“TWO CRAZY CHEFS DOING A CHARITY DINNER” (Click on the photo to watch the clip)

Would you like Darren McGrady “The Royal Chef” to speak or perform a culinary demonstration at your corporate or charity event? Corporate Events * Culinary Demonstrations * Food Fairs * Food Festivals * Grand Openings * Media Work * Personal Appearances * Private Parties * Product Development * Product Endorsements * Product Launch * Public Relations * Radio Interviews * Television Appearances * Trade Shows To find out more and to contact Darren's agent Click Here

Darren McGrady was personal chef to Princess Diana for four years until her tragic accident and was a senior chef in the Royal kitchens at Buckingham Palace for eleven years where he traveled around the world with the Queen and the royal family. Prior to his royal service he trained at the Savoy hotel in London and obtained a bachelors degree in culinary arts.

Darren has cooked for four U.S. Presidents as well over a hundred Kings, Queens and Heads of State. He has cooked on The Today Show and CBS Early Show in New York as well as many breakfast shows around the U.S.A. and Canada. He has also appeared on; CNN headline news. Larry King live. Fox News Channel. Fox and Friends. QVC. BBC and Sky TV. In September this year he was invited to cook at the James Beard House. Read his full bio here...

Darren at The James Beard House September 16 2007 For more photos and the menu click the photo

Latest News and Blog... April 7 2009 NEW NEWSLETTER ... Check out my new newsletter by clicking on the NEWSLETTER link under my name at the top of the page. This month... all about an amazing dairy in Texas, Eating with the kids and a fabulous Spring Chicken recipe.... as well as a couple of dates for my cooking classes in Dallas. April 3 2009 My culinary trip to Scotland in August ... Great news from Southlake Travel (817 657 9866 ) my culinary trip to Scotland in August has made. I am SO excited because it will be the first time I have been back on the Royal Yacht Britannia since I left royal service. This visit though, instead of having to cook dinner I will get to sit in the royal dining room on board and enjoy an eight course dinner along with the group coming with me. Not only that, but to revisit Edinburgh Castle and watch the Military Tatto will be amazing. Plus a trip Glamis Castle where the Queen Mom was born and Ballathie House hotel where I started my culinary career- we get to spend the night at this Scottish Country Lodge and enjoy a gourmet dinner. For the full itinerary of the trip ... click here April 1 2009 TUNE IN TO LARRY KING TONIGHT ... Tune in to Larry King tonight CNN 9:00pm ET to see me talking to Larry king about President Obamas trip to London, tea with the Queen and dinner at Downing Street. On the menu at Downing Street tonight cooked by Jamie Oliver and his team from 15 is baked Scottish salmon with Seashore vegetables. Slow roast shoulder of Welsh lamb with Jersey Royal potatoes and Jamie Olivers special traditional English Bakewell Tart and home made custard ( recipe below) Bakewell Tart For the short crust pastry 1 vanilla bean, optional 5 tablespoons butter 1 cup powdered sugar Small pinch of salt 2 scant cups flour Zest of 1/2 a lemon 2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons cold milk or water For the frangipane 12 ounces blanched whole almonds 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 3 free-range eggs 6 tablespoons good-quality strawberry jam 1 pint crème fraîche 1. Score down the length of the vanilla bean, if using, and remove the seeds by scraping a knife down the inside of each half (keep the pod for making vanilla sugar). 2. Cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and salt and then rub in the flour, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and egg yolks — you can do all this by hand or in a food processor. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, add the cold milk or water. Pat and gently work the mixture together until you have a ball of dough, then flour it lightly and roll it into a large sausage shape — don't work the pastry too much, otherwise it will become too elastic and chewy, not flaky and short as you want it to be. 3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for at least an hour. Remove it from the fridge, slice it up, and line an 11-inch tart mold with the slivers. Push them together, then tidy up the sides by trimming off any excess. Place the tart mold in the freezer for an hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), then take the pastry out of the freezer and bake for around 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, place to one side, and turn the heat down to 325°F (160°C). Make the frangipane 1. Blitz the whole almonds in a food processor until you have a fine powder and put this into a bowl. 2. Now blitz the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add this to the almonds with the lightly beaten eggs and fold in until completely mixed and smooth. Place in the fridge to firm up slightly. 3. Smear the jam over the bottom of the pastry shell, pour the chilled frangipane mixture on top, and sprinkle with some sliced blanched almonds. Bake the tart for about 40 minutes, or until the almond mixture has become firm and golden on the outside but is still soft in the middle. 4. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes and serve with crème fraîche or custard. recipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver from Jamies Dinners. March 23 2009 Jason Weaver leaving the French Room ... One of my favorite chefs in Dallas is heading off to Vegas. Jason Weaver of the French Room at the Adolphus, Dallas is moving to Vegas to open the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (it opens in December 2009) This is sad news for Dallas. Jason was one of, in not THE best in town. Not only that, but one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet and work with. When I hosted a charity culinary event last September Jason was the first one to the plate (pardon the pun) to volunteer. I wish him and his family well, much success and can’t wait to visit his new restaurant when it opens. March 17 2009 Happy St Paddy's Day ... May you get to heaven 10 minutes before the devil knows yer dead Baileys White Chocolate Irish Cheesecake Serves 8 For the base; 1 ½ cups Duchy Original Lemon Biscuits – about 8 (or Sandies, Simply Shortbread Cookies – about 12) 3 Tbs unsalted butter – melted 1 Tbs dark brown sugar For the cheesecake; 1 lb cream cheese 2 tsp vanilla paste 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 cup Baileys Irish Cream ¼ cup heavy cream 2 Tbs sour cream For the topping; 6 ounces white chocolate 1 ¼ cups heavy cream – whipped stiff 2 ounces dark chocolate ½ cup Baileys Irish Cream 1) Preheat oven to 320 degrees f 2) Break the cookies into fine crumbs using a processor or place them in a zip lock bag and pound them with a rolling pin. Place in a small bowl and stir in the sugar and butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan. 3) Soften the cream cheese in a mixer and add the sugar, vanilla paste and sour cream. Beat until smooth and incorporate the eggs, cream and baileys. Pour onto the biscuit crumbs and bake in the center of the oven until the mix is set – about 30 minutes. Remove and cool. Up to this stage can be done the day ahead. 4) Prepare the topping by melting the white chocolate and folding in the whipped cream. Spoon over the top of the cheesecake and refrigerate. 5) Melt the dark chocolate in a small bowl and drizzle over the top of the cheesecake. Slice and serve with poached pears and a spoon of Baileys Irish Cream poured onto the plate. March 6 2009 Cooking Live in Kansas City ... I am going to be cooking live on stage and giving out samples at the Kansas City Travel and Culinary Expo this coming Sunday between 1-2pm. If you live in the area come and see a fabulous show, it's FREE admission, they have some great local chefs cooking too and who knows you might find that perfect vacation from one of the hundreds of booths there. Checkout the show, directions and itinerary click here February 12 2009 Valentines ... If you have already signed up for my newsletter delivered to you inbox direct each month then you are already probably shopping for ingredients for that amazing (even if I do say so myself) three layer chocolate dessert. If you haven't signed up yet then pop your email address in the yellow box above and you will be on the next list. Valentines day is around the corner and the big question of "do we go out to a restaurant or stay in and cook ? " arises. I much prefer to stay home and cook dinner for me and Wendy, well yes partly because I am a chef, but also because restaurants get SO busy Valentines night and well, the food isn't always at it's best. That said, if I WAS planning on taking Lady McGrady outto dinner Saturday night in Dallas then their is only ONE place for me. The French Room at the Adolphus. Why ? Because Valentines dinner is not just about the food, it's the ambiance, the romance and the beauty. And the French room has it all. The eight faux marble columns that border the room with the original bas-reliefs, gilt moldings and sconces and the murals that span the high, arched ceiling all add to the dreamy setting for a romantic dinner. Add to that the hand-blown crystal chandeliers and you have the setting of days gone by when the world was perfect and credit crunch had never been heard of. Then of course the food. It is amazing, with culinary extraordinaire Jason Weaver at the helm. Hisrich and distinctive flavors are achieved through reductions of vegetable stocks, purees and emulsions, rather than relying solely on butter and cream. His experimenting with the "sous vide" mode of cooking allows him to create dishes that the home cook can only dream about replicating. Jason has a set menu for Valentines Day that looks mouthwatering,you can see it on the Adolphus website. If you haven't yet decided where to take that special person Saturday night give the Adolphis a call right away, you won't be sorry. Tell him I sent you (laughs) February 6 2009 Crummy Dog ... OK, so I know Charlie Palmer has as many restaurants as their are months in a year and that probably keeps the man busy with touring each one to make sure his standards are upheld. That said, his next trip to Dallas to visit his jewel at the Joule might best be scheduled for State Fair week. This would give him chance to revisit the traditional "state fair corn dog" I say this because the amuse bouche at Charlie Palmers is a Lobster corn dog. Corn dogs have a piece of meat (OK, meat parts, chopped and shaped) running down the middle with a crispy batter on the outside. Charlies Lobster corn dogs are chopped and shaped and then fried in batter. I was expecting a gorgeous piece of moist lobster tail inside that fabulous crunchy batter and was so dissapointed. Amuse Bouche's are usually the first insight into what gourmet culinary treats lie in store. Avner Samuel at Aurora serves a whole egg with an incredibly silky custard inside his that says " WOW ! we are in for a treat tonight" My Lobster corn dog on a dollop of mustard looked like my kids plate at the Purple Cow. Check back shortly for my full review on Charlie Palmers at the Joule. February 2 2009 Culinary Trip to Scotland ... Just finished putting together this years itinerary for my culinary tour to the UK on the back of the hugely successful one to London last year. This years trip is to Edinburgh Scotland and includes an eight course dinner in the royal dining room on the Royal Yacht Britannia and a private tour by yours truly who cooked on the Queens yacht for eleven years and for two US presidents on there. On this trip we get to tour Holyrood Palace, the Queens official residence when in Scotland, shop Edinburgh's farmers market for local produce and then have a hands on cooking class with me, visit Glamis Castle - birthplace of the Queen Mother, take in the Military Tattoo, afternoon tea at the Balmoral and much much more. Click on the link below to see the full itinerary and who to contact for more information. I only want to take a small group with me, it makes the trip more personal. You get to try local Scottish produce and see "royal Britain" from an insiders view - mine (laughs) Click here for the itinerary... click here February 1 2009 Supper bowl ! ... No it's not a typo, I did mean supper. I was in St Louis yesterday at the Travel show and Tastes of the World cooking up dishes prior to the game. Thank you to everyone that came out to watch my presentation and demonstration. With Superbowl on most peoples mind yesterday I took chance to hang out with footballer D'Marco Farr. D'Marco played defensive tackle for 7 seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams. His NFL highlights include, representing the NFC in the Pro Bowl and culminated with a Rams World Championship in 2000. I asked if he had any tips to give to my four year old Harry about becoming a superbowl winning footballer. " tell him not to be quarterback" he said " It's better to be the hammer than the nail " Yikes ! January 29 2009 Hells's Kitchen ? You haven't seen anything yet ! ... Forget the tired Fox network show with Gordon Ramsey. I am talking Hell’s Kitchen in the Whitehouse. Reality shows are all the rage at the moment and things look like heating up in the kitchens at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue now that Mrs. Obama has brought in her “personal chef” to join the kitchen brigade. It was only last week that she issued the statement saying “Cristeta Comerford brings such incredible talent to the White House operation and came very highly regarded from the Bush family. Also the mom of a young daughter, I appreciate our shared perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families. I look forward to working with her in the years to come.” You could hear the sigh of relief from Ms. Comerford all the way to Dallas that she wasn’t being thrown out of her prestigious position. Until today that is, when it was announced that Sam Kass, the Obamas' personal chef from Chicago, will continue his culinary services for the First Family in the White House. A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said Mr. Kass will not be the only cook preparing the family's meals, but "he knows what they like and he happens to have a particular interest in healthy food and local food." Read that statement as “ Cristeta DOESN’T know what they like to eat and obviously DOESN’T have an interest in healthy and local food” Yikes ! Walter Scheib, former White House chef for the Clintons and Bushes, said the decision to bring Mr. Kass to the White House to fill an open slot is “a master stroke.” It’s a tremendous resource for Cris, he said, “This will make her job much easier because she will understand better and faster what they like,” And Walter Scheib is living in “LA LA LAND” if he believes that! Cristeta already understands better and faster what they like, and his name is Sam Kass. While many will bet that President Obama will enjoy a second term in the oval office, few will gamble on Cristeta even seeing out his first. January 27 2009 KMOX 1120 Interview ... Just finished an interview on KMOX 1120 about my appearance in St Louis this coming weekend. I will be doing a cooking demonstration, presentation and book signing at the St Louis Travel Show and Tastes of the World in the St Charles Convention Center, St Louis Sunday February 1st at 1:00pm. If you live in the area or know someone who does then drop by and say hello. Listen to the KMOX interview click here January 26 2009 Laura Bush ... My friends Charles and Nell Roberts who run the best antique store in Texas on Lovers Lane in Dallas and who I borrowed most of the antiques from for my book had a nice surprise last week. Former first lady Laura Bush stopped by to look at antiques for her new home in Dallas. January 23 2009 Darren McGrady 1962-2009 ? ... Darren McGrady DEAD ?????? Well, yes it came as a shock to me too when I heard. Especially as I was live and kicking rattling pans in my kitchen at the time. This afternoon I got a frantic call from my agent Laura Cutler at PMG Chefs asking if I was OK. A NATIONAL newspaper in the UK had been in touch with her saying that they had been informed by a "royal hack" that Darren had tragically passed away and the reporter was preparing a brief tribute and hoped Laura might assist. Well CHARMING ! (laughs) I will spare the blushes of the reporter as well as the National UK Sunday paper because she was mortified (pardon the pun) when she heard I was live and cooking (ha) AND to prove it I will be interviewed live on KMOX-AM 1120 St Louis this evening at 8:20pm central time. Not to prove I am alive of course, but about my appearance at the St Louis Travel Show a week on Sunday. More to follow. Oh, by the way, if for some reason you don't get this months newsletter and I have seem to have stopped blogging.... would one of you please forward this note to the authorities (laughs) January 8 2009 The best restaurant in Dallas ? ... The last time I went to a restaurant with a celebrity chef figurehead was in New York and Gordon Ramsey at the London. I didn’t expect the man to be there but did hope he had left his standards in capable hands. I needn’t have worried, the food was amazing. With this in mind I ventured into the W hotel in Dallas for dinner at Craft. The figurehead chef here is Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio - recipient of five James Beard Foundation Medals for his cooking accomplishments, if you like – and with so many restaurants around the country I didn’t expect him to be manning the hotplate either. He wasn’t. Craft Dallas kitchen is run by Anthony Zappola and a peek at his resume lets you know Colicchio has his restaurant in safe hands. Cordon Bleu trained; with stints in Chicago and New York under Alain Ducasse leaves you in no doubt the food will be good. I had been to Craft before though not surprisingly my attention was more focused on the lady I was brunching with Cheryl Burke of Dancing with the stars fame and not the food. But that’s another story for another day. When you enter the restaurant at night the first thing you notice is the lighting, the signature glowing filament bulbs guiding you to the comfort of the hand crafted walnut tables like landing lights at DFW airport in the fog. Warm and soft lighting, so close, yet a million miles away from the glaring “look at me” flashing neon of Victory Plaza across the road. Crafts kitchen philosophy is – the best seasonal ingredients prepared simply and with finesse. And boy was that spot on. Food is presented family style and often in little copper pans – I love copper, I have done since using it at the Savoy and the Palace – We (my wife Wendy and me) ordered the Berkshire (famous breed recognized for the perfect combination of juiciness, flavor and tenderness) rack of Pork and Muscovy Duck. Sides were not included and cost extra, some $10 a side extra – so this is where the restaurant name came from “Craft” from the word “Crafty” (smiles) We ordered the sweet potato puree, the braised red cabbage (I love this dish, in fact it’s one of my dishes that I have on the American Airlines first/business class menu this month) and parsnip agnolotti. ( a sort of ravioli from the Piedmont region of Italy. Agnolotti means priests hat and refers to the crescent shape of the pasta, though most chefs prepare it square or rectangle nowadays – the change made famous by Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. The duck melted in your mouth and both looked and was cooked magnificent. Same for the pork, it fell apart beautifully, braised to perfection. The sides, each in copper pans placed between the two of us by waiters so well trained you’d have thought they had come from Paris - where food service is a skill and a Craft (pardon the pun) Each server gliding around the room with one arm tucked behind their back like the opening scene of Riverdance and certainly as impressive. The sweet potato puree was delicious, just enough spices to remind us it was winter and this was an earthy comfort food. Braised cabbage was a disappointment; it tasted more like it had been stir-fried. Braising is a slow cooking technique that breaks down the food as it cooks, ours was crunchy. Then the agnolotti, little pasta pillows filled with parsnip puree. These were just incredible and I wanted to eat them all but so soft and light were they that I also wanted to rest my head on them and drift off into a foodie scented dream and hibernate for the winter. We both ate quickly, partly because the food was so good and partly because we both wanted to attack the “seconds” before each other. On the way home, wishing I had saved an Agnolotti pasta pillow to rest my head on I mused over whether Craft had taken over Aurora as my favorite restaurant in Dallas. Avner Samuel creates a dining experience like no other with dishes like "Scallop tartare with white truffle cream and chlorophyll sauce," that leaves customers wondering “how did he do that ? But at Craft “simple ingredients prepared with finesse” just blow you away. How can you take a regular old sweet potato, that we all cook every day and turn it into something so amazing you will remember the taste for weeks? How do I talk Febreze into making a “parsnip” scented flavor to spray onto my pillow at night ? January 7 2009 Happy New Year 2009 ... Gosh, is that the date already ? I feel as if the world has started 2009 without me. We are already seven days in and look at me, still on the ski slopes. Well that's 2008 in the bag, can't wait to see what 2009 has in store. I am working like crazy on my next book, though Susan my writer might not think so. Busy penning articles for my column in Celeb Life magazine. consulting menus for American Airlines (check out this months American Way magazine for the article and picture if you are flying this month) and busy lining up dates for cooking shows. I'm going to be in Kansas City, Indianapolis and St Louis to name but a few over the next couple