Delias Cheaty Cheating Cheater Show..discuss

It's directed toward people who don't "cook" at all. People who get take-away from McDonald's for supper every night. If it gets them interested in spending time in the kitchen at least a tiny bit, then surely that's a good thing. From there, perhaps they'll become more adventurous and move on from tinned meat! 

Yup, that is my husband you're talking about...I confess that there are 2 tins of minced beef in my cupboard for 'emergency' use (ie I'm not home to cook his meal for him!)

In saying that, he may be part of the 'target audience, but there's no way he'd ever sit down to watch a cookery programme!

Up until recently, I was letting the other half fend for himselves on the nights when I take the kids to swim lessons....I thought he was just making do with beans on toast ( ).  Then I find out, he's buying tins of baked beans with sausages in them....I just can't help but think there must be all sorts of crap in those sausages to keep them viable in a tin for a couple of years.   

Now, I leave a meal for him. 

Edited to say that he now refers to me as the Food Nazi

I *think* I understand who her market is. There is so much hype about cooking and food sourcing etc these days. Just turn on the TV. Last night I watched Recipe for Success, The Great British Menu, Delia, and then Breaking into Tesco. (I hope I got all those names right)

Anyway, yes, there are plenty of people out there who no matter what you say or do can't or won't cook. Fair enough. But I think she's aiming at people who don't cook because life and circumstances have just got in the way. They've got lazy, or into a habit or whatever. They *know* they should do better and can probably find a bit of time to do so but just need a bit of a kick in the pants. That's the only crowd I can see this appealing to as they are the ones who would actually bother to watch it. Someone who has absolutely no interest in cooking won't even turn this show on.

That said, I still think the show is ill-conceived. She doesn't really show you how to make even the cheaty recipes. The Guardian blogged about it yesterday and I pretty much agree with what they said.

I just read the comments.  Genius!  A great laugh.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2008/03/delia_liveblog_tonight_830.html

Vicky

I haven't watched it but I support the idea because I get irritated with food snobs.  Yes it isn't hard to cook from scratch but some people really can't be bothered, or hate cooking.  I really don't think cooking from scratch is less effort, not everyone wants to spend all bloody day boiling chicken bones to make stock.

I don't get who she's targeting though - how to make a shepherds pie using canned mince and frozen potato.......wouldn't people just buy a frozen shepherds pie instead?!

The tesco ready meal probably tastes better than a hodgepode of tins anyway!  Although a guess someone who doesn't know how to cook can say "I MADE IT!" if that counts...

Maybe its all a big joke!!!  I did buy the book, because it made me laugh and I like interesting and odd "cookbooks"- like my "White Trash Cookery" and "A Man, A Can, a Plan'- right there next to my Joy of Cooking, Betty Crocker, etc- my real ones...  Of course then again, I am someone who likes to read cookbooks for pleasure!

Out of curiosity (as you are obviously someone who cooks)...do you think that you will use any of the recipes from the book?


Vicky

I seriously doubt it- 1.) I don't like all the preservatives-artificial ingredients-I am not even one to make rice-a-roni, etc  2.) Most of them actually seem to be more effort to find the ingredients than I can be bothered with. if I can't find them at a small tescos, than its not worth it. I am not hopping on different buses to search them out! 3.) I can make something that tastes better, for so much cheaper, in the same amount of time or less. 
But I do like to read them anyways, because in case global warming takes over and a hurricane hits scotland, than I know that I can make a 1/2 way tasty meal out of tins! 

The tesco ready meal probably tastes better than a hodgepode of tins anyway!  Although a guess someone who doesn't know how to cook can say "I MADE IT!" if that counts...

Maybe its all a big joke!!!  I did buy the book, because it made me laugh and I like interesting and odd "cookbooks"- like my "White Trash Cookery" and "A Man, A Can, a Plan'- right there next to my Joy of Cooking, Betty Crocker, etc- my real ones...  Of course then again, I am someone who likes to read cookbooks for pleasure!

You'd love the Spam Cookbook and The Gallery of Regrettable Food! -

(I actually have some of the cookbooks mentioned in the Regrettable Food one...)

Oh thanks! I sooooooo have to get that!   

because in case global warming takes over and a hurricane hits scotland, than I know that I can make a 1/2 way tasty meal out of tins! 

So that's her target audience!  Dystopians!  Now I get it!

 

Vicky

Dystopians!

Number one on the list of words I never expected to see in a forum post.

That's what you get from lawyers 

Number one on the list of words I never expected to see in a forum post.

Especially one about cooking!

I aim to please!   

Vicky