Having teamed up last year for a week gorging on early 20th-century fare (in Edwardian Supersize Me), restaurant critic Giles Coren (pictured) and writer and comedian Sue Perkins (pictured) are back. Their new series is part-history lesson, part-cookery class.
In tonight's opener the intrepid duo go wartime. They dress up in genuine 1940s clobber and grab their ration books for a week to find out what Mr and Mrs Joe Public ate during the Second World War. The diet - including Spam, dried egg, Wheaties, special margarine, the National Loaf and vast quantities of potatoes - were genuine Government-approved foods and the recipes are authentically prepared with the help of chef Allegra McEvedy.
The format works brilliantly. Coren and Perkins balance each other neatly, with plenty of humour and an on-screen frisson of friskiness that's quite charming. The clothes and the sets work well, and there's plenty of trivia along the way. Naturally there are shades of 1940s House here, but it's still a novel twist on history documentaries and cookery programmes, building into a fascinating look at the dull and grey foods that the British were obliged to eat during the war.
In future weeks Coren and Perkins will be sampling the cuisine of other eras in Britain's history - including Elizabethan, Restoration, Regency and Victorian. I'm particularly looking forward to their take on the 1970s. Prawn cocktail, gammon with pineapple and Baked Alaska, anyone?
Hi, please please bring out a DVD of this very entertaining programme,my daughter loved it and found it very useful for her school project.
June 27th - 11:21amRachel said...
Really interesting and truly funny...please say you'll bring out a DVD, this programme made me happy....more tv lke this please!!
June 27th - 9:32amsue and stuart brannen said...
The only programme my husband will stay up and watch!! Utterly brilliant informative but so funny. Please, please repeat the series very soon as we missed the first few episodes due to being put off by the strange title. We laughed out loud which doesnt happen very often now adays. Fantastic achievement for everyone concerned in the programme. Thank you.
June 25th - 1:40pmAngelina said...
Laughed out loud and enjoyed every minute- I missed the first half a few episodes so please bring out a DVD!!
June 22nd - 5:28pmStephen Grant said...
Best programme BBC have put on for years.Funny,interesting,and educational to boot.(Not to mention stomach churning,on occasions)The two presenters are a perfect double act,and the whole package makes for a very entertaining experience.More,please.
Steve Grant
June 21st - 10:20pmjj said...
Great fun programmes. Is there a DVD of the series?
June 10th - 10:25pmBelinda Condron said...
Hi!
I would just like to say how much i love your programme, mainly because it is put in a fun and a hilarious way unlike it is put in school which is boring. I like the way you put learning in to it as well. this also helps me with my food studies aswell as my history. I can't wait for the next episode. So keep up the good work, i love it.
June 10th - 10:23pmTrish Mayner said...
What?!?! I was 20 in 1975 and DO NOT remember my mum serving up some of those weird meals!My boyfriend and I went to Ibiza in '76 with Palmair,not Concord!Why choose the most expensive end of the market?Most people couldn't afford half the stuff or the lifestyle shown.I was 8 stone 4,walked or bused every where and never suffered any kind of indigestion!Some of the clothes I wouldn't have been seen dead in,far to 60's.Where was the Lurex?Cheesecloth?Halternecks?My husband (then boyfriend) did recognise the shoes though!We celebrate our 30th anniverary this year and it was nice to some extent to briefly relive those heady days,however inaccurate!
May 28th - 1:52pmMrs J. Walker-Hebborn said...
I love this programme. It is so interesting and Sue Perkins and Giles Coren present it in a hilarious style. Look forward to the next episodes.
Add a comment