of months at food shows, more in my January newsletter. December 10 2008 Raindrops on Roses and ... …whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and Ant eggs with Cactus… OK, that’s not quite how the song from Sound of Music goes, but when in Mexico City last week I saw "Ant eggs with Cactus" on the menu at El Cardenal Restaurant I knew I just HAD to try this dish. Ant eggs (Escamoles) are harvested from the Agave plant in Mexico and considered a delicacy, a sort of “insect caviar” (check out the picture below) and when my plate came it was like being on one of the reality shows in the jungle. I had eaten cactus before so that taste was no surprise to me. The cactus came folded into my breakfast scrambled eggs and the ant eggs were sprinkled on top. They tasted a little like cottage cheese - buttery, nutty and a bit peppery too and were wonderful. I was in Mexico City working with Diageo Mexico who was launching King George V Whisky. I recreated a 1934 banquet from Buckingham Palace – when the real King George was on the throne. Managed to get some free time and tour a busy street market where I got to taste the most amazing lamb soup made out of boiled sheep heads with rice and corn and big chunks of stewed lamb (check out the picture below) Also, some incredible quesadillas made with huitlacoche from a street vendor. Huitlacoche is the fungal, culinary delicacy that grows on ears of corn as they ripen and leaks an inky black liquid when heated creating these delicious quesadillas. Mmm, yummy ! December 9 2008 Raising $24,000 in two minutes... I know it is the season of goodwill, but the Cystic Fibrosis Charity Fundraiser at the Adolphus hotel where I donated TWO dinner parties for 10 people blew me away. Both went for $12,000 each in the live auction meaning we raised $24,000 in just two minutes. Check out the photos from the event in this weeks Plano Insider newspaper click here and read all about the event in my newsletter click here December 4 2008 Just Three Weeks to Christmas Day... Are you ready ? If not, check out my article on getting ready for Christmas on the new newsletter page click here SO much to blog about, my trip to Mexico City last weekend, cooking class and my summer culinary trips to Jamaica and Edinburgh, Scotland. Bit busy rattling pots and pans right now, as most chefs are too I guess, keep checking back and I will write more as soon as I can. November 24 2008 Funny old Weekend... Last weekend was a bit of a rush. I was at Market Street in Colleyville teaching a holiday entertaining class then straight to the airport and off to Danville, PA. to the Geisinger Medical Center to do a presentation and cooking demonstration for 250 as part of a program Geisinger put on to promote healthy eating for the holidays. I had a great time at both events, seeing my old friends that have been coming to my class for years at Colleyville and making new ones in Danville too. Note to those who attended the Geisinger presentation- the chicken recipe is on my RECIPES page. A huge thank is in order to the food team at Pine Barn Inn who catered for the masses and reproduced my recipes so everyone got a taste of the dishes I prepared. Also to Norman who let me borrow one of his chef uniforms, mine was in Chicago. I wouldn't mind but I left my bag PLANE SIDE and their were only 8 others valet checked. That's Atlanta for you - and it's not even Thanksgiving yet, wait until everyone starts traveling. I wonder if it was demons at work. Maybe Delta thought I had left all of the new recipes I have just written for American Airlines in my bag and thought they would have a sneak peak at them first (laughs) November 21 2008 A good old Irish Knees up... You don’t have to do “fine dining” to appreciate a good night out. As we left York Street (see blog below) a few hundred dollars lighter we headed across the road to the Tipperary Inn. “The Tipp” as it is affectionately called is in my opinion the most authentic Irish pub in Dallas, both in décor and the menu. Where else can you get “Guinness Queso & Chips” though I guess that doesn’t make it authentic (smiles) OK then, what about the Traditional Irish Breakfast - Two eggs served over-easy complete with traditional irish rashers, grilled tomato, potato pancakes, beans, and black & white puddings. Now that’ll warm the cockles of your heart to be sure ! And it has live music too. The night we were there a - folk/bluegrass with a bit of Celtic thrown in - group called the Trinity River Whalers were mesmerizing the full house and yes they were good. So good, they had groupies. The whole front row tapping the tables in time to the music had a combined weight of a Jumbo 747 but each as nimble as Michael Flatley in Riverdance on the dance floor. The Whaler crew is comprised of Kathleen Jackson (upright bass) Michael Price (rhythm guitar) Marj Troyer (lead guitar and mandolin) and my favorite Randy Christian (harmonica, accordion and percussion) The groups very own leprechaun who masters the harmonica like a bulldog chewing a wasp and belts out Irish tales to music at lightning speeds. If you are in the mood for a fun filled evening of good beer, humor, warmth and tunes then head off to Lochrann’s Irish Pub in Frisco on February 7th 2009 when the band will be performing. Look out for me on the front row because as the Proclaimers song goes (that they belt out really well) " I would walk 500 miles" November 17 2008 York Street, Dallas... With the current credit crunch hitting everyone’s pocketbook, eating out is usually the first to go. Maybe why it was so easy to get a table Saturday night at York Street, Sharon Hages restaurant in East Dallas. It was a rare night out with “foodie” friends and we all were in the mood for some fine dining to compliment the fine company. York Street is up there with places like Aurora and the Ritz when it comes to quality food, because of Sharon Hage and her 42 seater restaurant where the menu changes daily. I was excited. It took a while for us to find the restaurant, tucked away in a little corner on Lewis Street with an exterior that could be mistaken for a massage parlor with its frosted front window, which is probably to obscure the ugly gas station forecourt it faces. As you enter the restaurant it’s like falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in wonderland. The place is so small and as if to emphasize this a giant potato peeler hangs on the wall, had we really shrunk? Tables were packed so tightly together that each seat reminded me of the “middle seat” on the plane, fighting for the arm rest as the person next to you scratches his nose. The menu changes daily and is small, so is the font size it is typed in (isn’t everything here) The special was Veal Sweetbreads; I love them and asked how they were cooked. “However she chooses to do them once you have ordered them” said the waiter. And can I pay for them whatever I feel I want too once I have eaten them? I wanted to ask. Two of us had the foie gras and it tasted delicious, though the portion was a little “small” – here we go again. I had the sweetbread which Sharon chose to serve breaded. They were good. So were the sardines. Entrees, we chose braised rabbit and roast pork. It was OK. Nicely cooked, as I expected, but the wow factor was as absent as was the salt and pepper from the table. I guess Sharon chooses to season for us too. We declined dessert; you had to order it before you ate your first course and as we were still munching on the complimentary appetizer nuts and olives who knew if we would want dessert later or be too full? Sharon did come into the restaurant and walk the tables, like Alice looking for the tea party. But we were already on our way back into the big world outside and the Tipperary Inn across the road, but more on that later. You leave Fearings and Aurora with the wow factor but that just didn’t kick in at York Street. It’s not that Sharon can’t cook, she has won more medals than (my brother) Sylveste for her culinary skills. Maybe fine dining is also about location, maybe it’s’ the whole experience and not just the food. I left thinking “ I wonder what Sharon Hage could really do – in a life size restaurant” November 14 2008 Polls and how you read them... It's always interesting as a Brit in the USA watching the elections here. Wall to wall coverage on all the cable channels and each with one with their own poll. The thing with polls though is that they can be interpreted in several different ways. Take the current YouGov poll in the UK asking about Prince Charles - he celebrated his 60th birthday today - All of the UK papers pull stats from it with headlines " 42% of the country prefer Prince Charles to take the throne when the Queen dies. " But doesn't that also mean Over half of the country either DON'T want or are not sure if they want Charles as King ? " None of the papers mentioned that most of the 42% that did want him to succeed the Queen were over 55 years old. Give it 10 years and let's look at this poll again. Interestingly not ONE of the papers quoted what I thought was a MUCH more important part of the same poll. If Prince Charles does become King, should Camilla become Queen or Princess Consort ? A staggering 77 % thought she should have NEITHER of those titles. I wonder why NONE of the media is running that story ? October 30 2008 Brand New Newsletter... Check out my brand new newsletter full of goodies. click here October 28 2008 PRESS RELEASE ... FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Beginning Nov. 1, First and Business Class passengers traveling on American Airlines westbound European flights will be able to sample new palate-pleasing items with broad European flair. American, in conjunction with The Royal Chef (TM) Darren McGrady, is unveiling newly-refreshed International Flagship Service, which features dishes that embody ingredients typical of English cuisine, and flavors that have broad appeal. To read the full press release on the prnewswire click here October 25 2008 A Royal Winter Ball ... Saturday November 8th 2008. If you have the evening free, live in theDallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, want to help out a charity and have an amazing night - all at the same time - then this is for you. I will be master of ceremonies at the Royal Winter Ball benefitting Cystic Fibrosis at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas. The Royal Winter Ball is a black-tie gala where guests will be treated like royalty as they enjoy fine cuisine - authentic dishes that I prepared for the royal family that I passed on to my friend, Executive chef at the Adolpus, Jason Weaver to recreate - a fabulous auction, live entertainment by Sauce and hear first hand special memories of my fifteen years with the royal family. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Purchase your tickets now and join us for this special inaugural event. Limited seating available. Contact Courtney Mayfield at 214.871.2222 for more information or go to the Cystic Fibrosis website click here October 24 2008 Culinary Kids ... I was in Williamsburg, Virginia a few weeks ago helping fundraise for Meals on Wheels. As well as the black tie dinner they also held a kids cooking contest and I was honored to present a copy of my book to each age group category winner. Here are the winners, I wish I could cook as good as these guys when I was their age... Congratulations to all of you. I can't wait to come and visit you in your own restaurants in a few years (smiles) October 19 2008 CITI SMITH BARNEY ... I was in Arizona yesterday at the Fairmont Princess doing an event for Citi Smith Barney. Boy is the Fairmont Princess just one of the best hotels in the world, it was fabulous. I had a great time doing a cooking demonstration and presentation for the Smith Barney group and one of the dishes that I prepared and served was Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins. Everyone was looking through my book Eating Royally for the recipe and of course it isn't in there, maybe the next book (smiles) But so as not to keep you waiting too long to try these delicious muffins at home, here is the recipe, it makes 12 muffins ... 2 cups flour 2/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp soda 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup milk 1/2 cup butter – melted and cooled slightly 2 eggs 1 cup peanut butter - crunchy 1 cup strawberry jam Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tray. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda to a large bowl and mix well In a second bowl mix the milk, butter, egg and vanilla paste. Combine both mixes and stir together. Divide the mix between the muffin tins and add a Tbs of peanut butter followed by a Tbs of Jelly to the center of the mix. Bake in the center of the oven until the muffins are golden brown. ENJOY ! October 8 2008 Royal Tour ... One of the highlights of working for the royal family was a royal tour. Traveling to a different country in the royal party with the Queen often meant being away for two weeks taking care of her majesty's culinary needs. Planning had to be done months ahead of time and every minute of the day was accounted for and signed off on by the Queen prior to the trip. I was surprised to hear today that on the Prince of wales high-profile trip to Japan, Brunei and Indonesia later this month his wife Camilla (61) will return home half way through because quote " the Duchess needed to 'catch her breath' at home before Remembrance Sunday " Remembrance Sunday of course she will be "watching the parade" as the old, WW2 soldiers march. Perhaps we should have sent the Queen on this trip instead. In 15 years I never saw her majesty (82) once pull out or cut short a royal tour, it was and always will be "duty first" for the Queen. Camilla was once dubbed the 'laziest woman in Britain' by a former aide, makes you wonder what Princess Diana would have been saying over this mornings papers had she been here today. September 24 2008 VIDEOS PAGE ... Check out the latest page to be added to the my web site. It is the videos page where I can put my TV clips and any other videos I do. Some great recipe clips, like the Sticky Toffee Pudding, perfect for this time of year. Click on the Videos at the top of the page (next to the British flag) September 16 2008 Two Chefs on the Catwalk ... If Dean Fearing is gliding around the tables a little smoother this weekend at his restaurant - Fearling's at the Ritz Carlton, Dallas - I can let you in on a little secret. The last time I "appeared" with Dean (formerly of the Mansion on turtle creek ) was when he came to my home to tape his "Taste of the Southwest" cooking show. Neither of us knew that our next gig together would be walking the catwalk as male models. Friday we got to catch up back stage at the Anatole, Dallas where almost a hundred folks had been press ganged into walking the runway- dressed by Stanley Korshak- to raise funds for Kidney Texas. Managed to get a copy of the video, watch this space. September 16 2008 The Mushroom Man ... I was sad to read in the Daily Mail today about Antonio Carluccio. Reports the UK newspaper ... "Antonio Carluccio has been admitted to the Priory clinic after stabbing himself in the chest with a kitchen knife. The 71-year-old is expected to spend a month being treated for depression at the clinic. Carluccio, who owns a chain of Italian restaurants bearing his name, was taken to hospital last Monday suffering from self-inflicted stab wounds. " I remember meeting him at Balmoral Castle when Prince Charles invited him to visit the estate in search of wild mushrooms. Antonio was the sweetest, most humble man I think I had ever met. His passion for wild mushrooms shone through and you couldn't help but share his excitement at finding wild cepes on the estate, along with the fascinating stories he shared as we washed, trimmed and sauteed the treasures for the royal table. Get well soon old chap ! September 14 2008 Queen Camilla ... I hate to say I told you so, but I TOLD YOU SO !!! The News of the World in London is reporting an exclusive that quote... "The heir to the throne has held top-level meetings with his main advisors, constitutional experts and religious leaders to secure his wife the title she’s desperate for. I said this on The Larry King Show February 10 2005 LONG before the rest of the media and royal pundits picked up on it ... KING: Do you think, Darren, they might let her be the title of queen when eventually that comes? MCGRADY: I really do, Larry. I think that's going to happen. It's interesting the wording in the announcement today. It says that when the prince of Wales becomes king, it's INTENDED that his wife will be the princess consort. Well, nine years ago, the prince of Wales didn't INTEND to get married again. Right now we see the typical palace spin doctors busy at work. I watched it for 15 years so know just how it all works. Leak a story here, just a tease, gauge public and media reaction, leak a little more... A royal source said... “By having a consort who is not given the title that is hers by right, it will reflect badly upon the king." Wasn't Princess Diana in line for the same title, that was hers by right of marriage at one stage - until someone put the mockers on that ? " Or is that all forgotten now ? God Bless the Queen and long may she reign ! September 11 2008 Where is the chef ? ... Interesting, the study by the Daily Mail in London yesterday of "celebrity chef restaurants" and just how often the celebrity chef actually cooks there. Gordon Ramsey is nowhere to be seen these days at his Claridges restaurant, according to the report. Gordon you remember slated the Buckingham Palace chef not so long ago. At least Her Majesty can be assured that HER chef is in HER kitchens five days a week when she needs some "prehistoric duck liver pate" and not strutting the red carpet in LA or sat in some green room in New York waiting for make up. September 1 2008 Gordon Ramsay ... On my culinary tour of London a couple of weeks ago I planned to host the "farewell dinner" at Gordon Ramsey at Claridges. The idea was knocked on the head when I found out that they only seated large groups (we were 11) in private dining rooms - and of course charged an EXTRA $1,200 on top of the check for the privilege. Now I rate Gordon Ramsay as a chef, but charging $1,200 extra for large groups is disgusting and smacks of arrogance. It says "because I can" His arrogance showed it's ugly head again this week when the - "I am not a celebrity chef" but appear on every tv show that will have me - star, I mean chef turned up on Jay Leno's Tonight Show here in the USA. He launched a scathing attack on the quality of the food at Buckingham Palace stating "You don't actually know who's cooking for the Queen, but I'd never employ him..." Ramsay said of his visit to Buckingham Palace: "the canapes looked prehistoric, like 300-years-old". Of course this had the Leno crowd guffawing. The "I am not a celebrity chef" has become an expert at "FOX TV syndrome" - the more you shock people the bigger media - since his Hells Kitchen where he bullies and belittles wannabe chefs rather than spending the time training them. Ramsay is well aware that his restaurants - of which three recently closed - are a completely different kettle of fish (pardon the pun) to the Royal Kitchens at Buckingham Palace. People dine at his restaurants for fine dining, usually once, maybe twice a week at most and nearly always on a corporate credit card. Buckingham Palace is a private home and private homes are where yes, even as Queen we eat some dishes that Mom and Granny used to have at her dining table where the recipes have been passed down from family to family. Saddle of venison Windsor would never grace the tables of Petrus or Maze but appear several times a month on the royal dining tables of Balmoral, Sandringham and Buckingham Palace. Why ? because the queen likes it, and it's her house and in her house she can eat whatever she wants. And as a pensioner she doesn't have to eat all of that "fancy food" they serve you in top restaurants. In fact, when folks are invited for tea or canapes she can choose whatever SHE wants to serve them. Because it's her home. And if "celebrity" chefs - oops, he's not a "celebrity" chef he says - want to create extra publicity for themselves by slagging off the food she chooses to serve at her house then who cares ? Her Majesty has been around long enough to see through it and the classical, traditional food she serves at her house will be around a lot longer. August 30 2008 New newsletter ... If you subscribe to my newsletter by email (yellow box above, if you don't but want to) then you received the August newsletter with recipe last week. If not, it is now up on the newsletter page- click the link at the top of the page that says ..er..newsletter. (smiles) August 28 2008 Watch the Cooking Clip ... The McKinney High School band were fabulous on Good Morning Texas yesterday. You can watch the TV clip here Then click on this next link to watch me make the Caramel Banana Cake here August 25 2008 Good Morning Texas ... I am going to be cooking live on Good Morning Texas on Wednesday morning (around 9-45am central time) WFAA channel 8. With me will be the McKinney North High School Band, twenty of them (smiles) and won't they make some noise in the plaza at the American Airlines center where the GMT studios are located. Message to the band - Don't forget to grab a chunk of my Caramel Banana Cake to eat on the bus back to school - (smiles) We will be promoting the Spencer Taylor Culinary Tribute which is on September 7th. The event sold out in minutes but we saved TWO tickets, front row center to auction off on Ebay. click here August 19 2008 Two Crazy Chefs ... Check out the new DVD clip top left on this page. Click on the photo. I did a charity dinner party with Gary Cogill from Good Morning Texas and you see the "behind the scenes" at this event. Love Gary to bits and can't wait to work with him again next Wednesday on Good Morning Texas WFAA where along with the McKinney High School Band we will be promoting our Culinary