Would we eat better if cookery programmes were axed from the telly? Almost certainly. Inspiration for the few, oppression for the many: it’s my theory that they set absurdly unrealistic expectations of the meals we should serve up on the table each evening. Creamed this, glazed that, breaded, roasted, toasted, marinated; nothing short of a restaurant-style meal will do.

Most recipe books (written often by same said TV chefs) are just as bad. And, slave to their instructions, we scour the supermarket shelves for expensive and exotic goods. Quick fix 30-minute, nay 15-minute recipes books may pose as more straightforward, but in requiring their own host of unseasonable fare or flavour cheats – curry paste or, worse, ketchup – are merely a milder symptom of the same problem. Continue reading →