On The Hob

Welcome to our weekly rundown of cookery programs on TV.  If you watch any we’d love to hear your views in the comments, especially if you try any of the recipes!

Monday 9th March

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15

Gladiators James Crossley (Hunter) and Du’Aine Ladejo (Predator) pitch full-bloodedly into the kitchen contest. Ainsley Harriott presides over another classic twenty-minute cooking challenge.

Click here to rewatch old episodes and download recipes at BBC

Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00

It is the first day of finals week, and eight celebrities have made it through from the previous rounds. Today the surviving celebs have been sent out of the studio to Hammersmith Catering College in West London where they will have to cook their signature dishes for three uncompromising food critics – Bill Buckley, Charles Campion and Sophie Grigson. Only six celebrities will make it through to the next stage.

Click here to find Britain’s Best Dish recipes at ITV

Tuesday 10th March

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15

It is definitely not a case of ‘here’s one I made earlier’ in the kitchen today, as former Blue Peter presenters Zoë Salmon and Matt Baker battle it out to see who is top of the hobs. Ainsley Harriott hosts the conversation and the cooking for another classic twenty-minute culinary challenge.

Click here to rewatch old episodes and download recipes at BBC

Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00

It is the turn of the three remaining main course chefs in today’s celebrity cook-off. They must each come up with a pudding that perfectly complements their signature dish, and then prepare both dishes at once. Only two of them will make it through to cook another day.

Click here to find Britain’s Best Dish recipes at ITV

Heston’s Medieval Feast Channel 4 21:00 to 22:00

This four-part series follows renowned chef Heston Blumenthal on a gastronomic adventure as he attempts to create the greatest feasts from history. In the Middle Ages, food was used as a source of entertainment and escape from the harsh realities of everyday life.

Wednesday 11th March

Gastronuts BBC 1 16:05 to 16:35

Why Don’t We Eat Custard on Pizza?.
Food fanatic Stefan Gates and his intrepid Gastronuts go on wild culinary adventures to discover the truth about how we eat, what we eat and where it comes from. Roast beef and gravy, fish and chips, and chocolate with almost anything. Some food combinations are classics. But what happens when tastes clash, and can we make and break the rules of food? In an effort to find out Stefan and the Gastronuts eat the world’s weirdest combinations, cook with a steam roller and make a strange sandwich.

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15

It is off to Ambridge today in the company of Louiza Patikas and Tom Graham, better known as Helen and Tom Archer from The Archers. Will Tom bring home the bacon or will he end up looking a bit of a sausage? Ainsley Harriott hosts another twenty minutes of classic cookery.

Click here to rewatch old episodes and download recipes at BBC

Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00

In today’s celebrity cook-off the three remaining pudding chefs must each come up with a main course that perfectly complements their signature dish. Then they must prepare both dishes at once. Only two celebs will make it through to cook again.

Click here to find Britain’s Best Dish recipes at ITV

Thursday 12th March

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15

Chico and Kenzie swap reality TV for the real thing in the kitchen as North Londoner Kenzie parades his food credentials against Chico’s exotic mixture of North African cuisine. Ainsley Harriott hosts another classic twenty-minute cooking challenge.

Click here to rewatch old episodes and download recipes at BBC

Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00

We have reached the semi-finals and today the four surviving celebrity chefs must cook for a crowd of discerning diners in a swanky London restaurant. Only two celebs – one mains chef and one pudding chef – will go through to tomorrow’s Grand Final.

Click here to find Britain’s Best Dish recipes at ITV

Friday 13th March

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15

Comic actors Jan Ravens and Phil Cornwell battle it out to see who can make the best impression on the studio audience in the red and green kitchens. Ainsley Harriott introduces another twenty minutes of high-speed, top quality cookery.

Click here to rewatch old episodes and download recipes at BBC

Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00

It is the Grand Final, and the two remaining celebrities go head to head. Former contestants will return to help the judges decide the series’ outcome. Which celeb will be crowned the winner?

Click here to find Britain’s Best Dish recipes at ITV

Saturday 14th March

Saturday Kitchen BBC 1 10:00 to 11:35

James Martin presents another menu of mouth-watering recipes, great chefs and celebrity guests. James is joined by top chefs Nic Watt and Glyn Purnell, and former EastEnder Todd Carty faces his food heaven or hell. There are helpings of Celebrity MasterChef, Rick Stein and Keith Floyd, plus another dramatic omelette challenge and more top wine choices from Tim Atkin.

Click here to find out more about this week’s show at the Saturday Kitchen Website

Rachel Allen: Bake! BBC 1 11:35 to 12:00

Recipes and cooking tips. Rachel shows how to make a wonderfully fragrant lime yoghurt cake with rosewater and pistachios, and meets French chef and master bread-maker Richard Bertinet, who believes that the best way to make the perfect bread does not involve kneading the dough; the technique might sound unusual, but the results are fantastic. And the cookery school students learn how to make a classic sticky toffee pudding. This guaranteed crowd-pleaser features a gorgeous sweet toffee sauce.

Sunday 15th March

No New programs, just repeats

Each month we will be picking our top ten cookbooks of the month.  Some will be new out, some will be old favourites, all will be worth a read!  December is a smashing month to start as a cook book is sure to be at the top of many of your Christmas lists.  Why not try one of these.

Nigella Christmas

Nigella Christmas

We knew a December list of cookery books couldn’t be complete without Nigella’s Christmas book.  Plenty of recipes to see you through the Christmas season!

Jamie’s Ministery of Food: Anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours

Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours

Sixty years ago food was in short supply and malnutrition rates were high. The Ministry of Food was set up to teach the public how to make the best use of the food available to them. Fast forward to the present day, where we have unlimited choices and plenty of food, yet we’re living in a world of junk food, additives and preservatives. Our war is now against obesity, as most people have little or no idea about how to cook and what makes a balanced diet.  Jamie’s promise to you is that you’ll be making some great dinners within hours of reading his book. A little knowledge and a few basic tools can go a long way, and this book is your first step . . .

Bake Rachel Allen

Bake

Rachel Allen, is back with a collection of delicious and easy cakes and bakes, tarts and pies, quiches and casseroles from her brand new TV series. What could be better than the smell of freshly baked bread or the joy of eating warm cookies straight from the oven? Do you pine for the pleasures of gingerbread houses and holiday delights or the warming goodness of home baked casseroles? These are just some of the treats that await in Bake. She shares both the sweet and the savoury sides of baking, whether quick snacks, wholesome breads and pies, exotic cakes and tarts or easy baked meals for friends and family. Fully illustrated with beautiful food photography including step-by-steps to take the mystery out of traditional baking and pastry making. Rachel also offers troubleshooting techniques for common problems and wheat or gluten-free recipes so nobody is left out of the fun! Rachel’s friendly and expert tuition make this easy-to-use book the best friend to every home baker.  At the time of writing this book was voted the full 5 stars by Amazon reviewers.

Gordon Ramsay Cooking for Friends – Food from my Table

Cooking for Friends

Gordon Ramsay has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately.  But that doesn’t detract from him being a great chef and having a range of popular cookery books available.  Cooking for friends is just one of these. Cooking for Friends features over 100 inspiring recipes which both novice and more experienced cooks alike will be able to enjoy cooking for their friends and family. With chapter covering Hot and Cold Soups; Pasta and Grains; Fish and Shellfish; Meat and Poultry; Pies and Tarts; Vegetables and Salads; Puddings and Ices and Coffee and Chocolate, each recipe features an introduction to the dish and tips on how to re-create it perfectly. With emphasis on simplicity for stunning results, the majority of the recipes are concise and easy to cook.

Annabel Karmel’s New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner

Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner

Annabel Karmel’s essential guide to feeding babies and young children has become a word-of-mouth classic. For 15 years this book has remained the number-one bestselling book on feeding children and it is consistently in the Top 20 Hardback non-fiction titles in the UK – an amazing achievement.

This is a brand-new, illustrated edition of the “New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner”.  Annabel has brought her collection of mouthwatering recipes up to date, with new dishes, handy advice and tips and stunning colour photographs. She makes it easy for mums to give their child the best start in life with fresh home-cooked food. Plus Annabel offers time-saving menu charts to help you shop and plan ahead, and takes you effortlessly through each stage of feeding your baby and toddler, all based on her experiences as a busy mother of three. Give this classic bestselling book as a special gift to a friend, or enjoy using it in your own kitchen and your baby is guaranteed the very best start in life.

Delia’s Complete Cookery Course

Delia's Complete Cookery Course

Delia’s Complete Cookery Course is a must have for any cookbook collection.  Completely revised and updated, this cookery “bible” for contains all the established favourites such as flaky fish pie, Christmas pudding and the secret of crunchy roast potatoes. Delia has also added some new recipes like stir-fried mange tout and roast stuffed goose with prunes and armagnac. Clear and comprehensive, the recipes are suitable for beginners as well as more experienced cooks. Delia also gives advice on new and widely-available ingredients like easy-blend yeast, filo pastry and fromage frais.  Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course provides all you need, and more, for a lifetime of cooking and entertaining

Gary Rhodes 365: One Year. One Book. One Simple Recipe for Every Day

Gary Rhodes 365 One Year One Book

The December book picks wouldn’t be complete with a recipe a day book.  We’ve picked Gary Rhode’s 365.  From breakfasts to feeding the kids tea when they get in from school, from suppers for one or two to more elaborate dishes for entertaining on a Saturday night, or feeding the whole family their full-on Sunday lunch, Gary’s recipes are some of the best things you will ever eat! With his unique take on flavour combinations he has drawn on his many years as one of the world’s top chefs to bring you recipes that are not only a delight, but incredibly simple to make as well. And if you need ideas for a special occasion, you’ll find a chapter dedicated to those too.