Fundraiser September 7th at Market Street, McKinney August 18 2008 Queen of Green Gets On Her Bike ... Headlines in todays UK Sun newspaper stating that "the Queen’s bodyguards at Balmoral are going green by swapping Range Rovers for bicycles. Cops protecting Her Majesty at her Scottish estate are being urged to patrol it on mountain bikes rather than gas-guzzling 4x4s." More spin coming from the palace than the mountain bike wheels if you ask me ! The Metropolitan police that protect her majesty on the 50,000 acre estate have always had bicycles to ride around the estate on, envious of the "flashy" PPO's (personal protection officers) racing around the estate in the latest range rovers. You try taking that privelige away from them and you will get a "On yer bike mate ! " August 15 2008 UK DAILY MAIL newspaper ... My newsletter went out last night to all that subscribe and it didn't take "on the ball" Richard Kay, (royal columnist for the UK Daily Mail newspaper) long to pick up on part of it. I mentioned nearly being thrown out of Buckingham Palace on the culinary tour there last week and he called me to elaborate for todays column. You can read the full article here August 14 2008 Live on Santa Barbara Radio ... Next Wednesday I am doing a fundraiser in Santa Barbara, California to raise money for the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (C.A.S.A.) and to promote the event I will be on Santa Barbaras Restaurant and Wine review radio show - Nippers table talk - on KZSB AM1290 it broadcasts live on the internet at 11:10am central time TODAY, is on for 30 minutes and you can listen here August 13 2008 Celebrity Staff Magazine ... My first article has just come out in this months Celeb Staff Magazine. Celeb Staff Magazine is the first magazine about the gatekeepers for the rich and famous and offers a wealth of insight into this rarified world of refinement and sophistication. You can read a tease of the article ... here August 12 2008 Back in the USA ... Boy, have I clocked up some airmiles this last month and do I have loads to tell you. I just didn't get a minute to sit down and blog. I did make notes though and will be sharing stories of my trips to Jamaica, Brazil, London and Aspen with you through my newsletter coming out soon to those who have subscribed (still time to sign up for it in the yellow box above) Check out your inbox soon for the newsletter for some amazing new food products and ingredients, including one that if cooked wrong is poisonous and produces a syndrome of vomiting, seizures and fatal hypoglycemia... COOL ! A fruit found in the Amazon that had me dancing in the streets - where oh where can I get this in the USA !!!! The "What was Kent Rathburn doing in Aspen" competition. Why I spent three days at Heathrow Airport and All the gossip on our London Culinary Tour - including how I nearly got thrown out of Buckingham Palace ... plus loads more. In the meantime, check out this photo of the group in Kensington Palace Gardens just after we had toured Kensington Palace. July 4 2008 Grillin and Chilin ... Well I hope you are all having a miserable July 4th, it's raining where you are and you are feeling really guilty about kicking us Brits out of your country and throwing our tea into the harbor. Seriously, hope you are having a great day, feasting on lots of good food and even better company. If you are close by Colleyville (Monday evening) or McKinney (Thursday evening) Texas next week I am teaching a grillin and chillin class at the Market Street stores. We prep the class upstairs in the cooking school and then all go outside to the grill to enjoy some good food, live music and wine sampling. The menu is Chili and Garlic Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Vegetable Quinoa; Pomegranate Margarita Sorbet; Minute Steaks with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions and Cannelini Bruschetta; Lemon Posset with Summer Berries. Would love to see you there. July 1 2008 Watch the video of this mornings Fox 4, Good Day appearance... Watch the three minute clip and get a fabulous recipe idea for July 4th weekend entertaining. click here June 30 2008 Cooking live on Fox 4 Tomorrow ... July 1st (tomorrow) would have been Princess Diana's 47th birthday. Catch me on Good Day Dallas, Fox 4 at 8am cooking one of the dishes that I used to prepare for her. June 27 2008 Compassionate Chefs for Kids ... Compassionate Chefs for Kids is Children’s Home Society of Florida’s premier fundraising event for the Emerald Coast Division, serving Panama City and the surrounding areas. I will be there tomorrow night giving out samples of my Bread and Butter Pudding and signing books to help raise money for this wonderful charity. Come along if you are in the area, taste some of the finest food along the coast and stop by and say hello. June 24 2008 Trufire Kitchen and Bar ... Stumbled upon Trufire kitchen and bar tonight while looking for somewhere good to eat in Frisco, Tx. Location wise it has gone into the old Josephines spot at the Shops of Starwood on Lebanon rd. As a regular of Josephines until it closed earlier this year I was keen to try this new addition to the Frisco restaurant scene that boasts “Life happens in the kitchen” And so it might, but in the dining room we are missing out on the party. Trufire offers “you said you wanted a true neighborhood restaurant… we heard you! But which neighborhood are we talking about? It’s Italian and Mediterranean and all with American flair. Hmm. The restaurant is spearheaded by Steve Hartnett (co-founder of Cool River and a co-owner of Bob's Steak and Chop House) and former Brinker International execs David Kazarian and Jay Clark. Brinker you may know own Macaroni Grill - though they are rumored to be trying to offload it to the owners of Boston Market – So it’s no surprise to see the odd “similar” dish on the Trufire menu. Rigatoni S and S for one is a ringer for Penne Rustica though loses out big time. Rigatoni comes from the Italian word rigati, which means "ridged" Rigid so that the sauce sticks too it, but at Trufire the creamy garlic sauce is too thin and the pasta resembles logs floating across the floods of the midwest. I have to admit though I did enjoy the Hummus appetizer. It came topped with bell peppers, lemon and feta cheese ( a bigger drizzle of olive oil and a few olives would have made this heaven) The warm pita bread for dipping was so good that it disappeared faster than a greyhound chasing a rabbit and our server replenished several times for free to his credit. The owners are really friendly and the servers are good and attentive. The interior is still a ‘la Josephines – rustic Italian – apart from the English music (English neighborhood, I guess) Trufire has been open for six weeks now and I am sad to say that unless “life starts happening” a little different in the kitchen it won’t be there in six months. June 18 2008 Royal Winter Ball ... If you live in the Dallas area then put Saturday November 8th 2008 in your diary. I have teamed up with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to host a Royal Winter Ball fundraiser at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas. The Royal Winter Ball is a black-tie gala where guests will be treated like royalty as they enjoy fine cuisine, a fabulous auction, live entertainment by Sauce (how appropriate) and hear first hand special memories of my 15 years royal service.Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Contact Courtney Mayfield at 214.871.2222 for more information. June 17 2008 Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant, Dallas ... Tonight I am going to be working the tables at Oceanaire, Dallas. It's the official launch of my "summer celebrity chef dish on the menu" and my Chili and Garlic Shrimp with Lobster Cheese Grits is featured on the menu. Proceeds from every dish will benefit the Dallas Childrens Theater which is a great cause. Wendy and I with two good friends went in to Oceanaire Saturday night to "test out the dish" and executive chef Chad Kelley had the dish perfect. Come by if you are in the area and say hi. I will be signing copies of my book too with the advance and royalties going to PEDAIDS. June 17 2008 Todays UK Daily Mail newspaper ... My blog comments yesterday were picked up by the UK Daily Mail newspaper. Read the article below or on the Mail website here "Burrell saga leaves a bitter taste for Diana's chef" Princess Diana's former chef Darren McGrady has been viewing the latest "revelations" about Paul Burrell with disgust. "It's all deeply unpleasant and distasteful. First we had him cashing in, then his brother, then his father and now it's his brother-in-law's turn," says Darren, who lives in the U.S. "It's a circus. The whole family seems to be getting in on the act." As to the claim that Burrell was Diana's lover, McGrady tells me: "Do I believe that he slept with the Princess? Absolutely not. Do I believe he could have told his brother-in-law he had? Well, that wouldn't surprise me at all." McGrady, who works as the private chef to a Dallas-based billionaire, adds: "The point about Paul was that he didn't want a relationship with the Princess, he actually wanted to be her and, of course, he didn't like anyone else to be closer to her than him." ...Enuff said. June 16 2008 Princess Diana ... Princess Diana's name was in the media the weekend - for all the wrong reasons. This time allegations by the butlers brother in law stating that the butler told him he had slept with the princess. Did he actually sleep with her ? No way ! I was one of the few people at Kensington Palace during the last 4 years of Princess Diana's life and saw the relationship first hand between butler and boss. Of course if he had continued referring to her as "the princess" as he did when she was alive and not as "Diana" insinuating they were on first name terms then that might have helped. Did the butler really boast about having sex with Princess Diana in the pub to his wifes brother ? I can believe that part. June 16 2008 Read the new Newsletter ... The June newsletter is now up on the site. click here to read it. June 10 2008 June Newsletter ... My monthly newsletter went out this morning to those (almost 4,000 last count) people on my email list. If you haven't signed up for it yet to be delivered to your inbox each month then do so in the yellow box above. It will appear on the newsletter page in about a week if you missed it. This months topics - Eating out at Lawrys Prime Rib in Dallas. Fundraising for Dallas Childrens Theater with Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant, Upcoming cooking classes before they hit the schedules, a perfect beef tenderloin dish for the summer and much more... June 3 2008 The Weekly News ... If you live in the UK grab a copy of this months "The Weekly News" Every month I will be passing on some of my favorites recipes to you in this wonderful color magazine starting with this months issue. (in the newsagents from today) June 2 2008 Celeb Staff Magazine ... I have been asked to write for Celeb Staff Magazine and my first article (four pages) will be in the July issue. CelebStaff magazine is for those who provide services that support the lifestyle of high net-worth individuals such as the investment bankers, physicians, personal assistants, personal chefs, nannies, travel agents, butlers, plastic surgeons and so on. It's a bi-monthly mag, distributed nationally and deals with a variety of areas pertaining to the luxury lifestyle including the maintenance and management of upscale homes, family life, travel, charities, entertainment in style, hiring of staff and much more. Find out more ... click here June 2 2008 Figs for dinner ... Just back from a shopping trip to Central Market. I love that store, it has so many interesting "new" products it is almost like a chefs library. Foodies get so entranced, well I do, that when I come out I can never remember where I parked the car. We don't need a calendar to tell us it's the first week of June, like clockwork the first Figs of the season - from California - are now in store. These ones I bought are huge as well. Like Figs on steroids. What a salad they will make, split open and placed on a bunch of salad leaves, a little - OK a lot - of Stilton cheese sprinkled on top and drizzled with a maple balsamic dressing with a couple of caramelized pecans to garnish and add texture. A big ol glass of Puligny Montrachet and Bob's yer Uncle ! May 19 2008 New Newsletter ... Mid way through May already.Where has this month gone ? In case you don't subscribe to my monthly newsletter that I e-mailed out last week (just add your email address to the yellow box above the blog here if you want to receive it) you can read it now by clicking on the "newsletter" at the top of the page. (next to the British flag) May 8 2008 Treat Mom 'Royally' ... If you still haven't bought the book, here are a few great recipes from it that The Daily News Journal in Tennessee say are perfect for Mom ! To read the article in todays edition and get the recipes click here May 2 2008 Dallas Child Magazine May Issue ... Check out the interview I did for this month's Dallas Child Magazine. It includes the photo above of 'the McGrady Bunch" (smiles) Here is a tease of it.... What does the McGrady family eat at home? Grilled chicken, pasta and broccoli at least once a week. Some weeks, we have a British Sunday roast. Some nights, especially soccer practice nights, it's McDonald’s — though fortunately I am working those nights. For the whole interview and more pics click here April 24 2008 Malibu Times ... I am heading off to California at the weekend, to the beautiful Malibu. I love Los Angeles it is SO alive and the drive up pacific coast highway is breathtaking. I won't have time to dip my toes in the sea though sadly, but will be dining Saturday night at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and can't wait to try the food. Read the article in todays Malibu Times to see where I am cooking (smiles) click here April 21 2008 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ... Happy birthday to Her Majesty the Queen, who is 82 years young today. The Queen will spend a quiet day at Windsor Castle and as she has done every year on her birthday will have her chocolate ganache birthday cake for afternoon tea. You can get the recipe from my book Eating Royally by clicking on the book at the top of the page or sign up for my newsletter in the yellow box above and the recipe will be in this months issue in time for you to make for mother's day. photo from "Eating Royally" courtesy and copyright of Darren McGrady April 19 2008 Autism Kids Charity ... Just back from a dinner party tonight, I had eight people for dinner, it was the live auction item that raised $ 9,000 for the Autism Treatment Center in Dallas. Tom and Jill Bazonne were the hosts and I cannot thank them enough for their generous contribution to this wonderful charity. It's been a busy week and I am looking forward to having tomorrrow off with the family. This week I got to meet Roland Mesnier the White House pastry chef for 25 years, more about that in my newsletter out this week. If you haven't already subscribed to it then write your email address in the yellow box above to have it delivered to your inbox. April 16 2008 Cool Chefs ... I wanted to say a special thank you to these two chefs for the hard work they put in preparing for my cooking demonstrations last week. Heather Tidwell and Bryan Brown are both teaching assistants at Johnson Wales University in Charlotte, NC and they were SO good, I hardly had anything to do. I wish I could travel both around the country prepping for me (smiles) Thanks again to both of you...er.. Don't suppose you will be in Los Angeles next week will you, with your knives ? April 10 2008 Lake Norman Home Show ... I just got this photo sent to me and wanted to share it with you. I was in North Carolina at the weekend doing some cooking demonstrations and a book signing. We sold over 100 books which was fabulous, thank you to everyone that attended. This little girl in the pic read I was coming to the show and talked her mom and gran into bringing her to meet me. Bless her ! She is 8 years old and loves to cook. Same age as my youngest daughter Lexie who greeted me last night as I set foot in the house with " He's burnt the duck dad, how can he serve that ? " When she doesn't have the tv on the kids channel it is usually on Food Network - for Emeril bashing. April 8 2008 So, it was an accident, that's it then ... Or is it ? After ten years and six months we are told what 99% of us had decided in 10 minutes and 6 seconds. It was an accident, drunk driver going too fast. Of course had we not had the inquest then none of us would have heard about Princess Diana's lovers or that she was on the pill, or that she smuggled men into Kensington Palace - well not unless the butler planned to tell us in his next book. The boss must have been turning in her lonely grave at all of this personal information coming out of the mouths of the 252 witnesses, all in the name of justice of course. Some were there to help find the truth, others for the 15 extra minutes of fame a day in court would give. All in all, as I said most of us had already decided it was an accident. Has the $20 million it cost convinced everyone though ? Of course not. 2 jurors disagreed with the verdict and this will throw flames on the fire of conspiracy theorists. Why did Henri Paul lose control of the mercedes ? Why did it take over an hour to get the princess to hospital ? and on and on. Will - as William and Harry requested - the princess now be able to rest in peace ? Not in my life time, sadly. READ WHAT I REALLY THOUGHT OF THE INQUEST AND THE PLAYERS IN THIS MONTHS NEWSLETTER delivered to your inbox by adding your email address in the box above. April 4 2008 Prince Philip in hospital... The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to hospital with a chest infection. A spokeswoman said Prince Philip was taken to the King Edward VII's Hospital for "assessment and treatment for a chest infection". Edward VII is in central London and a fabulous private hospital that all of the royal family use. A perk of the job for royal household staff is that we got to stay there too when ill. "The Duke" as he is affectionately known below stairs is 86 years old and chest infections have to be taken pretty seriously at his age. Hard to believe he is 86 though. Next week while most 86 year olds are watching the world go by the Duke has engagements. On Monday he is due to attend two engagements at Windsor Castle, a council meeting and a dinner to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel and then on Thursday he is scheduled to accompany the Queen to an engagement at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. In the movie "The Queen" he was portrayed as a grumpy old man - and oh yes he could be, never one to suffer fools gladly. I remember him once calling a chef a "bloody fool" for forgetting what dessert was that night for dinner and also letting off the odd "f" bomb when other chefs had forgotten to send equipment out in his food trailer. He has the best sense of humor ever, is a real foodie and expert grill master. Without a doubt the kitchen staffs favorite royal. Here's wishing you a speedy recovery Sir, Windsor Horse Show is just around the corner and he would hate to miss that. March 24 2008 Free Shipping... In time for Mother's Day we now offer free shipping on both the book and the DVD. Buying a copy of Eating Royally makes a perfect Mother's day gift (and helps me raise a lot of money for charity too) If you buy it here on the site you can also have the book personally dedicated to your Mom too. Then, until Mother's Day it ships priority mail free of charge to anywhere in the country. The DVD featuring 2 hours of cooking in HD can now be ordered and shipped to you for UNDER $20... How cool is that (smiles) March 20 2008 Apologies... Apologies to those people that have been trying to mail me through the darren@theroyalchef.com account. We had exceeded our quota on the site ( I think that means the mail box was full :O) Anyway, normal service has resumed, so please resend any mail you had been trying to get through to me - only not everyone at once (laughs) March 17 2008 PBS Philadelphia... Saturday I had a 2 hour live show on WHYY. The pledge drive consisted of three 20 minute segments from my DVD Royal Favorites (produced by Food Network producer Garrett Simmons) and three 20 minute segments in the studio where we had a pledge drive and I got to cook three dishes live. My thanks to everyone that called in and pledged, the behind the scenes team at WHYY, food stylists Dan and Danni and to those I spoke with on the phones. Hope you like this pic of me and the show hosts enjoying a "spot of tea" at the end of the show. More on the pledge drive and the mother's day tea I am hosting for them soon. March 17 2008 Congratulations ... ... to my two publicists Lola and Laura on their new arrivals. What a way to celebrate the cook book ! Lola is calling hers "Eating" and Laura hers "Royally" (laughs) Nah, not really. Welcome to the world Hudson and Stuart - you two have the best publicists in the universe as moms March 5 2008 Wholetruths ? ... I was at my local Wholefoods this morning grocery shopping and noticed the new ad campaign they had started (especially all over those recycled paper sacks that the handles fall off with more than 4 items in because it is like they are stuck on with a flour and water mix) "Locally grown" they shout - because quote..." Buying produce from local growers reduces the environmental impact and costs of transporting product." So there you go ! Tell me then just why the Lamb I bought for dinner had traveled 7,000 miles from New Zealand (leaving it's carbon footprint as it did so) probably flying over Fox Fire Farms in Colorado where lambs are never fed any grain or corn, just lush green certified organic grass, the way nature intended. Fox Fire lambs are never administered growth hormones, antibiotics, and are also treated humanely. So, can