Food and Drink

Not Since Julian Clary’s gaff at the comedy awards all those years ago have I heard a death knell knell so deathly as the knell that deathly knelled for Food and Drink on Tuesday 8th January 2002. What have they done to it? Once this programme was the staple of cooking on the telly. It used to be straightforward, down to earth, informative and occasionally fun. Now though, with its new format it is simply strange. Its downfall was inevitable with “Ready Steady Cook.” Before the RSC gang arrived TV cookery was simply about cooking and food, it was only occasionally about the chef. Now with quiz show cuisine attracting huge audiences, ...  Read the complete review

Cast your mind back, dear reader, to a bygone age. Yes, you remember it well! An era when the world was young and naive, when the Tory party had a hold over British politics that would never leave. When the sun shone a little brighter than it does today, and when you couldn't sit in a pub or bar or round a family dinner table without some smartarse sniffing a glass and saying 'OOOOO...fisheads, and... Brut! and...oo, and pungent whiff of Terry Wogan's socks...' Yes, it was annoying wasn't it? The classic image of the BBC stalwart of culinary exploration - Food and Drunk...oh, sorry, Food and DRINK (drunk refers to the presenters!) - was ...  Read the complete review

Britain's favourite dish is Roast Beef according to a survey revealed by BBC's 'Food and Drink' last night. Fine. Except Antony Worrall Thompson seemed determined to change our minds by demonstrating the recipe with what appeared to be a quarter of a cow. It was the biggest joint of meat I have ever seen. Even Thompson appeared to have trouble lifting it. I actually found myself, a carnivore, contemplate swinging the other way (i.e. towards vegetarianism). How unfortunate also that the show was followed by a trailer for BBC News at Ten highlighting the human victims of BSE... All in all, Food and Drink is a great show, ...  Read the complete review

This programme has come alive again. In the past few years this programme seemed to have lost it’s way and was more concerned about campaigning, rather than cooking and drinking. Thankfully the latest series with Anthony Worrall Thompson has brought back all the excitement the old programme used to have. Gone is the fixed format that had become boring and repetitive. The new relaxed show gives the viewer the feeling that they could cook the dish, or they could appreciate the bottle of wine. One of the main reason’s that I enjoy Anthony Worrall Thompson presenting the programme is that he does not portray that all meals should take hours of ...  Read the complete review

I don’t know how many years this programme has been around now, but it is still on my must-watch list. I like the presenters and the style. Oz Clarke and Jilly Goolden may annoy some, but even if you do, how many times have you gone to the supermarket and bought a bottle of wine, just BECAUSE you thought – silly woman, how can that wine possibly taste of grass and gooseberries – Jilly said it was a good buy so I’ll try it! Anthony Worrall Thompson is the opposite. He doesn’t let his personality get in the way of presenting a recipe or talking about a food issue. He shares my conviction that organic food is not only best for health ...  Read the complete review