Hi GerryPhilip Harben was the TV chef of my youth and I remember buying his book, 'The Grammar of Cookery' - I think it was 3s and 6d at the time!I loved the way he explained the processes of cooking in an almost scientific way and it started to make sense to me why you cooked certain things in certain ways. My favourite entry in the book was - 'a pancake has been described as a pool of batter cooked on both sides'* cut to bottom of page - '*by me'.I've never had a cookery lesson in my life, but I'm not a bad cook, thanks to Philip Harben.Fanny Craddock was ghastly, but amusing. Her dishes were over elaborately decorated and she has a lot to answer for in the twee presentation of food at many a middle-class dinner party of the 60s.There was also a pseudo-French chef in the 70s - on ITV, I think - called something like 'Francois de Haut-Villon'. I'm sure he was no more French than I am, but he was hilariously camp and a great source of hilarity in my household.
Thelma Leach ● 3938d