someone tell me just WHY Wholefoods buyers don't buy lamb this locally ? It can't be cost... can it ? I called Wholefoods Southwest distribution center to find out, but so far no one has returned my call. March 3 2008 WHYY PBS Philadelphia ... I love Philly, I really do. It's such a cool place to visit and I can't wait to get back there March 15th. This time I have a two hour spot on WHYY PBS Philadelphia and I will be cooking in between showing edited segments of my DVD Royal Favorites. So you get to see me cook SIX different dishes that I cooked for the royal family. The program is live at 2pm - 4pm on Saturday March 15th, so if you have friends in the Philly area ask them to tape it for you. More about the 2 hour show next week... February 29 2008 This and that ... Had a really fun time in Atlanta last weekend and enjoyed meeting everyone that came to my four demonstrations. Hope you all enjoyed the food samples, I know the Gaelic steaks was a huge hit and that recipe is in the book but you can get it for free in this months newsletter which went out to all that subscribe to it (put your email address in the box above if you want too) and is also now on the newsletter page - click on the link NEWSLETTER above. I was SO excited to be told I was to be awarded LONE STAR CULINARY CHEF 2008 last week. Imagine that, all of these chefs in Texas and little old "English Boy" gets the award. SWEET ! (laughs) I receive the award at the International Grand Tasting on Saturday March 8 at the Plaza of the Americas and Westin City Center Hotel. Check out the newsletter too to read about the fundraiser I am working on at McKinney Market Street. It's not often I shout for help but I would LOVE everyone of you to reach out and help me and the charity on this one. More next month. So what about Prince Harry ? All over Christmas while the royal family were tucking into turkey at Sandringham he was in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban. You have to admire his determination, I wonder where he got that from (smiles) Kudos to the British press for keeping it a secret, shame the media across the pond here took it upon themselves to whistle blow the exclusive. I fear for him now, I think he will become more of a bullet magnet once home than he was overseas. Let's hope not. February 13 2008 Tuscany Olive Oil ... I am often asked "what's your favorite this or what do you use for that" when I am doing cooking demonstrations. As a chef we are constantly testing new products and searching for amazing flavors that will enhance our recipes. This week I found an extra virgin olive oil called "Paniole Olio Extravergine Di Oliva Toscano" It sells for arounds $ 15 a bottle - about the price of a decent bottle of quaffing wine - and I can tell you, try this and quaff it you will. It's from Tuscany so it's pedigree is already there, but the flavor, oh my ! Imagine olive oil with the taste of melted salted butter, smooth and creamy, yet good for you. This one is a winner for sure. Don't dare use it for cooking with, this one was pressed to snuggle up to on a cold windy night in front of a blazing fire with a large crusty loaf. When is Valentines day again ? February 13 2008 Trout Pears ... With genetically modified junk rampant in grocery stores these days, it is refreshing when produce like the Forelle Pear start to appear. Brought to the USA by German immigrants in the 1800's this species is now grown in Washington and Oregon. The skin turns yellow as it ripens but they still keep their slightly crunchy texture so are firm enough for the kids lunch boxes and sweet enough for them to want more. In season for about another month - so, look out for them next time you are grocery shopping and give the kids a healthy treat. February 11 2008 Darren back at the palace ... I am really excited about a new project I am doing in the summer. Re-visiting my old royal stomping grounds of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace. Best part is, you can come too ! Check out the box on this page (top left) and see how you can join me as we tour the palaces and I will be your tour guide. Then, off to market, buy some good old English produce and a cooking class on my home turf. Throw in trips like; a tour of Harrods Food Halls, Tea at the Ritz and much more and you have a "right royal memorable trip" I can't wait. "Pint of warm beer anyone ? my round ! " February 7 2008 And on and on... Isn't it about time this Diana inquest came to a close ? This weeks star turn in the witness box was Kelly Fisher. For those of you not paying attention or even drifted off to sleep with the boredom of it all, she was the er... girlfriend/fiancee of the princess's er ... boyfriend/fiance. She is claiming... oh, who cares ! The sooner this inquest is over and done the sooner those that think she was murdered can go back to believing 'it was a cover up" and those that thought her death was an accident can carry on remembering the princess for the good that she did in her short life and the incredible way she inspired others. February 5 2008 Milwaukee ... Tired of this Texas 70 degree winter weather I am heading off to Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend where it is a sensible 23 degrees and a real winter. I will be cooking and book signing at the Milwaukee NARI Spring Home Improvement Show. Over 330 home improvement and remodeling exhibitors will display information on the newest products, trends, and services for the home in more than 700 booth spaces. My cooking demonstrations are on the Kennedy Hahn Appliance/American Cooking Demonstration Stage on Saturday February 9th at 12:00 noon and 4:30pm. I will be cooking and giving out samples of the British Royal Families favorite dishes so if you live in the area or have family or friends there then the more the merrier. Listen out for me on WMIL-FM 106.9, WOKY-AM 920 and WKLH-FM 96.5. Also, I will be on WISN-TV Channel 12 Saturday morning. February 4 2008 Capital Distributing ... Saturday night I was demonstrating the new turbochef oven for Capital Distributing in Dallas. Roast rack of Lamb in 4 minutes, whole tenderloin roasts in 11 minutes and canapes like my bacon wrapped jalapeno stuffed olives in just 45 seconds all wowed the crowds and the speed this oven cooks food to perfection continued to amaze me. I am not just saying that because I was representing Turbochef at the event. If I didn't believe in it, then I wouldn't tell people I did. In fact it is that good, I have one at home. I cook in the Turbochef oven every day and still can't get over just how good this oven really is. The food it cooks is 5 star restaurant quality but the way it takes the guess work out of cooking is what amazes me. How many housewives prod away at that roasted chicken 'just to make sure it is cooked" and presentation then looks like the dog got hold of it. Not with the Turbochef. Fourteen minutes - yes, just fourteen minutes and you had better belive it is cooked - cooked to perfection, crispy skin on the outside and moist and tender inside. If you have never heard of Capital Distributing but are on the look out for new kitchen appliances then don't go any further until you have checkd out this place. It is owned and run by Jan and Michael Davis and is such a friendly, family business even the grand kids can often be seen running about the showroom, playing in the dolls house and eating cookies with the customers kids. With literally dozens of ovens, cooktops, ranges, refrigerators and much more on display as well as the latest kitchen "must haves" like the Turbochef oven this is JUST the place to start when redesigning your kitchen at home or just in need of a new oven. Check out their web site click here Pay them a visit and say "The Royal Chef sent me" You might get some discount - or if not, a nice freshly baked cookie (smiles) January 29 2008 Apologies ... If ever anyone needed a part time scheduler for my diary - it's me. This week I boo boo'ed big time. I have a sold out Valentines class at Market Street McKinney Saturday night but had agreed months ago to do a demonstration for Turbochef at Capital Distributing in Dallas THE SAME NIGHT. I had just written the Turbochef event down on the March page of my diary instead of February. OOPS !!! (br) Thank you to "the gang" at Market Street for being so understanding and more importantly you guys that were coming to the class Saturday night. We have rescheduled the class for March 1st and I promise to make it up to you all then. I don't mess up often, but when I do - I do a good job of it (smiles) January 28 2008 Want me to come and cook dinner for you for just $ 50 ? ... Find out how in my first newsletter of 2008. Click on the newsletter tab (top of the page next to the British flag.) Also, why do the media keep calling on "royal experts" for quotes when the "expert" wasn't even there at the time. More in my newsletter along with a great new produce coming onto the market - vinegar made from honey ? You'd better believe it and gosh it's good. All of this, plus a fantastic recipe for valentines day and much more in this months newsletter. January 24 2008 New Newsletter ... My new newsletter went out via email last night to about 1000 people. It will be up on the web site hopefully next week. If you want it delivered direct to your inbox then add your email address to the box above the blog and I promise I won't sell your address to anyone else. This months newsletter gives you the chance to have me come and cook a gourmet dinner party at your house for 8 people for just $50. January 21 2008 Kishu Mandarins ... Enough on the Princess Diana Inquest, for now. Read more about it in my newsletter sent out direct to your inbox next week. Let me tell you about Kishu Mandarins if you have never seen them before. Kishus are only in season late December thru February and so we are prime time for them right now and they can be picked up at good grocery stores. Kishu Mandarins - or pixie tangerines as they are also known - are incredible. Small (the size of a golf ball) seedless, very easy to peel and a fabulous flavor make these the best tangerines ever and best still, kids love them. Look out for them in the stores now, but be quick, they are only around for another week or so. January 16 2008 Today in the High Court, London ... It was the third day in court for "the butler" and what looked like being his star performance turned into a nightmare leaving him wishing he had stayed in Florida. Read the report by the Daily Mail's Richard Kay - click here January 14 2008 Diana Inquest ... As the wheels of justice roll on at London's High Court with the inquest into Princess Diana's death it was "the butler's " day in court today. Asked by QC Ian Burnett: "You know nothing to support the suggestion they were murdered?" he replied: "No. I can't begin to believe that. Knowing the members of the Royal Family as I do, and knowing them so well, that's impossible." So, with that firmly in mind... Why on God's earth did he have to release to the world a letter the princess wrote in one of her distressed days stating that the royal family wanted her killed ? Oh, of course, gossiping it to the world would sell his book, even though he never believed a word of it, as he said today. I see he has been told to "hotfoot" it to his home in Cheshire to bring back documents that will reveal "the secret" Fat chance of them appearing in court Wednesday. Not giving out secrets like that for free. Not when their is the making of another money spinning book here. No, the inquest brought about by his revelation of the letters and his insistence for the truth will have to wait for "his side of the story" - at least until the advance is in the bank. January 8 2008 New Newsletter... I forgot to say, my new newsletter is up (click on the NEWSLETTER link at the top of the page, next to the flapping British flag) ) Of course, if you want to read it the day it comes out then sign up to have it sent to your inbox just by putting your email address in the box above the dvd clip on this page. It currently goes out to over 1000 people and I promise that I wont pass on your email addresses to anyone else. This months newsletter has the bread and butter pudding recipe that Princess Diana told the papers that "I made the best in the world" January's recipe will be... hmm, you will have to wait and see (smiles) January 8 2008 Happy New Year... Right then, off we go again on another year. Just back from spending New Year in England with the family. Gosh, it's SO expensive the way the pound is with the dollar right now. Had some really good food while we were there though. British food has it's own unique taste and flavors and it was interesting to see how the supermarkets now identify the region the food has been produced. Finnan smoked haddock for example, dating back to the 16th century when it would be lightly brined and cold smoked over peat. Makes my mouth water just talking about it. I used to poach it in milk, put a soft poached egg on top and finish the dish with a chive butter, garnished with a few rocket leaves for the princess. If you have never tried it and want the authentic stuff then order it here click here They import it from Scotland and of course it is expensive, but trust me, you will order again and again once you have tried it. Christmas Day 2007 Merry Christmas ... Well it's finally here. The turkey is cooking, the Christmas pud is steaming away. A nice bottle of Bordeaux wine is breathing on the sideboard. Aftrer lunch, check out the new newsletter (click the newlstter link, top of the page) and then sign up to have it delivered to your inbox every month. That's another year almost over. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours. Cheers ! December 13 2007 Book Signing at ESCADA ... Monday December 17th between 3-5pm I will be signing copies of my book Eating Royally at ESCADA, 31 Highland Park Village in Dallas. (junction Lovers Lane and Preston) Come along and pick up a signed copy. I have already sent the advance check to the children's charity and am now working on royalties - so help me raise a lot of money as well as buying that perfect Christmas gift. Even if you don't buy the book you can still drop by to say hello, have a glass of bubbly and some "bits and bobs" while you browse the store and then do a bit of Christmas shopping in the village afterwards. See you there ! December 6 2007 Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace ... They are changing the guard at Buckingham Palace - the kitchen one that is - On the official royal.gov website it says " A talented and dynamic Chef is sought to oversee the management of the Royal Kitchens. This is a hands-on position where you will lead and motivate a brigade of 20 chefs to deliver quality fresh food to the highest standards. A challenging and exciting opportunity with requirements ranging from canapés to staff restaurant meals. You must have substantial experience gained in 5 star premier catering operations, most recently at a senior level, with experience of fine dining, classical French cuisine, volume catering, menu development, and a real passion for food. So, if you fancy a career change, have a copy of my book and have attended at least 5 of my cooking classes, ooh, and have a good sense of humor (you will need it) then applications have to be in by January 7th. Good Luck ! December 1 2007 Signed copies of the book ... I have a lot of cooking to do this month - it's a chef thing you know - so I won't have a lot of time to get out signing books. SO, you can now order a signed copy of Eating Royally HERE ON THE WEBSITE - click on the BOOK COVER at the top of the page and fill out the form. Don't forget to say who you want the book dedicated too ( that means what name you want writing in it (laughs) You can order by check, cred/debit card, cash or money order - easy peasey huh ? Order soon though, so I can get them shipped priority mail in time for the holidays, I mean Christmas ! November 29 2007 Nearly Christmas ! ... Has it really been almost a whole month since I last blogged ? That's terrible ! My friends would never believe I could keep my mouth shut that long (smiles) Gosh this month has been so busy. Since I last blogged I have been to Florida twice and San Antonio. The teas at the Diana Exhibit were fantastic, the food was awesome and we sold a bazillion books with $14 of each copy going to breast cancer as well as my advance and royalties going to PedAids. I stopped in at a "lovely" English tea room for some amazing sausage rolls with a spot of tea in Tampa and did a little presentation on er.. "tea" to a nice group. The tea shop is run by an English lady called Thelma - check out her web site www.acornerofengland.com They have the most incredible authentic pasties too though Thelma will be the first to admit that they are bought locally and is happy to give you the address to order over the web. Next to San Antonio where it was two cooking classes at Central Market on the Saturday - Mary Martini and her team are just the best, I love teaching at that school. Then on the Sunday it was off to La Cantera to raise funds for March of Dimes Signature Chefs event. This weekend we had 50 folks over for a "kick start Christmas party" I hate this politically correct stuff about "holidays" don't you ? I also taped a seg for Good Morning Texas in Dallas - you can get the Mocha Chocolate brownies recipe off their web site. I am already discussing big plans for next year - I thought it couldn't get any busier but that thought went up the swanee with my diary filled for January, February and March already and trips to Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Milwauke (where's that ? ) to name but a few. This weekend sees me at my old stomping ground of Market Street McKinney on Saturday and Colleyville on Sunday with sold out cooking classes at both - wait till you try the Caramel Crunch Cake. I also have a book signing at Escada in Highland Park Village with a tea party and champagne- the more you drink the more books you buy (smiles) and a signing at Borders too. December 11th I will be at London Market Antiques book signing - they lent me all of the beautiful antiques for the food shots in Eating Royally. It's on Lovers Lane in Dallas and I think the whole street is having a "holiday" (there's that word again) party. Charles and Nell the owners are just the sweetest people I know. ( I have to say that they are in England this week visiting my parents) Don't forget you can buy my DVD here on the web site and next week you will be able to order SIGNED copies of my book here too in time to ship for Christmas. They make great gifts for the holidays - I mean Christmas ! November 1 2007 Pinch punch, first of the month ... Gosh, November already. Yup, soon be Christmas. Anyone planning on serving the Christmas cake from my book Eating Royally should have made it by now and be feeding it lot's of alcohol laden syrup for a real treat on Christmas Day. Friday I am heading back to Florida - remember the Dresses for a Cause exhibit (go to the links page on my site here and click on Pink Ribbons Crusade) - Saturday we have two tea parties open to the public in Ocala and then Sunday I will be in St. Petersburg doing do more tea parties. All proceeds go to Breast Cancer so if you live in the area, are going to be in the area or know someone who lives in the area then that's the place to be. I will of course be signing copies of my book at each event and as well as the advance and royalties from the book gong to PedAids, my publisher have allowed us $12 from each copy sold at the events to go to Breast Cancer too. So it's a win win for all. When you buy copies for family and friends for Christmas gifts PedAids gets a donation, Breast Cancer gets a donation, you get a GREAT book and I get, well, I get to sign it for you (smiles) November 1 2007 James Beard House photos... If you have ever wondered what it is like inside the James Beard House in New York - or what or even who Beard was about - then click on the photo left and below the blog - yes, where it says "click on the photo" duh ! (laughs) We had such a great time cooking at Beard House and raising money for culinary scholarships. October 29 2007 The DVD is finally available ... Look above the blog... See the BUY THE DVD button ? We finally have the DVD "Royal Favorites" available to order on the web site. Click on the Buy the DVD button above to read more about it and to see pics from the DVD too. It's a two hour DVD in HD shot by a food network producer and is not just a cooking class but 2 hours of fabulous entertainment too. With the holidays coming up it will make a great gift for that cook or royal fan in the family. And, because it comes straight from me, I can sign it for you too. Cool huh ? (laughs) Order today and make sure it arrives in plenty of time for the holidays. See if you can spot my wife Wendy and the children in the DVD ! October 23 2007 Tour de Chefs ... This coming Saturday I am taking part in Tour de Chefs Colleyville. "Tour de Chefs is a creative concept in home touring allowing attendees to tour kitchens of 5 beautiful Colleyville and Grapevine homes while observing and sampling the culinary delights of 10 talented and diverse fabulous chefs" says the blurb on the official web site www.tourdechefs.com ( Not sure about the talented bit, I think I was chosen for the diverse side)(laughs) Never done one of these before so am looking forward to it. What I do know is that I get to meet and give out samples of my bread and butter pudding to around 1000 people who will come through the home that I am in. I will be signing my new book Eating Royally too. Market Street are sponsoring the event and so I get to work with Judy and Michelle from the Colleyville store and that is always fun. Proceeds from the event benefit GRACE (Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange) Feed Our Kids. So if you fancy a bit of a nosey around some posh homes while sampling some good food too this weekend then call 817-577-3378 for tickets and I will see you there. October 22 2007 The Holidays are coming ... Came out of the house this morning in my usual tee shirt and shorts and did a quick U turn for some sensible clothes. Lived here in Texas for 9 years now but it still amazes me how one day it can be 91 degrees and sunny and the next 55 and freezing (told you I had been here a while - 55 ? freezing ? laughs) Anyway, Saturday I was in South Carolina at The Westin Hotel, Hilton Head teaching a cooking class to 240 ladies and we had a great time - well at least I did - I hope that they all did too. It was 91 degrees as I touched my toe to the sand and said to my friend Richard "I can't believe this is October" Richard runs a catering company called "Catering by Chef Richard" in the DFW area and he is the man I turn too whenever I need help in the kitchen. Richard flew on ahead and prepared my demonstration. His standard is my standard and I always feel confidant having him by my side in the kitchen. Not only is he a great chef, but he makes the best crab cakes in the world. Richard was also manning the kitchen at the James Beard House while I was busy taking the glory upstairs. I tell you all this because this mornings freezing - alright, cold - weather reminded me that the holidays are just around the corner. Soon we will all be thinking about entertaining and who should we call for a reliable service for our family, work, or just friends party. Well, he is the dude. Check out his web site here click here and have him cater your holiday party in the metroplex. Tell him I sent you and he might buy me a beer next time we are delayed at the airport together again. (smiles) October 16 2007 Killed by Hitmen ... As the inquest into Princess Diana's death goes on the latest we hear from a witness is that shock, gasp horror... he saw two hitmen in the tunnel. A motorbike overtook the Mercedes inside the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris before a 'major white flash' like a police radar was directed at the car, Francois Levistre told the inquest into the princess's death. He stopped near the tunnel exit and claimed he saw the motorcycle passenger get off, approach the car, look inside and make a hand gesture to the bike's driver before they sped away. Asked why he did not leave his car to help, Mr Levistre said: "Fear...I thought they were hitmen. We thought the two cyclists had come to kill the people in the car." Of course, Mr Levistre had given several different accounts of the incident, the court was told and he had also served time in prison for possessing an illegal weapon and had been held in connection with an alleged plot to sell a child, the jury heard. But does that mean he is not a credible witness ? Have to decide that one for yourself. Big flash of light ? Chased by men on motor cycles ? Hadn't it already been determined that photographers from the press were following the car at great speed. And don't photographers have cameras with er... flashes on them - that would light up a dark tunnel ? Hmm. October 15 2007 Making a Difference ... Most people look at an opportunity and all they see is the difficulty in executing it. Princess Diana, faced with a difficulty saw the opportunity within it. With this thought in mind I have to tell you she would have been thrilled to pieces with what is going on in Ocala Florida right now in her name. Saturday night was the gala for the launch of dresses for a cause. Over 400 people attended with all of the $200 ticket money going directly to promote breast cancer awareness. It was a fabulous evening that brought together local communities, dress owners from around the country and the Pink Ribbons Crusade Board. All feasted like royalty on gourmet food prepared by local caterers and restaurants. You see what made this event so special and what would have endeared the late princess about it is that everyone involved had donated their time for free. But it didn’t stop there. After the dinner we all toured the exhibit that had taken years to plan. There were 30 of the dresses that the princess had sold at auction to raise money for charity a few months before she died. The dress owners, the most humble and generous people you could ever wish to meet all flew in at their own expense and stayed with families in the community. Imagine the difficulty involved in making this happen. But Suzanne King, founder of the Pink Ribbons Crusade like the princess, saw the opportunity and made it happen. Princess Diana would have been in awe of every single person that played a part, however small, in donating their valuable time and energy into making this 10th anniversary once in a lifetime exhibit happen. I hope Princes’ William and Harry and the world media get to find out about the good that is going on in Florida and make everyone realize that - as the princess once said to me – “If you really want to make a difference Darren you can. But you have to really want to make a difference” Check out the news story on the gala click here October 12 2007 Dresses for a Cause ... I am heading off to Florida this evening to attend the Gala for "Dresses for a Cause" check out their website on my links page - pink ribbons crusade. The Gala is the first event of many in Ocala and the exhibit starts tomorrow and runs thru December 31st. On display at the Appleton museum of art will be 30 of the dresses Princess Diana sold at the Christies auction in New York as well as hundreds of pieces of British royal memorabillia - including the framed photo on the cover of my book that the princess gave me. I will be there in November on the 3rd and 10th hosting tea parties and all proceeds go to promote breast cancer awareness. I am also scheduled to be book signing at all three events but sadly we don't have any books. The publishers have completely sold out and the THIRD print won't be ready until November 16th. SO, if yo uwant a book signed, you might try and find one at a local bookstore first. If not, just come by and say hello Just a thought, going back to this Gala Saturday night. Was it a woman who invented the tuxedo ? It wasn't a man, they are the most uncomfortable things to wear in the world - especially when you are guest speaker to 450 people. Because I am also judging the food on the night I tired to get away with wearing chef uniform (laughs) but no luck. Oh well, for those in attendance Princess Diana's chef will be the one in the corner fidgeting with his bow tie. October 11 2007 Barbara Taylor Bradford O.B.E. ... Ok, it's pretty cool to get one book published but it's something else when you have your name on 22 best selling novels and have sold more than 81 million copies world wide. Step to the table Barbara Taylor Bradford, a yorkshire lass who will be in Dallas on November 13th attending a book signing and English tea party. Now I know the menu will be authentic because I was consulted on it and I know the event will be fun too because I met Barbara when she was in Dallas last and was honored to cook for her. "Bubble and Squeak" in the middle of Texas !!! " By eck lass, it were a belter ! " - as we say in those parts of the world that she comes from. The English Tea Party is at the Women's Museum in Dallas on Tuesday November 13th 3pm - 5pm. Tickets are just $50 (cheaper than my cooking classes) and you can get them by calling 214-361-7888 Barbara's new book is titled "The Heir" and it is fabulous - I have already read it. My favorite part is at the end when she dies - that was a surprise ! HA HA ! only kidding... ONLY KIDDING !!!! October 8 2007 Paris accident ... One of the things I remember so well about Princess Diana is her wicked sense of humor. With this in mind you can't help but think she is up there orchestrating todays events when the jury involved in the inquiry into her death were involved in an auto accident of all places, outside the Ritz hotel in Paris. The jurors are on a two-day trip to the city to see the places the Princess visited in the hours before she died. But as the coach tried to set off, it collided with it’s own police outrider, knocking him off his motorbike. The policeman was unhurt and climbed back onto his bike – but moments later, there was a loud bang as the coach clipped a bollard in front of the hotel. The prang knocked off a hubcap and burst a tyre. Funnier, no spookier yet ! Who should be walking out of the Ritz hotel JUST as the jury arrive ? Victoria Beckham and her security entourage - followed by the media. It really is like the Princess is playing a little game of chess with all of these pieces. You can't make things like this up can you ? October 4 2007 Darren Live on QVC TODAY ! ... Don't miss my first QVC appearance with Eating Royally at 4pm central today on QVC. Click on the link in the blog below to watch it on your computer. October 3 2007 This and that ... Loads of bits and bobs to chat about so here we go... Still waiting for my official photos from the James Beard House. Can't wait to get the newsletter up with those in to share with you. Should be next week hopefully. The DVD will, I am hoping, be available to order from the web site by this weekend. I have had lots of requests for it and thanks for being patient. I promise it will be worth the wait. Thanks to everyone that turned out to my cooking class at Central Market Houston last weekend. It was a sold out class and we sold out of books too so well done all. Hopefully you have all had chance to cook the bread and butter pudding I demonstrated for you as well as the other dishes from the book. This coming Saturday I am in Austin at Central Market and hope to sell out of books there too. Remember the holidays are just aroud the corner and this book not only makes a great gift because it is part cookbook part memoir, but you also help me raise a lot of money for the children's charity. Thursday - yes tomorrow, I am heading off to Philadelphia again, I love Philadelphia, though won't get time to visit my favorite eating haunts there. I have a 4pm central appearance scheduled on QVC and am really looking forward to that. I have been practicing " I have just ONE book left, phone in now QUICK ! " (LAUGHS) The book has now gone to thiird print and is on back order in a lot of good bookstores so perhaps QVC and their generous discount might be the place to purchase it. Click on the link here and then when the page opens up click on the WATCH QVC LIVE on the left at 4pm central and you will see my 8 minute segment - AND be able to buy the book. QVC September 24 2007 And someone will order it ... Sometimes I will pay a couple of hundred dollars a head for dinner at a good restaurant, especially- being a chef - you appreicate the work involved in creating it. But I have to draw the line at this... The Fortress Sri Lanka, an award winning luxury resort in Galle has created the most expensive dessert in the world. Priced at $14,500 ‘The Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence’ is an effort by the resort’s culinary team to create a one of a kind dessert that is intrinsically linked with the destination, offering both long lasting memories and a keepsake of the experience. Oh, purleese... give me a big old dish of bread and butter pudding any day. September 24 2007 Casino Royale ... Saturday night I was busying away at a charity dinner party I had donated to the Limbs for Life charity. The dinner party was at a beautiful home in Dallas and I have never seen such a fabulous display of china outside Buckingham Palace. The hostess had laid the table "royale" style. I say royale and not royal because it was a James Bond Casino Royale theme. The guests arrived in three vintage Rolls Royces, Bond music blared out as they entered the house and were each given vesper martini's served by "Bond girls" - Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Next it was into the casino for 30 minutes to play for a weekends use of a new Bentley and then into dinner. It was a fun night and my thanks go to Allison Brushaber of TurboChef who helped me in the kitchen for the evening. Special thanks to the hosts and also to the people that bought the dinner. It raised $10,000 - that in itself will buy three new limbs. An evening well spent. September 19 2007 Coming up ... Imagine a piece of Manhattan renamed "Little Britain" It may happen and sooner than you think. I will tell you when I get a minute about a man I met who has already put the idea into motion - and how I can and want to help him. September 19 2007 Catching up ... Back from the Beard House in New York. How cool was that to get invited to cook there. Just look at the list of chefs before me. WOW ! I had SUCH a great time and can't wait to tell you all about it, so much to tell that I have decided to put it all in my next newsletter so you can see pics too. Getting ready for a charity dinner party this Saturday for Limbs for Life. It should be a fabulous evening and I can't wait to tell you all about that as well. The dinner is a "casino royal James Bond" type evening with Aston Martins, Bond girls, casino et al. I guess I will have to tie some "theme food" into the meal - how about for vegetables some "chubby broccoli " HA ! Sunday is a rare day off and - good timing - Oktoberfest in Addison. I love this event and we go as a family every year. Their is something about drinking beer from a Stein whilst pigging out on Bratwursts ( brät- which is fine chopped meat and -wurst means sausage) and German potato salad. Reminds me of Oktoberfest in Munich many years ago. The kids love running around the dance floor as the oom-pah-pah (remember the scene in Oliver Twist) plays. Next weekendI am off to Houston, to teach at Central Market. The class is sold out but I will be book signing afterwards so come along and buy a book and say hello. The weekend after I am in Austin Central Market teaching a "recipes from the book " class. September 13 2007 Second Print ... Well how cool is that ? Eating Royally has just gone into a second print run. Not bad for a first time author, huh ? Thank you to EVERYONE who has bought the book and helped me raise thousands of dollars for PEDAIDS. We're not done yet though, we want a THIRD run, so tell all of your friends to buy it too. Better still, start buying up the books now for Holiday and Christmas gifts. The book is part cookbook and part memoir so even if your fave Aunt, Uncle, Sisters etc dont cook they will get a really good insight into life in the royal family as well as a history lesson on the royal palaces. Second Print run.... COOL ! (LAUGHS) September 13 2007 James Beard House ... I am heading off to New York Saturday to prepare a "British Tea Party" at the James Beard House. It's an honor to be invited (you have to be invited to cook) because they only usually invite restaurant chefs. Since 1986, the James Beard Foundation has been at the forefront of America's culinary revolution. The Foundation was established that year in honor of James Beard, the late cooking teacher, journalist, and food consultant who is widely considered the father of American gastronomy. The Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. Sounds impressive huh ? My menu is the following; A selection of tea sandwiches to include... Baked Ham and English Mustard on White Bread. Sage Derby Cheese with Vine-Ripened Tomato on Grain Bread Cucumber, Mint, and Cream Cheese on Whole Wheat Bread and Croques Monsieurs. OK, the last one is a bit French, but they are good - AND in the cookbook (laughs) Then, if everyone eats their sarnies they get; Scones with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jelly. Iced Caramel–Banana Cake. Queen Elizabeth’s Chocolate Birthday Cake. Fruit Tartlets with Lemon Cheese and Traditional Shortbread. All washed down with Pimms no 1, Lemon Refresher and of course the old Earl Gray tea. Bless their bellies if they eat that lot. (laughs) Tickets have been sold out months ago, but I am talking with the Warwick Melrose in Dallas about doing two more tea parties on the back of the two I did with them for Artreach charity. I just have to find a good charity to tie in too. Will tell you all about "Cooking at Beard House" next week and the fantastic team I have helping me. Hope we don't get delayed out of DFW - or it will be shortbread all around in terminal A. September 11 2007 This past week... Has it really been six days since I last blogged, gosh I am getting lazy (laughs) Oh, if only. Sunday I was back at Market street in McKinney but not teaching a cooking class. Instead it was a private dinner party for six people. They had bid on and won a "Dinner with the Royal Chef" silent auction item I had donated to March of Dimes. The item included hotel stay and return flights on a private jet. Ruth, Maria and Jennifer the cooking school team made this one of the easiest dinner parties I had ever done with the great prep. I just had to turn up and cook (laughs) Next up was a big dinner party at work followed by a busy weekend in San Antonio. No, not drinking margaritas on the riverwalk, I wish ! (smiles) Two sold out cooking classes at Central Market on the Saturday followed by a tea party for almost 100 people for Les Dames D'Escoffier. Now if you want a tea party done properly then get Les Dames involved. This had to be one of the best tea parties I have ever attended. The setting - The Guenther House in San Antonio - was built in 1860 and is a museum, restaurant and store. It is is located on a bend of the San Antonio River, at the foot of King William and a popular brunch place the locals use, forget the riverwalk and all those tourists. The tea party was in the roof garden and looked stunning. The tables all set in fine china and beautiful white linen and the flowers were fabulous too. As was of course the food and it was a treat to sit down to someone elses cooking - even though they used recipes from my book Eating Royally. Talking of which, we completely sold out of books and I headed off to the airport with cramp in my signing hand. Back to Dallas this week and then heading off to New York where I have been invited to cook at the James Beard House on Sunday. September 5 2007 Etalk Canada Interview... This is the interview I did for Etalk in the Ruth's Chris restaurant in Toronto. Good quality as well - you have to sit through the Southfork ad first though before you see the interview (smiles) click here September 4 2007 Fox News Interview... In case it was a little early for you Friday August 31st, here is the taped segment of me on the Fox News Channel. Now, bear in mind that I had been at the studios once already that morning to do Fox and Friends (picked up at 4-30am) so if I looked tired in this segment - I was. You have to sit through the Levitra add first (don't go there - laughs) click here September 2 2007 Number ONE on Amazon... Fantastic news this morning, Eating Royally is currently #1 in Cooking, International, General and # 564 overall on Amazon. How cool is that !!!THANK YOU to everyone that bought the book, for your kind emails through the "contact me" on the website here and for helping me raise a lot of money for the children's charity. Please tell all your friends to buy it too, as you know it is not just a cookbook, but part memoir too. It will make a wonderful Christmas/holiday gift so start buying up now (smiles) September 1 2007 The F Word... I flew to New York last week via San Francisco and Toronto to promote my book Eating Royally. Non stop cooking segments on breakfast television shows, radio interviews from the studio and also my hotel room and countless newspaper interviews kept me rushing from one to the next, but it was great fun. I had a free night and decided to name drop, or should I say beg my way into Gordon Ramsey's restaurant at the London Hotel in Manhattan. I chose the seven course tasting menu, it was easier than just trying to pick three dishes - I wanted to try them all. As with most celebrity chef's restaurants these days, the celebrity chef is rarely there ("Gordon is here about once a month" I was told) This kitchen is trusted to Josh Emett and he sees over the three departments -the fine dining restaurant I was in, room service for the hotel and also Maze. Josh, from New Zealand joined the Ramsey team in 2000 and worked at Claridges and the Savoy Grill where working alongside Marcus Waring they were rewarded with a Michelin star. Dinner started with an amuse bouche of Tuna tartare in a cone with an avocado cream. It was OK, nothing special. Next up was Confit foie gras with slow cooked free range chicken, truffled quail’s egg and pear chutney. The quails egg was soft and warm and only a chef can appreciate hard that is to prepare - try shelling them when they are still warm and soft. After that, Ravioli of tiger prawn with fennel cream, shellfish vinaigrette and chervil velouté. One of Gordon's signature dishes and again, it was good. Yes, just good. The next course was a halibut dish and of course it was cooked to perfection. Then a gift from the Chef. Roasted Hudson Valley foie gras with caramelised plums. This dish blew my mind, a tastebud explosion. It truly was one of the best dishes I have ever tasted in my life.Things were getting better. Next up was a dish I had been waiting for. Slow braised pork belly with English minted peas, pearl onions, braising juices and crackling. I could have licked the plate clean and ordered a satelite dish full of the same order again. Gorgeous fall apart suckling pig, braising juices so good you really just have to mop the plate up with the home made bread. Crackling just like we have in England and peas, sort of pulsed with smoked bacon and onion jus to give color and flavor. I would get back on a plane to New York tomorrow given the chance, just for another serving of that dish. Desserts next and a Caramelized pineapple with crystallized cilantro. It sounded good, but was really the only let down on the whole menu. (Bear in mind at this level, when I say let down it is like saying "Oh, I will take the bottom of the range Mercedes from the showroom, it's STILL a Mercedes - if you get my drift.) Then, a chocolate fondant with caramelised banana ice cream and malted milk shake. Back to perfection and a wonderful dish to finish on - unless their was anymore of that pork left