Two Fat Ladies.....

Some years ago, my oldest brother Russ turned me onto this wonderful cooking show running on the BBC called "Two Fat Ladies". It only ran for four seasons and I was an instant fan. These two British ladies, Clarissa Dickson-Wright and Jennifer Paterson, were, yes, large in form, but what tripped my trigger were their big, bold personalities and the fun they had in and out of the kitchen. The two traveled around the English countryside on a Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle. Jennifer drove and Clarissa happily rode in the sidecar. Both outstanding cooks, they never cared about calories or fat. They did love biiig, bold flavors and used the most fresh ingredients and would travel all over to find them. One episode, Clarissa was preparing a venison dish and they both went out to a deer farm to get the meat. They pulled right into the field as the deer scattered, started digging in the back of the vehicle for I suppose their rifles.....and then the show cut to the farm owner bringing a huge side of deer. I have to admit I covered my eyes for a little bit thinking they were gonna show it! Both Jennifer and Clarissa loved hunting and they certainly got fresh venison that day.....

Jennifer passed away back in 1998 of lung cancer. The day before she died, she asked Clarissa to bring her a tin of caviar to the hospital, but by the time Clarissa arrived, Jennifer had passed. Clarissa says that after Jennifer's funeral, she ate the caviar as a tribute. Sweet.

I'm thrilled to say that the new Cooking Channel is running the Two Fat Ladies shows, Saturday nights at 10 & 10:30. I have been watching them again with much love and appreciation for these two ladies. I am in the middle of reading Clarissa's autobiography too. It's called Spilling The Beans. She lived and has survived quite a life. More on that later......

Though I doubt I will ever cook Partridge and Cabbage or Rabbit Isabel, I will be trying this recipe I watched Clarissa prepare a couple of Saturday's ago. It looks yummmmy! I'll let you know how it turns out!

Quercyan Apple Cake

• Filling:
• 3 pounds apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 ounces sugar
• 4 fluid ounces rum
• 3 fluid ounces orange flower water
• Thinly pared rind of 1 lemon
• 
  
• 1 pound plain flour (all-purpose)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 ounces butter, creamed
• 
  
• Finish:
• 1 ounce butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• Caster sugar (superfine)

Directions

Filling: Macerate the sliced apples with the sugar, rum, orange flower water, and lemon peel overnight. Strain the apples, reserving the juice.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, put butter and eggs into a well in the centre. Working with the fingertips gradually add 7 fluid ounces of the liquid from the apples. Work into a smooth and elastic paste with your hand and leave to rest for 2 hours.

Roll out the rested paste as thinly as possible, then transfer to a floured cloth on a large table. Working from the centre, with the palms of your hands, carefully stretch the paste to the thinness of a cigarette paper. Rest it and yourself for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F.

Brush lightly with melted butter and dust with sugar, cover with well drained apples and roll up. Mix the remaining juice into the beaten egg and brush over the top. Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes.