Two (Terribly Missed) Fat Ladies

I recieved an email the other day bearing some of the best news I've heard in weeks.

One of my favorite culinary TV series, "Two Fat Ladies," is finally coming to DVD!

For anyone who doesn't remember this fantastic British show (which aired back when Giada's decollete was just a glimmer in some TV executive's eye), there's still reason to check it out.

Don't expect healthy twists or 30-minute meals here. Instead, prepare to ride off with Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright (by motorcycle and sidecar, naturalement) around Britain (and beyond) to prepare seriously hearty meals.

How about joining a hunting party in Scotland for a menu that includes roast grouse and venison with blackberries (episode 5)? Or perhaps you'd enjoy making lobster for a sisterhood of Benedictine nuns in Ireland (episode 14). Soused herrings, Welsh rarebit souffle, onion soup with Stilton, fruit tartlets...the list goes on.

These aren't all recipes that you'd likely rush out and make, but that's not really the point. The settings are verdant and the ladies are undeniably charming, entertaining, and passionate about food.

Even though the show itself is dated, it's novel and refreshing to see them, polar opposites of the squeaky-clean, book-deal-sniffing personae of today's food TV stars, preparing honest food without pretension.

Welsh Rarebit Souffle
Ingredients:
    2 large slices of good-quality white bread
    1/2 pound of high-quality, aged cheddar cheese
    3 egg yolks
    4 egg whites
    1 level teaspoon dry English mustard
    1 vigorous shake of Worcestershire sauce
    1 vigorous shake of Tabasco sauce
    Salt and Pepper

Grate the cheese and place in a bowl. Beat in the egg yolks, a level teaspoon of mustard, a good shake each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toast the bread; whip the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Add a spoonful or so of the beaten egg whites into tothe cheese mixture then gently fold the rest of the egg whites into the bowl. Put the toasts into an ovenproof dish and pour the mixture over them. Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until browned and risen. Serve at once with a salad or spinach on the side.

Recipe reprinted from the Two Fat Ladies DVD box set, Acorn Media, 2008.

Comments

[Di]

Just added to my netflix queue - thank you for the heads up. Loved this series.

[finance jobs]

Im excited

[finance jobs]

i go for the candidate number 2.. i like its design and color..

[michael jordan shoes]

On earth there is nothing great but man;air jordan in the man there is nothing great but mind. cheap jordan shoes

[Diana Brito]

I loved them - thanks for reminding me. I am not going to look for them in Netflix...

[ashley]

junkies

[luckylukee]

Giada is very attractive and her filmography of food is well done- but really, its nothing spectacular or very original.

The Two Fat Ladies really made us relish all the 'bad stuff' - though something laden in butter is better than some processed, transfat, high salt/sugar - low fat easy meal any day.

They also expressed such a passion for food (and it was not always fat food) that Giada and her heaving bosom can never really convey.

[Alexandra]

Oh, my. I loved "2 Fat Ladies" - their voluptousness and hedonism has yet to be outdone.

[Eric]

Sorry, I'll take (read: beg for) Giada's "decollete" any day.

[KG]

The best moment of that entire series:
Jennifer, upon describing the final ingredient of a recipe slyly pulls out a plate and proclaims "surprise.... BACON!"

[Kristin Murdock]

I loved 2 Fat Ladies as well, and am thrilled they are now immortalized on DVD.