of course. After dinner I was invited into the kitchen to meet Josh and his team. We chatted about the meal, they get through four suckling pigs a week - it would be eight if I lived closer. Talked about the Savoy - I used to work there too. Talked about produce and equipment - that's a chef thing. And also talked about his home country New Zealand, I flew there twice with the Queen when I worked at the palace. All in all, a wonderful experience. It's an insult to just call it a meal. I hopped into a cab on Fifth avenue on my way to see Les Miserables (for the fifth time) and wondered. If the food is this good when Gordon Ramsey is not here, what must it be like when he IS. The F Word ? You bet, it was F... abulous. August 31 2007 10 years ago today... Ten years ago today I woke up early to go in to work. The princess and the boys were returning to Kensington Palace after vacations and it was going to be such a happy time. I turned on the TV and then..... Read the rest of this in my newsletter - click on the newsletter link above. Don't you just love that photo of the princess too ? August 30 2007 New Newsletter... Check out my new newsletter - coming up tomorrow on the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death. See my favorite, never before seen photograph of her too. Then tune in to Fox and Friends on the Fox Network Channel for full coverage of the memorial live from London. I will be a guest in the New York studio sharing my happy memories of the fifteen years I cooked for the most photographed woman in the world. August 29 2007 Fox and Friends on Fox News Channel... I am going to be in the studio here in New York Friday August 31 on Fox and Friends covering the Princess Diana memorial live. Tomorrow morning I am on CBC Newsworld in Canada promoting the book and discussing the memorial. August 29 2007 Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Toronto... I must admit I am not big on steakhouses. You get er... steak and that's it. I like sauces, sauces that enhance the steak. I find "just steak" boring. Well, yesterday I had to tape a segment for eTalk on CTV and they wanted to film me in the kitchen of Ruth's Chris at the Hilton, Toronto. Head Chef Jess Ostlund - who has been chef there for 13 years - couldn't have been more helpful in the shoot and when he found out I had never eaten in a Ruth's Chris before he insisted I stay for dinner. Let me tell you, the blackened and seared Yellow fin tuna was amazing. It came with a spirited soy mustard sauce that was so good that I asked for more to dip my bread in. The rib eye steak, ordered medium well arrived to a sizzling fanfare. The signature sizzle created by cooking the steaks at 1800 degrees, serving them on 500 degree plates and then slapping butter on just as they leave the kitchen. As the butter hits the plate it sizzles to the table and napkins are used as splatter guards. The steak, cooked and seasoned to perfection and served with al dente asparagus and beautifully cooked spinach stayed on my palate long after leaving the restaurant and I am sure I could still hear the sizzle as I entered my room on the 21st floor. If you are looking for a good, no, fabulous steak cooked by an excellent chef then look no further than Ruth's Chris at the Hilton, Toronto. August 28 2007 Breakfast Show on City TV, Toronto... Had another cooking segment this morning in Canada. This time on the Breakfast Show in Toronto. I made the Framboises St Georges, Carrot Roulade and Tomato Mousse all from the book. Hope to get you the link to the segment if they post it on City TV web site today. I have had lots of emails through the "contact me" link on the web site here requesting the bread and butter pudding recipe I made on Canada AM yesterday. "The recipe is not on your site, do we have to buy the book to get it ? " most asked. Absolutely not, click on the link in the blog below and it will take you to Canada AM web site. They have the recipe as well as the cooking segment. There ! a free recipe for you (smiles) But I think once you have tried the recipe you will want to rush out and buy the book for more great recipes like that one. As the host said yesterday... " If I am ever on death row, then THIS dish is my last meal" I guess that is a compliment, sorta. (as they say back in Texas) August 27 2007 CTV Canada AM... I flew into Toronto at 6-15 this morning in time to do a cooking segment on CTV Canada AM. The segment was just after 8-00am so it was a mad dash. PLEASE don't laugh at my white socks. GOSH I wish I had had time to change them. It's a good seg all the same and the hosts were wonderful to work with. Watch it here... click here August 27 2007 Camilla backs out... Just heard the Duchess of Cornwall will NOT now be attending the memorial for Princess Diana on Friday. No surprise there ! It would have turned into a media pantomime with every camera focused on Camilla zooming in on every facial expression. So where is the Duchess going to be while her husband is at the memorial ? How funny would it be if she was spotted at San Lorenzo lunching with the other Duch - Fergie - who's prima donna pouting is keeping her away on the day. Of course this now means a front row seat has opened up. Let's hope media reports that Prince Charles is running the show prove to be false - or Tiggy will be shopping for a new hat this week (laughs) August 26 2007 TV Guide Network ... Diana:Memories of a Princess airs today on the TV Guide Network. A two hour special that I took part in. Talking frankly about my time with the princess and also cooking some of her favorite dishes too. The premiere is 11:00am today and it will be shown several times through the day. A seperate one hour special documentary I also participated in on the princess will premiere Monday at 11:00pm and run through the week - same channel. August 24 2007 Book signings and tasting too... Today, Friday I will be at MARKET STREET, McKinney between 4pm - 6pm signing copies of my book. Com along and sample what Princess Diana called "the best bread and butter pudding in the world" Saturday afternoon I will be book signing at MARKET STREET in Colleyville from 1pm - 3pm and again passing out samples of bread and butter pudding. August 24 2007 Fox and Friends... I am going to be on Fox and Friends tomorrow morning (Saturday) on the Fox News Channel to promote my book Eating Royally and to talk about the upcoming memorial. It's an early start to the day but will be well worth getting up for. August 23 2007 Eating Royally... Prince Charles is a huge fan of Italian food, so much so that for a while he even had an Italian chef - to teach his other chefs how to cook. Pride and passion are usually words attributed to Italian chefs and therefore it was no surprise when searching for the best restaurant to eat at in Philadelphia Osteria was top of the list. Chef Jeffrey Michaud mans the hotplate - from the restaurant side of the table. Possibly because in the center of the restaurant is an old fashioned bacon slicer that he personally uses to slice his antipasto in house cured meats to order. The concierge at my hotel told me that Osteria had a one month wait list for a table so shamefully I had to mention that I was a visiting chef, who I had cooked for and what I was doing in Philly when I called to reserve a table. It worked and I was greeted by Chef Jeffrey when I arrived. Jeffrey is married to an Italian girl, he met while training in the North Central Lombardy region of Italy and not only did he find many new recipes and of course a beautiful wife - who also cooks by the way - but the pride and passion of the Italian chef too. I chose the warm spinach salad with crispy sweetbreads, snails, pancetta and leeks as my first course. The sweetbreads crispy on the outside but with a texture of seared foie gras melted in my mouth. For my entree, wood grilled halibut with chanterelles, mussels and scallions. Halibut cooked to perfection with the earthy flavor of the chanterelles to compliment the dish. I was in heaven. Jeffrey insisted I try his signature dish of rabbit "casalinga" with pancetta, sage, brown butter and soft polenta. "Casalinga" because the dish came to him inspired by his wife's grand mother who raised and then braised rabbits for the family table. It was amazing, the meat fell off the bone and had just enough sage to flavor but not overpower the rabbit. "Just how rabbit should be cooked" I thought to myself sucking the last piece of flesh off the bone and moppping up the sauce with the home made bread. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the only rabbit we cooked at Buckingham Palace were the ones shot by William and Harry to feed to the royal Corgis. A fabulous meal and a restaurant I highly recommend and can't wait to return too. August 21 2007 Geraldo Rivera on Fox News Channel ... Don't miss my first appearance on the Geraldo Rivera Show on the Fox News Channel - this coming Saturday night 7pm central. August 21 2007 UK Daily Mail ... I made the hallowed pages of "the Richard Kay column" today. Richard was a good friend of Princess Diana and took over the Royal columnist Nigel Dempster's column when he passed away earlier this year. Richard quoted me from the blog here and it is SUCH a privilege that he reads this blog. OK Richard, now you have to mention the book this time and help me raise a lot of money for a children's charity. It's what Princess Diana would have wanted from her staff and friends. I have donated all of my advance (thousands of dollars so far) and all of my royalties to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. The book is called EATING ROYALLY and is available in the UK from Amazon.co.uk Thank you Richard in advance (smiles) Don't miss the "10th Anniversary"newsletter with my all time favorite, never before seen photo of Princess Diana. - Coming August 31. August 20 2007 Forget Cheesesteak ! ... I remember flying to Australia with the Queen on a royal tour and landing in Sydney. I couldn't wait to get lunch out of the way and head off to Bondi beach. I had heard so much about it and it was one of those "just got to do's" I was so dissapointed with what I saw. It was small, unimpressive and I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. "Don't waste your time with Bondi " our driver said, the next afternoon, the chefs climbing into his Limo for some more R and R. "Manly beach is where the locals go, a little gem we keep secret from the tourists. It's a million times better" He was right. This analogy was like my hunt for the best Philly Cheesesteak when I landed in Philadelphia. This time my "Limo driver" was Lari Robling host of WHYY Chef's table. "Forget cheeseteak'' she told me " Go to Reading Terminal Market and look for Dinic's. His pork sandwich is amazing and it's where the locals go" Right in the center of this fascinating market with a plethora of diverse culinary cultures was Tommy Dinic's. If you missed the sign you would have seen the lunchtime line of locals drooling as they waited their turn for a "fully loaded" pork sandwich. Fully loaded came in the shape of a bread roll as long as a train carriage with it's rush hour passengers of pulled pork, sharp provolone cheese and sauteed spinach tossed in red pepper flakes with a hint of garlic all crammed inside. I counted 28 people in front of me but at Dinic's pigs really do fly as Tommy the owner fills and wraps sandwiches at lightning pace. The 'oh so tender' pork - Italian seasoned - is pulled to order and brocoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic is an alternative to the spinach topping for those lucky people who are able to eat their every day. Dinic's pulled pork sandwich, a little gem that I could still taste in my mind as we taxied to the runway heading back to Texas. Now, I just have to find the alternative to brisket. (laughs) August 20 2007 Cooking Live on NBC ... Had a fabulous time cooking live on NBC 10 Philadelphia this week. It's a morning show that has a live audience too - no pressure Darren - and the hosts, producers, crew etc were wonderful. The show has no script so anything goes and the producer Mac gave me an extra few minutes which when you are used to only FIVE was a special treat. You can watch the clip here and see what you think... NBC 10 Don't miss the "10th Anniversary"newsletter with my all time favorite, never before seen photo of Princess Diana. - Coming August 31. August 12 2007 Philadelphia ... Tomorrow I am heading off to Philly to promote the book and my mouth is already drooling at the thought of big ol cheesesteaks and soft pretzels dolloped in mustard. August 14 ((Tuesday) I will be on Comcast's Your Morning live from Loews hotel lobby - Corner of 12th and Market. Then it's off to WHYY-FM to do A Chef's Table at 1pm- 1:30pm live. August 15 (Wedneday) I am cooking live on NBC 10 and then book signing at A Taste of Britain Tea room. Hope they have plenty of books. check out the web site here... Taste of Britain August 12 2007 Book Signings ... I had two book signings yesterday. The first one was at London Market Antiques in Dallas. Book signing surrounded by the antiques I used in the book food shots was pretty cool. Even if you don't have any money to spare for antiques right now it's worth popping in the store just for a look at some of Britain's finest antiques and to say hello to Nell and Charles, the owners, who are the sweetest couple you could ever meet. Check out the store here... London Market Antiques Then it was off to Barnes and Noble at Stonebriar Mall in Plano. 2-4pm the signing said. I arrived at 2pm to find a line of people waiting, I can't tell you how cool that feels as a new author. Well ! 2pm the signing started and 2:05pm it ended - sold out of books. You can't ask for more at a signing can you - well, apart from some more books (laughs) Then I remembered I had some copies in my car. What followed was an impromptu signing in the parking lot from the back of my car. I didn't realise being an author would be so much fun. August 4 2007 No Duchess at the Memorial ! ... So, it’s official. No Duchess at the Diana Memorial. Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean the Duchess of Cornwall (another blog for another time) I meant the Duchess of York. “The Duch” has decided that she will decline her invitation to the memorial at The Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks. Why? You ask! Well, because she feels attending "would not be right" as she has never felt welcome at royal events. Well if true, then the Duch needs to get down off her high horse and quit hijacking the memorial to play political games with the royal family. Now is not the time. Of course she is not welcome at royal family events, she is no longer (her choice) royal family. How many ex-wives attend “the other halves” family get togethers? Exactly! Who cares that she wouldn’t be sat on the front row next to the royal family? Or that William and Harry wouldn’t invite her back to the palace afterwards for tea and scones. Half the world that adored Princess Diana would give their right arm to attend the service and remember the princess and wouldn’t care if they were on the front row, ten rows back or stood at the back handing out hymn books. August 1 2007 Dallas Morning News, New York Post and Boston Globe... All running wonderful stories on the book today. Thank you Editors and writers of each for helping promote the book and raise thousands of dollars for a children's charity. August 1 2007 Jamaica... Missed me ? Who said NO ? (laughs) Just back from a family vacation to Jamaica. It was our first visit and for sure we will be going back to the beautiful island. It's tough being a tourist when you have young children and "we" decided that a three hour ride into the mountains for dad to see a coffee plantation wasn't going to be near as much fun as building sandcastles on the beach. Blue Mountain coffee is the finest in the world and it must be grown at altitudes between 2,000 and 5,000 feet in the Parishes of Portland, St. Andrew and St. Thomas in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica to be called "Blue Mountain Coffee" After they harvest the Aribica beans they then sun dry them on bamboo racks before roasting them over a smoky wood fire producing a more flavorful coffee that has less caffeine than the Robusta Bean grown in many parts of the world. We stayed at Starfish Trelawney, a fabulous resort situated on a three-mile stretch of powder white sands and sparkling sapphire waters close to Montego Bay. It is part of the Superclubs family that have nine resorts around the island and I can't speak highly enough of the them. Their was Jerk Chicken a plenty and a fabulous fruit I had never seen or tasted before called a Ginip. It is a green fruit, which grow in bunches. The fruit ripen during the summer and are similar to that of the related lychee. It has a tight and thin but rigid layer of skin, traditionally cracked by the teeth. Inside the skin is the tart, tangy, cream pulp of the fruit, which is sucked by putting the whole fruit inside the mouth. "I bet they would make the most amazing sorbet." I thought, sat on the beach sucking the flesh off the stones. "Yeah Mon !" July 19 2007 Summer Loving... No, I am not talking here about Prince William and Kate and will he or won't he, I am talking Summer Pudding. Or Summer Loving as we called it in the palace kitchens. Check out the fabulous photo on page 132 of my cookbook Eating Royally and you will see what I mean. Summer pudding can only be made when all of the berries are ripe and at their best and right now is that time. Now, berries ! Forget California where they produce sort of "ok" berries year round, I am talking about Washington State. George Richter has a small fruit farm that produces the most amazing berries but they are only available for six weeks a year. Not just raspberries but blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries too. His redcurrants are the caviar pearls of the fruit world and words cannot describe the incredible sorbets and ice creams you can produce from them. Washington State produces 60-70 million pounds of raspberries a year with 98% of those going to processing - jams, jellies, juices etc. It's the remaining 2% that find their way into top restaurants and gourmet stores in half pint containers for real foodies to drool over. Central Market in Dallas has a few left - I say a few because I wasn't going to write this until I had been and bought my ten trays of them which are now firmly locked in my freezer to supply a years worth of orgasmic ice cream. (laughs) "Richters berries" remember who told you first ! July 17 2007 Here's the recipe... from this morning's cooking segment I did on Fox 4 Dallas. Click here for the recipe July 16 2007 Back on television tomorrow... Tuesday morning I will be cooking live on Good Day Dallas (FOX 4) It's an entree this time, Gaelic Steaks from Eating Royally, my new cookbook. Gosh, at this rate you won't have to buy the book you will get all of the recipes here (laughs) Nah, their are more than 100 recipes in the book so we have a long way to go. I will post the link to the recipe as soon as it is on the FOX 4 web site. Talking of the book, THANK YOU to everyone that bought Eating Royally at MARKET STREET, McKinney after my cooking class last Friday night. They have sold out and have to re-order more copies. Every one of you should be proud you are helping me raise thousands of dollars for this children's charity. July 16 2007 Veiled Farmer's Daughter... Yes, that is the name of the recipe that I prepared this morning on Good Morning Texas. "What or Who, are the the veiled farmer's daughter's? " you ask. Well so did Her Majesty the Queen when I suggested it and forgot to send the recipe up to her to show her exactly what it was. You can get the recipe from my book Eating Royally - or pick it up here at the WFAA Good Morning Texas website. It's a perfect dish for this time of year and if your watching your figure.... use Greek yogurt instead of the cream. Click here for the recipe July 15 2007 Good Morning Texas... I am cooking live on Good Morning Texas (WFAA channel 8) Monday morning. My segment should run around 9:15am and I will be preparing one of the dishes from my new book "Eating Royally" What am I making ? You will have to tune in and see (laughs) July 13 2007 Dempster's Diary... I was saddened to read of the passing yesterday of Nigel Dempster. He was the UK Daily Mail’s royal gossip columnist for 30 years and his page was often the one that the royal family and staff turned to first. He always had the news on “royal goings on” before anyone else – including the engagement of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson - and was often the topic of conversation over the breakfast table in the servant’s hall at Buckingham Palace, as well as the royal table too. He maintained a friendly relationship with some members of the royal family even though he would “gossip” about them. Princess Diana had his ear on many occasions, including telling him that her chef Darren made “the best bread and butter pudding in the world” which to my surprise and joy he went on to print in his column. You can see the article he wrote in my new cook book – Eating Royally – and also get the recipe too. Nigel Dempster died yesterday aged 65, a true journalist and the end of an era. July 12 2007 Don't miss my live interview today... I will be on DAILY CAFE today doing a live interview about Princess Diana and my new cookbook. You can watch it on Direct TV channel 364 between 1:30 and 2:00pm (Central time) - I will give you a wave (laughs) July 12 2007 One is not amused... It's not often you see the Queen "lose it" but on the rare chance you do, you never forget the moment. Reading today's papers of how Her Majesty stormed out of a photoshoot after US celebrity snapper Annie Leibovitz asked her to remove her crown reminded me of a State Visit to Australia I did with the Queen. It was something like a 26 hour flight with one hour refuelling stops in Singapore and Bahrain - eventually touching down in Sydney. Every member of staff couldn't wait to get off the British