While cookery programmes are nothing new to television, the current onslaught of celebrity chefs and even Joe Public cooking for three strangers on Come Dine With Me, has me reminiscing for the old days when TV chefs were few and far between and each recipe was absorbed by the viewer as a special treat to try out on the family.
In the good old days of Graham Kerr, Keith Floyd and Rick Stein, when a fine wine selection was a pre-requisite to concocting a tasty meal, we had time to try out the recipes that took our fancy with at least a week until the next programme.
These guys were the pioneers for the likes of the Jamie Oliver’s of this world who came along offering some friendly patter while introducing simplicity to the menu.
Simplicity isn’t something that Heston Blumenthal brings to the TV, particularly on Channel 4’s Heston’s Feasts 2.Having only recently caught up with the series I was amazed at the lengths this ‘little chef’ goes to to recreate the tastes of the seventies, his own childhood era.
Obviously blissfully unaware of the celebrity chefs on TV at that time, Heston admits that he did not grow up eating lobster and caviar, in fact as a child he loved the ‘taste’ of powdered snacks like Cup a Soup and Pot Noodles.
And so he sets out to re invent those snacks for a more discerning palate, admitting that he is more excited about the ritual of making the noodles than the actual flavour.
Blumenthal manages to concoct noodles using seaweed and gelatine and makes this into noodles by putting it through a Play Doh toy machine from the 70’s era. The mixture is put into the toy and squeezed out in thin strips that make up the noodles.
Finished off with his own chicken and mushroom mix, the product is served up to his celebrity guests. I have to say I have enjoyed this series mainly for the inventiveness of the celebrity chef, who has not only re invented Pot Noodles but also re-creations of seventies and eighties iconic treats such as the Zoom ice lolly and of course Soda Stream drinks.
Crowd favourite and former World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty will return to the Eurosport studio for the British round of the Superbike World Championship this Sunday (August 1). The four-time WSBK champion will join front man Tony Carter and former rider James Haydon for six hours of LIVE coverage from Silverstone on British Eurosport 2.
In addition, on 31 July, Superpole will be live at 3pm, before the Superstock 600 race gets underway at 6pm.
On race day, live coverage will start at 10.25am, with Fogarty returning to the studio after appearing earlier this year during round four from Assen. This round produced two all-British podiums and riders and fans will be hoping for more of the same at Silverstone.
Both races will be available in high definition on Eurosport HD from 4.15pm while the World Supersport race will be live on Eurosport HD at 1pm.
Commentators Jack Burnicle and James Whitham will be on-site at the Northamptonshire track throughout the weekend, guiding viewers through the busy race schedule.
Online subscribers can also follow the weekend’s racing on the Eurosport Player where live coverage and commentary-free video on demand will be available.
Saturday 31 July
1500-1600 LIVE Superpole on British Eurosport 2
1800-1830 LIVE Superstock 600 on British Eurosport 2
Sunday 1 August
1025-1630 LIVE WSBK race day, including both WSBK races & WSS on British Eurosport 2
1300-1400 LIVE World Supersport race on Eurosport HD
1615-1700 Race one on Eurosport HD
1700-1745 Race two on Eurosport HD
2200-2330 Highlights on British Eurosport 2
In this weeks episode of Mongrels, Nelson the urban fox goes to the local dump to rescue his friend Marion the tomcat- only to find himself falling in love with the disgusting vixen Sandra.
Despite being totally disgusting, because Sandra is on heat Nelson believes that she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Thankfully Marion has still got his senses and attempts to stop Nelson from making a decision that he would end up regretting.
Afghan hound Destiny persuades her owner Gary to enter her into the local dog show, at last. But when she gets infected with boorish fleas who delight in quoting comedy catchphrases, she struggles with her preparations for the canine intelligence round. Destiny decides to pull out until the fleas persuade her that they have the brains to help her win.
Pigeon Kali decides to protest against the new anti-pigeon spikes that Gary has put down to reduce vermin, by throwing herself upon them. Finding Kali impaled, Gary looks after her, and feeds her up to several times her normal size.
Check it out on BBC3 tonight (July 27th) at 10.30pm or watch it online at the BBC3 website.
Appealing to both Motocross and Extreme Sports fans, the excellent Red Bull X-Fighters series will making its UK Premiere on Dave TV this summer.
For anyone unfamiliar with this incredible death defying championship, here is a short video introduction:
If you like your motor sport thrills and spills to be bumpy, spectacular, bruise-inducing and adrenaline-pumped then you are surely in for a rare treat as the twelve best riders in the world battle over six unique courses in a bid to win the ultimate prize of becoming the Red Bull X-Fighter World Champion.
With events in Russia, Spain and finally Italy throughout the season, there is also the little matter of the UK leg of the tour. Dave will be showing this event as-live from the Battersea Power Station in August, and if last year’s event is anything to go by it will be a scorcher!
Current World Champion Nate Adams will be challenged all the way this season as the competitors draw on all their resources to produce some of the most jaw dropping and rudest stunts in an attempt to take the crown.
With Moscow falling foul to rain, the first show on the X-Fighters circuit comes from Egypt where 10,000 fans gathered in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza. The best FMX athletes in the world faced desert winds, sand and temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius which pushed man and machine to the limit.
Watch the Red Bull X-Fighters action packed championship race exclusively on Dave TV starting July 28th at 8pm.
If you missed the excellent adult puppet comedy Mongrels on BBC 3 last night, here is a chance to catch up with the latest storyline.
The show centres around five animal characters who reside in the backyard of an inner city pub and tells the story of the everyday goings on in the neighbourhood.
Starring Nelson, a metrosexual fox; Destiny, a pretentious pedigree It-bitch Afghan hound; Marion, a freshly-neutered wannabe tomcat; Kali, a deeply cynical pigeon; and Vince, the neighbourhood sociopath.
In episode five Nelson’s effete French penfriend Christian arrives for a visit and starts behaving uncharacteristically badly, exhibiting mood swings and frothing at the mouth. Yes, it seems Christian has rabies. Nelson and Marion must contain the disease and save their friends.
Destiny discovers that her gorgeous new boyfriend Archie is in fact a pimp organised by her owner Gary to get Destiny to produce some pedigree pups. Destiny decides to teach Gary a lesson.
When Kali is caught up in a pigeon cull, she resolves to take over the world and take revenge on humankind by creating the pigeox- half pigeon, half fox. All she needs to bring her invention to life is a bit of help from a passing fox, like Nelson, or, failing that, his vicious friend Vince.
Radio One DJ Scott Mills makes a special appearance as can be seen in the clips above, the series is created by Adam Miller, developed by Jon Brown, Adam Miller and Daniel Peak, written by Jon Brown and Daniel Peak, and featuring the voices of Rufus Jones, Lucy Montgomery, Dan Tetsell, Katy Brand, Paul Kaye and Ruth Bratt. Puppets created by Talk to the Hand.
You can watch episode five of Mongrels on BBC iPlayer on the BBC website or if you have it, on Catch Up TV.
Mongrels is broadcast on BBC3 on Tuesday nights at 10.30pm.