Clarissa Dickson Wright – Spilling the Beans

Spilling the Beans

Clarissa Dickson Wright’s “Spilling the Beans” is this months cookery biography choice of the month.

Clarissa was born into wealth and privilege, as a child, shooting and hunting were the norm and pigeons were flown in from Cairo for supper. Her mother was an Australian heiress, her father was a brilliant surgeon to the Royal family. But he was also a tyrannical and violent drunk who used to beat her and force her to eat carrots with slugs still clinging to them. Clarissa was determined and clever, though, and her ambition led her to a career in the law. At the age of 21, she was the youngest ever woman to be called to the Bar.

Then disaster struck when her adored mother died suddenly. It was to lead to a mind-numbing decade of wild over-indulgence. Rich from her inheritance, in the end Clarissa had partied away her entire fortune. It was a long, hard road to recovery along which Clarissa finally faced her demons and turned to the one thing that had always brought her joy – cooking. Now at last she has found success, sobriety – and peace.

With the stark honesty and the brilliant wit we love her for, Clarissa recounts the tale of a life lived to extremes. A vivid and funny story, it is as moving as it is a cracking good read.

Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book

Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book

Over many years, Mary Berry has perfected the art of cake-making and her skills have earned her a reputation as the queen of cakes. Now she has updated her classic home baking bible, the Ultimate Cake Book, and once again shares with you the secrets of her success. With over 200 classic recipes, Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book includes recipes for every cake, biscuit and bun you ever wanted to bake and many more. From the traditional Victoria Sandwich Cake, Tarte Tatin or Millionaires’ Shortbread to the indulgent Very Best Chocolate Roulade, Swiss Wild Strawberry and Walnut Cake or Sharp Lemon Cheesecake there is sure to be a cake or bake here to suit everyone. Ideal for cake-making novices as well as more experienced cooks, Mary explains the basic methods of baking and gives advice on ingredients and equipment. Mary’s easy-to-follow recipes are interspersed with baking tips and solutions for the most common problems, making it possible for everyone to bake their favourite cake, whatever the occasion.

The Kitchen Revolution: A Year of Time-and-money-saving Recipes

The Kitchen Revolution: A Year of Time-and-money-saving Recipes

Our final choice for December. With us plunging deeper into a recession, here’s a book which will save you money and stop food being thrown out.

Tired of deciding what to cook? Want to maximise your meals, with minimum time in the kitchen? Recent surveys have shown that around a third of the food produced in the UK for human consumption ends up in the bin. This means that every adult is wasting hundreds of pounds-worth of food a year! So the time is right for a kitchen revolution. This is the life-saving cookbook you’ve been waiting for – home cooking using fresh, seasonal produce, with weekly planners, recipes and shopping lists that will enable you to maximise the weekly shop for you and the family.  It’s the ‘back to basics’ approach, minimising waste through thoughtful shopping and a little preparation.

Each week, you’ll have the opportunity to cook: Big Meal from Scratch – a delicious, filling meal for the whole family, e.g. poached chicken with elderflower and new potatoes; Something for Nothing – two easy meals that use leftovers in a tasty and inspiring way, e.g. new potato, asparagus and egg salad; Seasonal Supper – a quick, simple supper made from seasonal ingredients, e.g. spiced grilled lamb chops with radish and orange salad; Larder Feast – for when the fridge is bare, a whole meal just from store cupboard ingredients, e. g. beef and mushroom stroganoff; and 2 for 1 – a comforting meal that freezes well so that you can eat half immediately, and store half in the freezer, e.g. oriental pork and spring onion dumplings.

Using this fantastic system, Rosie Sykes, Polly Russell and Zoe Heron have come up a recipe for every single day of the year. With foolproof recipes for every kind of occasion, they’ll guarantee that you’re making the most of your cooker, fridge, freezer and store-cupboard to create healthy and economical meals.

This beautiful cheese board set comes with integrated drawer storage for storing your etched cheese knives. The four knives are designed to cut a particular type of cheese perfectly. Included in this set is a Cheddar knife, a Parmesan knife, a Stilton knife and a Brie Knife. All the knives are etched with the cheese they are designed to cut and have their own tailor made slot in the drawers that slide into the board. The gift box packaging make this set an ideal gift especially coming up to Christmas where statistics show, more cheese is consumed.

Richardson Sheffield Entertain Cheese Knife Set, 4 Piec

Due to the wooden handles, the knives or the board are not dishwasher safe, therefore we advise that they are washed by hand with a mild detergent and hand dried to keep them in tiptop condition. Although we do not envisage you having any problems with these knives, they come with a Richardson Sheffield 25 year guarantee, offering you peace of mind with your purchase

Box Contents

Click here to shop for the Richardson Sheffield Entertain Cheese Knife Set