Airways jet and as soon as the seatbelts sign went off we all shot out of our seats and reached to the overhead bins. "Where is my bag? Will you all SIT DOWN" came a voice from the front that made everyone freeze for a split second before quickly jumping back into their seats recognising the angry voice of Her Majesty and seeing a similar scowl to the one that graces many of today's front pages. As if by magic though, as soon as the aircraft door opened, the band started playing and the waiting children cheered, a big smile returned to the Queen's face and it was business as usual - and a sigh of relief down the aisle. You never forget though (smiles) July 11 2007 When Cadbury’s chocolate is not Cadbury’s chocolate... Several recipes in my book call for “English Chocolate” For English chocolate read Cadbury’s. Cadbury’s make the best chocolate in the world - period. Ask the ex-pats who visit the UK and return with suitcases full of the stuff. All of us have “British Stores” locally or online that we can order “supplies” from and substitutes just won’t do. Some stores in the USA sell “Cadbury’s “chocolate, but it just doesn’t taste the same because the end process is done at Hershey’s. Cadbury’s in the UK send a mash of dried milk and chocolate to which the Hershey’s factory will later add cocoa butter, but the final processing and the blending is when everything goes pear shape. The mash of “pure gold nectar and heaven on earth” that leaves Cadbury’s in the UK must have been dragged along the ocean bed because the end product that leaves Hershey’s under the Cadbury’s name is just nasty in my opinion. It tastes like soap. There is an interesting article in today’s food section of the New York Times about the world’s best candy bars and how English chocolate is the best. Its a fascinating article and you can read it by clicking here . New York Times Food Section For the Cadbury’s flake on the English Trifle and the Mint Aero on the Crathie Crunch as well as loads of other British treasures for the pantry you can buy them by clicking here British Food July 9 2007 Two Concerts in a Week ... One concert to celebrate the life of a Princess and then a week later another to 'save the world' Not really a tough decision for a performing rock star when it comes to choosing which one to appear at "to be seen" or so you would think. A few surprised faces this morning then when UK viewing figures revealed more than THREE times the number watched the Princess Diana concert. Maybe there in lies the problem. People felt the emotion and some sort of connection with Princess Diana, she had this magic about her that made everyone feel as if they knew her personally and could relate to her in many ways. Not so, some of the preachers at Live Earth who most of the year travel the world in private jets with large entourages. July 5 2007 Springfield News Leader ... I did a Q & A with Julianna Goodwin of the News Leader and it has been my favorite interview so far. She has all of the facts in her article and it is SO well written. I met Julianna at Precious Moments in Missouri when I was there raising money for breast cancer and she wrote a fabulous article then too. You can read it here... News Leader July 4 2007 Happy Fourth of July ... Independence day here in the US with parades, firework displays and family get togethers around the table 'from sea to shining sea' I wish the English were as patriotic and proud of their country on St Georges Day. The stores are full of red, white and blue colored food on red, white and blue china being bought by families in red, white and blue clothes with red, white and blue painted faces. It's a real fun, family day with lot's of good eats and drinking. Me, I am flying to Boston to help some British friends dry out some tea they have pulled out of the harbour (laughs) July 2 2007 Concert for Diana ... So, who watched the Concert for Diana ? About 500 million of us around the world we are told. Pretty amazing isn't it that one person could affect so many lives, but that was Princess Diana for you. As someone said in the "Diana and me" pieces "she had a way of making you feel special" and I know that first hand. I was going through a bad patch in my life and the princess found out about it. One lunchtime in the kitchen she said she had been invited out to dinner several nights that week but " why would I go out for dinner when I have the best chef in London ? " Did she mean it ? I doubt it, Did I believe it ? not really, but for a good half hour after she had eaten her meal and gone I skipped around the kitchen. That was Princess Diana for you and seeing the "Diana and me" segments in between the music really reminded me of those good times. Every one of those people she met remembered how meeting her had lit up their lives and the short time they had spent in her company had relieved the pain they were suffering. Of course the music was fun too and a lot of it a reminder of those huge sash windows at Kensington Palace wide open and music blaring out across the courtyard. One minute Duran Duran, Take That and Abba and the next Phantom, Cats or Les Miserables. Elton was pretty cool and so many waited for his last performance of the event hoping for one last rendition of Candle in the Wind. It didn't happen and perhaps only he can say why. Maybe the powers that be were concerned that the country would drop back into the memories of almost 10 years ago and maybe they were right. Princes William and Harry reminded us of how their mother inspired so many people to be good to others and to help out the less fortunate. I think that statement reached out to 500 million people tonight. Happy Birthday Your Royal Highness. July 1 2007 Pinch, punch, first of the month ... Today would have been Princess Diana's 46th birthday, can you imagine ? I remember her birthdays so well as the doorbell at the back door would never stop ringing as well wishers and each charity sent bouquets of flowers and the apartments had a wonderful aroma. Freesias were the Princess's favorite and I would be in and out of her dining room not to fetch china but to smell the perfume of those wonderful flowers. Today's Mail on Sunday breaks the story to the UK of my book "Eating Royally" Remember that EVERY penny I make goes to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. Two of Princess Diana's charitable goals were children and AIDS and I joined the two together to choose this charity. I remember the day that the Princess came into the kitchen telling me how much money she had made for charity " giving away some of her dresses" and that is what inspired me to do the same with these recipes. If she was here today I can see her now coming into the kitchen saying " Darren, tell me again how many thousands of dollars you raised for charity by giving away a few recipes? " The Princess didn't mind people using her name to raise money for those that needed it and children born with the AIDS virus through no fault of their own were on that list. The book has loads of easy to do recipes and some lovely anecdotes too - ALL positive about the royal family. So PLEASE buy the book and help me raise thousands of dollars for charity - yes, in Princess Diana's name. June 30 2007 The Columbian in Washington ... More press coverage on my book "Eating Royally" in today's Columbian newspaper. Read here... The Columbian June 27 2007 The Today Show and La Guardia ... OK, I had a great time today at the Today Show. Everyone was so friendly and couldn't do enough to help in my cooking segment. Deb and Anna the foodies who prep everything were amazing. Ali and Mathew...thank you for allowing me to promote my cookbook Eating Royally and help raise money for PedAids. And yes I was on a high after the show, until I arrived at La Guardia for my flight back to Dallas. Wicked storms in New York, Chicago and Dallas put paid to anyones plans to travel by air today. We sat on the plane for FOUR hours at the gate waiting for it to stop lightning - it' didn't - and that meant ALL flights out of La Guardia were cancelled. Consequently, I am blogging (for the first time ever) sat on a hard concourse floor at two o'clock in the morning, trying to stay awake and HOPING, just HOPING that I can get on a fligh to Dallas tomorrow. All of this for 5 minutes on the Today Show. Was it worth it ? You bet it was ! (laughs) Click on the link for the recipe and to watch the clip on the Today show site... Today Show June 26 2007 Cooking live in the plaza on the Today Show... Blogging from New York, I love it here, it is SO alive. Don't like the taxi drivers though, they are all on a death wish (laughs) I was on the NBC today show set this afternoon for a walk through of my cooking segment ready for tomorrow morning. I am on in the 9am hour for anyone watching. I'm going to be making bread and butter pudding (Princess Diana said it was the best in the world) I don't know if it's the best in the world, but it's in the top one (laughs) You can get the recipe from the Today Show web site and of course from my new cook book Eating Royally (now in all good bookstores) Remember, all of my advance AND royalties go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, so buy the book and help raise money for two of Princess Diana's charitable goals children and AIDS. June 26 2007 the Today Show... Just heading out the door to New York to cook "live in the plaza" on the Today Show NBC5 tomorrow morning (Wednesday) I will give you a wave (smiles) June 25 2007 NEW NEWSLETTER... Check out my new newsletter - talking more about the book, the Princess Diana exhibit you are not going to want to miss if you live any where near Florida, Edge cookware and two charity tea parties I am hosting in August. Check back tomorrow too for some mega exciting news on where I am going to be cooking on Wednesday morning... June 24 2007 Today's Dallas Morning News... Loved the piece in today's Dallas News Business section by Cheryl Hall on my book. Cheryl, thank you for writing that. The book is now on sale at all good bookstores or by clicking the book cover above from Amazon.com. Read the Dallas Morning News piece here... Dallas News June 21 2007 Happy Birthday Prince William... Prince William turns 25 today and a very happy birthday to him. Time flies so quickly and it hardly seems ten years since I last spoke to him. I still refer to him and his brother Harry as "the boys" I guess because that is what the princess always called them. Didn't they seem so grown up though in the NBC interview ? It was good to see them so relaxed, laughing and joking with each other too. With the lump sum of nearly nine million pounds he receives from his mothers estate this birthday he really does become one of the worlds "most eligible bachelors" June 18 2007 Try this at home... I got caught up in cooking classes at the weekend and then with fathers day too, didn't get to put the new newsletter up. It will be there this week though. The biggest hit at my picnics and poolside party food class Saturday was the Whisky, Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding. It was SO rich, velvety and yummy that their were no leftovers. Calories ? well it was fat free... until you ate it that is (laughs) I am repeating the class at Market Street, Colleyville this coming Saturday. It's been sold out for a while, but here is the too good to miss recipe to try at home. Top the pudding with clotted cream and caramel sauce to make it a dish your guests will be licking their lips over all the way home - Oh, and put a couple of slices of banana on the very top - we have to have some part of the dish that is good for you (laughs) Makes 6 portions. (1 12x9x2 casserole dish) 8 ounces dark chocolate ¾ stick unsalted butter 2 ½ cups heavy cream 4 Tbs whisky 1 ½ cups sugar 3 eggs 2 yolks 3 chocolate croissants (pain au chocolat) 1 tsp instant coffee Cut the chocolate croissants into 2 inch cubes and place on the bottom of the casserole dish. In a large bowl add the chocolate and butter. Microwave for about 2 minutes until the chocolate is melted and whisk in the sugar and coffee. Break the yolks and eggs into a large bowl and whisk together. Add the cream and whisk until combined. Whisk the egg mixture onto the chocolate mixture and pour over the croissants making sure all of the croissants are covered with the chocolate mix. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. June 15 2007 Darren in today's USA Today... Check out the article on me in today's USA Today, a well written piece by Craig Wilson. Thank's Craig for promoting the book. I don't make a penny from the book having donated all of my advance to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation so I really want to raise as much money for them as possible. ( two of Princess Diana's charitable goals were children and Aids, so I put the two together for this wonderful charity) Click on the book link above to pre-order a copy Read the article here... USA TODAY June 15 2007 PRINCESS DIANA EXHIBIT... Yesterday I was in Florida for the day at the press launch of a special exhibition called "Diana, Princess of Wales: Dresses for a Cause." It is going to be the most FABULOUS exhibit and such a memorable way for all of us this side of the pond to remember the late Princess Diana on the 10th anniversary of her passing. The exhibit is part of the Pink Ribbons Crusade, a not for profit charity ( I am Vice President) founded by Suzanne King the organizer of the exhibit and owner of six Princess Diana dresses sold at the Christies auction in 1997. The charity focuses on raising money for breast cancer prevention and awareness through a traveling exhibit of Princess Di dresses and every penny raised goes back to the local community. The exhibit will be at the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala, Florida - about an hours drive south from Disneyworld and Tampa. It will run from October 14 - December 30. I'd like to think that if the princess had been here today, she would have been humbled by everyone's hard work, donating so much time for free and pulling together to create this exhibit using her dresses that, having already so much money for charity were still generating even more money and that was all going to charity. You can read more about the exhibit by going to the charity web site. Dresses for a Cause June 13 2007 Patrizio... Had not one but two very good meals at Patrizio just recently. They have two locations - Dallas and Plano - and I ate at both. The Plano restaurant though is my favorite, I love the outside seating and ambiance and of course the food is consistently good too. Kevin Ascolese, the James Beard Award-winning chef, is the main dude kitchen side and Ed Bailey owns both places. (His wife Lee lent me the most amazing silverware for my cookbook photo shoot) Try the grilled salmon (cooked to perfection) with vegetable spaghetti (al dente) and lobster cream sauce - perfect for the "low carb freaks" (smiles) though I order a side of penne pasta in the lobster sauce to make a hearty meal. Decent Chianti starting $25 a bottle makes you want to stay at the table long after the plates have been cleared away. June 11 2007 Whirlwind week.. Ten days and no blog, I know, I have had e-mails to remind me and asking if all was OK. Crazy busy week that's all. Two cooking classes at San Antonio Central Market last Saturday. Taste of the Nation charity dinner party Sunday night then off to Philadelphia to QVC - Wow ! is that a huge operation ! - and I was fortunate to get a personal tour of the studio after the meeting. It's SO big that the show hosts travel from one set to the next on golf carts. Anyway, more on why I was there coming soon. Saturday I was at Ryland Homes latest development in Lucas, Texas hosting a cooking demonstration for potential customers. I got to cook in the dream kitchen of the showpiece $700,000 home for about 120 people. No matter how many times I said "welcome to my home" as guests arrived Ryland still wouldn't give me the keys to the house.(laughs) Cinnamon, Chocolate Orange cookies baking in the oven greeted guests as they arrived and seven different appetizers, a tour of the beautiful home and two hours later everyone left. Really cool door prizes too - Advanced copy of my new cookbook, Edge Cookware, gift vouchers and all with a Ryland Homes/Royal Chef apron. Wednesday, I will be in Florida for the day for a huge press launch. No not the book, nor the DVD, not even the cookware. I can't say exactly why yet, but it's charity and Princess Diana related. We may not have the "Concert for Diana" here in the USA to remember the Princess on the 10th anniversary of her passing, but Check out the web site on Thursday for news of an event that ALL Princess Diana fans will want to see. June 1 2007 Conspiracy Theory.. No not the car crash, a lighter story after the last blog. "Paper or plastic" at Whole foods. Everyone tells us that "paper" is better and we all look over our shoulders to see who heard us when we say "plastic please" but Whole foods in my opinion have cracked it. Make the plasitc bags SOOOOO thin, that your groceries get as far as the parking lot before the bags collapse and send your fruit and veg rolling under parked cars. Meanwhile onlookers are shaking heads and tutting... "that will teach you next time to go with paper - help save the environment" So, is paper really a better choice than plastic if we want to help do our bit ? Well, It can take up to 1,000 years for a high-density polyethylene plastic bag to break down in the environment. But, Paper bags generate 70 percent more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags. Of course, the correct answer is BYOB... that's BAG not beer... Cheers! May 28 2007 All in the public interest of course... Take a look at these photos of a beautiful young woman - and mother of two young boys - slowly dying after a car crash -click here- Shame on those that did for trying. Some things we don't need to see to imagine, some things we don't want to see out of common decency and respect. It is with absolute stomach churning disgust that I hear that the channel 4 documentary that I first blogged on in March is going ahead with photos of the late Princess Diana slumped across the back seat of the mangled Mercedes. "All in the public interest" we are informed by some insensitive, rating watcher at Channel 4. Well what about the interest of the two young boys the dying mother left benind ? Do they not count ? They were 15 and 12 at the time and all this will do is bring back horrific nightmares. All in the interest of ratings. What a sad world we live in. May 27 2007 Dallas Morning News... Loved this Dallas Morning News article in today's edition written by Kim Pierce and promoting my new cookbook. click here to read Well written Kim, thank you for that - and for promoting the book. The money from it is going to an excellent charity, so all the publicity and sales of it I can get are most welcome. May 25 2007 Restaurant Critic.. Well, I feel like New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. I do a little blog about a poor meal at a restaurant and it closes it's door but a few weeks later. Urban Bistro (the magical Avner Samuel's puppy to Aurora) is "closed for renovation" Le'ts hope the menu and one or two chefs are included in the extreme makeover after my last visit. I made my first visit to Del Frisco's in Dallas last week too. I've never been a big fan of steakhouses, believing the only thing they cook better than me is steaks - and they usually do. It was"OK" and that's about it really. Shame, I was expecting something special. The steaks weren't as good as Three Forks in my opinion - maybe it's the "jewel in the crown's" house salad that makes it taste better. I adore Three Forks blue cheese and pecan salad, adore it and have been trying to snaffle the dressing recipe for the longest time (laughs) May 23 2007 Taste of the Nation... I was at the Viking Culinary Arts Center in Dallas last night (lovely place, but cookware not as good as Edge HA ! ) for the launch of Taste of the Nation, the nation’s premier culinary benefit supporting the fight to end childhood hunger in America. The main event is June 3 at ParkPlace Motorcars in Dallas. You can purchase tickets for the event here... Taste of the Nation May 22 2007 Edge Cookware at Neiman Marcus... If you have been to my cooking classes in the last few weeks you will already have seen the beautiful new line of cookware I endorse called"EDGE COOKWARE" Well it is now being sold at Neiman Marcus for $299 for the 17 piece set. Click on this link to go to Neimans and see it... Edge at Neimans May 16 2007 Prince Harry not going to Iraq... It doesn't come as a great surprise in today's news, that the powers that be have decided Prince Harry will not join his regiment in Iraq. It must have been a tough decision to call, damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. He will be bitterly disappointed he is not alongside his comrades over the next few months, but I am not sure that they feel the same. Without doubt he would have been a target for jihadists thus putting his squadron at even more danger. Who knows what warnings and specific threats have been intercepted over the last few months I would love to and I am sure we will, see him now spending a lot of time supporting the wives and families of his troop while they are on active duty. Of course the media are hoping for another photograph of him out partying now and falling into the gutter while his men are in harms way. The headlines have already been written. That would be a bigger blow to the royal family than him getting captured in Iraq. May 14 2007 Moving things about... Regulars to the site will notice that the cooking clip has gone. It's all part of getting ready for the new DVD clip. Remember I said I taped a 6 recipe cooking class and tour of the store pointing out what to look for when buying food etc a few weeks ago. The producer and crew are used to taping shows for food network so I just KNOW this DVD is going to be amazing. It's in High Definition too, so will almost be like being there with me when you watch it. Hope to