. It is THAT good (although we don't do the pears, weird mouth-feel).
Please take a moment to bask in our pork joy.

[SlubberTarpWrangler]

[sincere not Kenneth Williams emoticon]

[TheBlackShiksa]

Hi Lorraine, I'm a huge fan, its super refreshing to see a gorgeous dark skinned black woman on TV!

I have two questions, I love your cigarello cake, I made one and it was fab BUT cigarello's are so expensive, what would you use as an alternative- I used chocolate fingers and the result wasn't good!

Secondly, what was it like growing up a black child in a white family? Did you experience any racism? What about self identity and race? And seemingly small but baggage laden things like dealing with hair etc?

[painterlyswoosh]

Hi Lorraine, who's your favourite celeb chef?

[LottieJenkins]

Hi Lorraine. Do you think it matters which quality flour you use? I always buy value type flours and have never had a problem with them..............

[Ploom]

Hi Lorraine
I'm a huge fan of your cookbooks as well as your new show.
Problem is I dont live in the UK so cant get self raising flour.

So my question is
If a recipe asks for 200g SR flour should I use 200g plain flour plus ? tsp of baking powder or should I add 190 or 195g of plain flour then however many tsps of baking powder to make it up to 200g? Or am I completely overthinking this and need to get a life??

[strangerwithmyface]

Hi Lorraine,

In light of that horribly racist tweet you were sent last year, do you feel like more should be done to police Twitter or is that just the price of freedom of speech?

Also, was it strange going back to the classroom (TVU) as a mature student and did your fellow students 'know who you were'?

[FrancesMumsnet]

Hi Lorraine's in the building and is looking forward to answering all your questions.

[ForSaletotheHighestBidder]

Hi Lorraine, loving your new series, particularly the street/ market food segments. I don't live in the UK but am hoping to make a trip to London later this year - could you recommend your favourite markets for a wide variety of food tasting (planning on a very greedy, fattening trip to London).
Thanks!

[LorrainePascale]

Hello, I am here and ready to answer your questions... don't hold back, but please excuse my tyops!

[LorrainePascale]

@ForSaletotheHighestBidder

Hi Lorraine, loving your new series, particularly the street/ market food segments. I don't live in the UK but am hoping to make a trip to London later this year - could you recommend your favourite markets for a wide variety of food tasting (planning on a very greedy, fattening trip to London).
Thanks!

Portobello market is great as is Eat street in London's Kings Cross... lots more yummy food too if you have a little google!

[LorrainePascale]

@strangerwithmyface

Hi Lorraine,

In light of that horribly racist tweet you were sent last year, do you feel like more should be done to police Twitter or is that just the price of freedom of speech?

Also, was it strange going back to the classroom (TVU) as a mature student and did your fellow students 'know who you were'?

I think that the Police do what they can. Sadly that person was in the US so there was nothing that they could do. But there is a lot to be said for freedom of speech also! When I went back to school it was just before I was on TV and I did not tell anyone what I was up too!

[LorrainePascale]

@Ploom

Hi Lorraine
I'm a huge fan of your cookbooks as well as your new show.
Problem is I dont live in the UK so cant get self raising flour.

So my question is
If a recipe asks for 200g SR flour should I use 200g plain flour plus ? tsp of baking powder or should I add 190 or 195g of plain flour then however many tsps of baking powder to make it up to 200g? Or am I completely overthinking this and need to get a life??

So for every 100g of plain flour use 5g of baking powder

[LorrainePascale]

@LottieJenkins

Hi Lorraine. Do you think it matters which quality flour you use? I always buy value type flours and have never had a problem with them..............

I think you should you buy the most expensive flour which you can afford... but to be honest when making a cake at home most flour is okay, in my bakery we buy slightly more expensive flour but that is because we buy it in bulk

[LorrainePascale]

@painterlyswoosh

Hi Lorraine, who's your favourite celeb chef?

Nigella and of course the Hairy Bikers x

[LorrainePascale]

@Willemdefoeismine

Hi Lorraine
It would seem from our own family experience, and that of other Mumsnetters, that your programme and recipes appeals to the children as much as their parents. I just wonder if your daughter has been inspired by you, cooking-wise, and would you consider doing a book aimed at children?

I have thought about doing a book for children. My daughter who is now 15 has become a great cook and a cookery book for younger children could be a really nice idea. However I do have lots of children who follow the books I have now, I really try to be accessible to all ages

[LorrainePascale]

@Jux

Hi Lorraine, DH and I really enjoy your programme (though we have missed some of this latest series ), including the one on puff pastry. Luckily, I found your recipe and method on the internet. It was so easy, and dh still raves about it. Thank you.

My question is do you grow your own veg etc, and if so, what do you grow?

I grow tomatoes and red peppers and some little chillies also. I am not a great gardener though and my dad comes and helps me on my little terrace often. I do however have lots of herbs which are so, so easy to grow and it is great to just go and grab them from the pots and cook with them. So fresh!

[LorrainePascale]

@gazzalw

Hi Lorraine, our DS (11) is transfixed by your recipes as are we ;-). We particularly liked the Crouching Tiger hidden Zebra in the first episode and were very disappointed it wasn't detailed in the recipes on the BBC website. So please, please, please could we have it.....

Also, we regard you as the Nigella of the 21st Century ;-)

As our question: where did you develop your love of cooking and at what stage in your career, and why, did you decide to pursue your culinary pursuits....? And also, congrats on your first from Thames Valley Uni....

I will have a word with the BBC web team and see what I can do! My love of food comes largely from my dad. He always cooked yummy food when we went to see him on the weekends. lots of garlic and tomatoes and I think that is how my love of food grew. Thank you re uni!