"The title of this book, Obsessions, was chosen in part as a rude gesture to mimsy journalists who, content with GM-adapted, irradiated, badly raised meat, reared without fat, suggested that we are obsessed, "Clarissa Dickson Wright writes in the introduction to this, the final book written by The Two Fat Ladies. "Perhaps we are, but anyone who has witnessed Jennifer's joy at the sight of 'a good little grouse bird', her enthusiasm for a sweetbread or my ecstasy at the sight of a cardoon will realise that it is a very fulfilling obsession." Jennifer Paterson died on 10 August, 1999, peacefully, painlessly and full of caviar. The king of roes, unsurprisingly, was one of the ingredients selected by Jennifer to feature in this book. "Lumpfish roe is a very poor substitute for caviar, but looks pretty as a garnish. However it is the only [roe] that I don't relish. Why is it so gritty?" Other ingredients among those chosen by television's most opinionated and eccentric cooks include salt, chillies, anchovies, offal, cream, walnuts, eels, tripe, pheasant and oysters. Never shy of controversy, they include a recipe for a delicious beef on the bone "Oxtail Casserole" and "T-bone Steaks À La Floors Castle". Their hearty and homely style is typified in "A Simple Sausage Ragu" and "Chocolate Marshmallow Ice-Cream". "We hope that over the years a bit of our obsession has rubbed off on you, that you take the choice to travel that bit further to a good butcher or fishmonger, that you look for the best local sources of supply," Dickson Wright writes. "If you will keep the faith then our obsessions have not been shared in vain. Always remember that food is to beloved, laughed over and, above all, enjoyed in the company of your friends." --Dale Kneen
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
definitely not foody PC ... lovely recipes, perhaps not all for everyday cooking, but super book to read through and easy to follow recipes. Typical of the Two Fat Ladies tv programme recipes - possibly a little retro now, but still very tasty!
Above Expectations Great quality cooking. I especially love the way that the ladies give an intorductions to each chapter. It has beauitful illustrations and lovely photographs to compliment the recipies. A must for any Two Fat Ladies fan.