have the trailer for it up in the next week or so. Exciting news about the Pink Ribbons Crusade too coming soon - this is not to be missed. I am sworn to secrecy, but dying to tell you all about it. Upcoming newsletter...maybe ! (laughs) May 8 2007 Prince William at Wembley ... Clarence House has just announced Prince William will be in the royal box this year as the F.A. Cup Final returns to the new Wembley stadium and Manchester United battle Chelsea. It's been almost 7 years since Wembley last hosted an F.A. Cup Final and I am sure Prince William would have rather have been at that game instead. He is, after all an Aston Villa supporter - he told me one day in the palace kitchen - and Aston Villa played Chelsea that day. Second thoughts, maybe not. Chelsea won 1-0 May 8 2007 Heard over the dinner table last night ... President Bush didn't REALLY congratulate Her Majesty the Queen on her Oscar's win did he ? Did he ? (laughs) May 7 2007 White house State Dinner ... Her Majesty the Queen's official state visit to the USA draws to an end tomorrow night and she will head back across the pond. She finally got to attend a Kentucky Derby, even though she had to wait 81 years for the pleasure. Horses will again be on her mind as she heads straight to Windsor Castle for the Windsor Horse Show - held in her back yard every year. Tonight though brings a white tie dinner in her honor at the White house. Looking at the banquet menu clearly tells me that Buckingham Palace was consulted over the menu. Sole and Lamb are two of Her Majesty's favorite foods and she will eat wild mushrooms anytime. It's nothing new though for visiting heads of state to have their offices consulted over a visiting Presidents, Kings or Queens eating habits. We in the Queens kitchens always had a list of likes and dislikes prior to a State Visit. It is just one of the many "attention to details" to help things run smoothly. It doesn't always work out right though, as I will tell you in my next newsletter, coming soon. May 4 2007 Wow ! Mr Popular (laughs) ... Due to the sell out Mother's Day tea party class, I have agreed to host back to back classes to accommodate the huge waiting list Market Street, McKinney has. The original class is on Saturday May 12th (11am-1pm) the extra one will start two hours later at 3pm - 5pm. Sadly I am not going to be able to fit in another class for over 20 people on the waiting list at Market Street, Colleyville this coming Sunday... but if your quick you might just grab a seat for you and Mom at next weeks McKinney store. It's only down the road, and you KNOW Mom is worth it. It's worth the drive just for the Caramel, Banana Cake (smiles) May 4 2007 Radiant and Regal as ever... It's 16 years since Her Majesty the Queen last came to the USA. I know that because I was with her - my recipe book as hand luggage - and with her well into her 6 day visit, it still fascinates me to see the enormous attention and interest she receives from the American public and media. Thousands of people braved the rain to see her in Jamestown, Virginia where she was attending the 400th Anniversary of the first British settlement in North America. Most 81 year olds would be sat in front of the tv watching Countdown (sorry, you have to be British to get that one :O) not flying 5000 miles (with three tons of luggage and 35 staff in tow) for a gruelling schedule that involved dinner at the Whitehouse, audiences with the students injured in the Virginia Tech shooting and speaking to the General Assembly to name but a few of her engagements. But for the Queen, it's duty first - always - though once that is over, it's time for the fun stuff and "off to the races". Saturday Her Majesty will be at her first Kentucky Derby. It's no secret she is a big racing fan, her love of horses dates back to when her Grandfather (King George V) gave her a pony called Peggy for her 4th birthday. She may also take the time to inspect some of her own thoroughbreds she has in training at several Kentucky stables too before heading back across the pond leaving once again, an adoring American public. May 2 2007 Royal Tea for Royalty... No one in the family deserves the royal treatment more than Mum... or Mom as "the McGrady bunch" now say. This coming Sunday, May 6th I will be at Market Street in Colleyville hosting a Mother's Day tea party, complete with sandwiches, pastries, good old clotted cream scones and of course Earl Grey Tea. I will repeat the class the following Saturday May 12 at McKinney Market Street too, so if you are still undecided how to spoil that special lady in your life then one of these classes would be perfect. I will also be bringing a copy of my book along to each class so you get an exclusive preview of it before it's launch July 10th. See you at the tea party.... "More tea Vicar ? " April 27 2007 Eating Royally... I received the first hard copy of my new cookbook 'Eating Royally' yesterday and was so excited. Finally, after four years in production and fifteen years of research I have this book in my hand. Seems kind of weird though, you open it up and it's a bit like yesterdays newspaper - yup, seen that, read that, know that... I wonder if all authors feel like that ? I still can't help picking it up and putting it down again a million times and thinking WOW ! I have heard their are fifteen books scheduled for release this year on Princess Diana. If all are as positive about her as my book is and raise as much for charity as I hope my book does, then the Royal Family are in for a good year. April 26 2007 I want a ticket... Lilly Allen has just signed up to sing at the 'Concert for Diana' in July. Ooh, I want a ticket, I want a ticket !!! I LOVE her catchy tunes and the lyrics make me laugh ... "There was a little old lady, who was walkin down the road She was struggling with bags from Tesco There were people from the city havin lunch in the park I believe that it's called al fresco" Just hope if she sings "Alfie" or "Smile" that the Royals have gone for a bathroom break... not all of her lyrics are "family listening" material. (smiles) April 26 2007 Thank you's time... Sometimes we do things because we have to and then our professionalism produces a great job. Sometimes we do things because we want to and our passion produces an even better job. Other times it's a combination of both as with the case at the weekend and the making of my new DVD. The cooking school staff at Market Street in McKinney were absolutely AMAZING in their behind the scenes support and preparation and the hours they put in to help make this DVD a work of art. From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU Ruth, Maria, Jennifer and Stacey SO much. I owe you BIG time... and I know you won't let me forget it (laughs) April 21 2007 Happy Birthday Ma'am ... The Queen is 81 today and is looking as radiant as ever. Many happy returns of the day to you Ma'am and long may you reign over us ! As usual she will spend her "actual" birthday at Windsor Castle. She has two birthdays - an "actual" and an "official" - each year due to practical reasons. The cold, wet weather normally spoilt outdoor parades and celebrations for King Edward VII (his actual birthday was November) so he chose to have an "official" birthday in the summer months as well, for things like Trooping the Color. The Queen continued the tradition and her official birthday is usually the second weekend of June. Lucky Queen ! She gets to have TWO huge chocolate ganache birthday cakes a year made for her in the royal kitchens. And ready for this one she is too, after annually giving up chocolate for lent. April 20 2007 From the Palace to Dallas ... It's the name I wanted to call my book, but the powers that be decided against the idea. This weekend I will be at Market Street in McKinney recording (is that the word ? or is it "taping" or "filming") a DVD. I have teamed up with Market Street and together we are making a 6 dish cooking class DVD. I start off giving a little background on my career, then it's around the store buying up goodies to throw together in the cooking school upstairs. Some of this will be recorded..or is it ....(smiles) in front of a live class, so no pressure. Of course the quality of it is going to be incredible, no not because I am in it (laughs) but because I have a real life food network producer and film crew directing, or is that producing ? So, can you guess what I am calling the DVD ? ...Uh ! who told you ? ... Anyway, if you are around Market Street, McKinney this weekend, big smiles, you might be on tape...ooh, and keep the noise down - there are people filming, or is it... (laughs) More on this later... April 17 2007 Leave Mum out of this ... It speaks more of the snobbery of "royal pundits" than of the royal family themselves when I hear remarks like "The problem was the mother. I don't think it was Kate. When she met the queen, CAROLE MIDDLETON (Kate's Mum) said 'Pleased to meet you' and asked where the toilet was" "The genteel would normally say "How do you do?" and not talk about going to the lavatory" remarked one dinosaur pundit who himself is more accustomed to quaffing a Chateau Lafite than a pint with the lads. In my opinion the Queen would have been much more concerned about the pedigree of her dogs than of her grandsons wife to be. As long as William was happy and felt he had made the right choice then Her Majesty would be happy too. Obviously he felt he was too young too at this stage and kudos to him for deciding now and not once the tea towels had both faces stamped on them. April 16 2007 Quail anyone ? ... Hey, I had a canape reception for 200 people on Friday and one of the canapes was amazing. Try this one at home on your family and friends. Allow two Quail per person (you can get the semi-boneless from Wholefoods) Cut off the breasts and remove the skin. (Roast off the legs to snack on) Next you want a thin slither of dried Fig - fold the Quail breast around it. Now wrap the Quail breast in 1/2 slice of center cut bacon and skewer with a toothpick. Pan fry these - 3 minutes per side until the bacon is crispy and the Quail moist and pink and then just before serving brush with Japaleno jelly... mmm ! delicious ! April 16 2007 Well I promised exciting news ... Didn't I ? (see last weeks blog below)... Not very exciting for poor Kate though was it ? I feel for both of them, under so much pressure like that. Wouldn't it be ironic if William went off to the armed forces, came back to find Kate married to someone else and then... No, let's not go there. April 9 2007 What a Miserable Week... Last week I spent the whole week laid up with Bronchitis (including a day in ER) and boy, did it knock me for six. The girls were great, even made get well Dad cards - with drawings of me laid on my hospital bed, thier attention drawn to the latest "Hannah Montanna" show on the small tv in my cubicle. Harry too, though he was in "power ranger" mode so we had to watch him carefully- with me and the other patients. Wendy nursed me back to healthy again with TLC, Gatorade and Chicken Noodle Soup. It made me think that we were becoming as "Americanized" as the kids. The old days of Lucozade and Stew and Dumplings - "to pick you up" seemed a distant memory - and what is it about Chicken noodle soup anyway ? Lot's of exciting stuff coming up in the next few weeks... March 30 2007 No Pressure... OK ! I have cooked for 4 US presidents but tomorrow is a real challenge. Saturday morning I have an important cooking class to teach and I can't tell you how nervous I am. It's my youngest daughters 7th birthday party and she wanted 5 of her friends over for a cooking class. Now, I am used to handling cooking classes for adults with upwards of 50 people in the class, but I have never taught a kids class before. Worse, Lexie is my sternest critic (Dad, Cici's brownies are MUCH better than yours) ... and worse still, the class comes after a sleepover and you just know they will be awake half the night and all grouchy in the morning. No pressure Darren, no pressure. March 29 2007 Times have changed... Seeing the boys driving Audi cars and Kate Middleton, (not technically - yet - a royal) splashed on the front pages of the mornings papers in her new Audi A3. It wasn't that long ago, 13 years (oh, perhaps it was) that Princess Diana took delivery of her new soft top Audi. "I love this car" I still remember her telling me. The media didn't though and front pages then, were asking " Why are you driving a foreign car, buy British ! " "Why shouldn't I drive a German car" she went on " the whole family are German" a big smile coming over her face... Happy Days ! March 29 2007 Cooking Cottage... I was in Lubbock this weekend at the new Market Street "concept 3" store on 98th street. The layout and decor is much improved from the earlier designs - McKinney and Colleyville - but what impressed me the most was the Cooking Cottage. Wow ! Although the concept 3's don't have cooking schools they do have this enlarged demonstration kitchen on the ground floor right at the entrance to the store. Instead of being tucked away in the school upstairs, oblivious to most of the store traffic, guest chefs can now be seen, demonstrating and give out samples of their food to everyone entering the store. Perfect for anyone with a cookbook coming out in hmm... just a few months (laughs) . I can't wait for the two new Market Street stores with the same concept to open in the Dallas area very soon. March 26 2007 Talking of hypocracy... (see blog below this one) ... Patrick Jephson, former private secretary to Princess Diana on the CBS Early show this morning said that the photographs taken of Prince Harry show him acting spoiled and not like a dignified military officer. This coming from the same former naval officer that wrote a kiss and tell book which had the palace saying “"The Queen and the Prince of Wales deeply deplore Mr Jephson's decision to proceed with the publication of his book. The words “pot, kettle and black” spring to mind. March 26 2007 Boys are boys... William and Harry in the media again all for the wrong reasons, or so we are told. Sometimes the press hypocrisy really bugs me. Shock, gasp, horror, roll the front pages when the two princes act like normal 20 year olds - partying etc. "These are privileged people, royals, and should act differently" we are told. Not so though when it comes to war. Oh no, then it's "They are soldiers just like all of the rest and should go to Iraq - no privileges just because they are royal” We either want them to be normal like the rest of us or we want them up on a pedestal, we can’t have both. March 23 2007 10th Anniversary Only a few months away from the 10th anniversary of the Princess's death and film makers are busying away on shows to air July and August when the whole world will be remembering. July will be a happy time as the concert planned by the boys on Mums birthday kicks off the two months rememberance of a special lady that touched so many lives. August and the memorial, will be a time to reflect on her life and the good she did, as well as the legacy she left behind. It saddens me therefore to read about one such program in the making "Diana's last day" which will feature some of the photos taken by the cameramen who shadowed (read chased) the Princess just before the accident in Paris. It's director says " We don't think any of those are intrusive. We're telling the story of Diana's last day with some original material" REALLY ? Well WE do ... intrusive, offensive and downright insensitive. Leave it on the cutting floor. March 22 2007 The Schedule is out... In an attempt to allow "new faces" to come to my cooking school classes at Market Street in McKinney and Colleyville, the stores now how a policy of "you can't sign up for the next class (Mothers Day Tea Party) until the new schedule comes out" thus stopping my classes from selling out before the schedule is released. I think this is a great idea and at the last McKinney class over half were new. However, wanting to stay loyal to my "regulars" ... THE NEW SCHEDULE IS OUT - run for the phone !!!!!!!! (laughs) March 20 2007 Really Cool Blog... My "good friend" with "great taste" (ha ! that's the name of her book) Debbie Meyer-Gore has her new web site up and running and has an AMAZING blog on her site. Check it out - and order a signed copy of her book while you are there. I have a copy and it is full of darn good recipes and tips. Go to my links page and click on "Good Friends Great Tastes" March 16 2007 St Patricks Day ? Just back from Central Market (Lovers lane, Dallas) With St Paddies day coming up tomorrow they are pushing an "Irish Menu sampling" Imagine my surprise when I looked closer and saw the entree to accompany the mandatory cabbage was none other than SHEPHERDS pie. And erm, which part of IRELAND does that come from indeed ? None of course, it's as English as you come. Worse still - it was made using BEEF - even more English - a Traditional COTTAGE pie now. Please say those yellow floaty bits weren't CORN !!! ... in a Shep... I mean Cottage pie ????? Ironically, it could be a (well that's Irish for you) " Irish Shepherds Pie" after all.. Foodies to the rescue. Top of da mornin to ya ! March 13 2007 Matt Martinez I managed to spend 10 minutes chatting with Matt Martinez the other night at the Savor Dallas Lone Star Awards - Matt was there to collect the Culinary Arts award - he has Tex Mex restaurants in Dallas and Austin. I couldn't have met a nicer, more humble man and was honored when he brought his family along to my cooking demonstration next day. He has a new cookbook out called "Matt Martinez Mex Tex" you might want to check out. "Let's get together, visit with Jack Daniels and enjoy some good food" he said to me before leaving. I will hold you to that Matt - real soon I hope. March 13 2007 Savor Dallas Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to the students of Wylie High School that did all the prep work for my cooking demonstration in the Savor Dallas celebrity kitchen on Saturday. All the chopping, weighing and prep work was perfect and I am looking forward to visiting your school to see your culinary arts program in action. Thanks also to Karel Anne Tieszen and Steve De Shazo for co-ordinating. Pics of the event coming soon... March 7 2007 Limbs for Life Charity Congratulations to the group that paid over $10,000 (all to go to the "Limbs for Life" charity) for a silent auction item titled "Party like James Bond at the Casino Royale" This very British auction donation consisted of the use of a vintage Rolls Royce, black tie dinner for 8 people served by "Bond girls" (I'll take my camera) and of course a "British" chef (me) cooking dinner. Hmm, have to do something with Martini in it won't I ? Shaken, not stirred of course. March 5 2007 Urban Bistro I am often asked "what's your favorite restaurant in Dallas ? " or "Who is your favorite chef ? " So I thought that I would do my own little 'restaurant reviews' on the blog here when I dine out. Saturday I was at Urban Bistro on the Tollway, an Avner Samuel restaurant. Those of you that have already asked me these questions before already know I think that Avner is the best chef in Dallas and his Aurora restaurant -the best in Texas. So, with this in mind you can imagine that I was expecting some good food. How disappointed I was! Avner, you need to ride up the Tollway more often and check out your team. This is NOT your standard. Isn't food cooked in a tagine (like a casserole) meant to be slow cooked and tender? the carrots were raw in mine. And the watery cumin sauce it came with was so bland. My wife had the diver scallops - 4 plump and juicy ones the waiter said - it turned up with 3 and they were overcooked and served on a bed of unseasoned polenta. A friend had the tenderloin with a little blue cheese on top. That steak was piled on top of three huge potato croquets - each the size of a can of beans. No sign of any sauce to bring this dish together - pass the ketchup please. We were disappointed on desserts too. The chocolate, chocolate, chocolate turned out to be nasty, nasty, nasty. The driest bit of old chocolate cake with no taste topped with some ice cream it looked like some 10 year old had dolloped on top. How long does it take to do a nice little Quenelle for presentation ? Come on Avener - Saturday night at 7:00pm and "sorry the panna cottas have all gone" There were only three other tables in the dining room. I expected much better for the price and also from Dallas' top chef. March 4 2007 NEW NEWSLETTER Finally got around to getting a new newsletter up - check it out on the newsletter link at the top of the page. This month I am talking about my trip to the movies to see The Queen and a return trip to Turbochef where I again got to play with one of the most amazing new ovens before it hits the residential market next month. Also, an update on cooking schools, charity gigs and Savor Dallas this coming weekend. March 2 2007 James Beard Foundation I am honored to have been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York. I will be preparing a traditional British afternoon tea party at the house on Sunday September 16 2007. The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence and it really will be an honor for me to cook there. The tea will be open to the public, though tickets will be in short supply, so if you fancy a 'weekend in New York' and a special tea party contact them now for tickets. Click on this link... James Beard House March 1 2007 My Cookbook Latest news on my cookbook. It is due out in the stores on July 10 2007 but you can pre-order it with a big discount at Amazon.com FROM TODAY ! Click HERE or on the Eating Royally link at the top of this page to read more about it, the charity I have donated my entire advance to and a link to pre-order at Amazon. February 26 2007 The Queen Congratulations to Helen Mirren for winning best actress at the Oscars for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the movie 'the Queen.' Now, not that I know anything about acting but I think she deserved it - I kept having one of those Pablo's dogs reactions and started bowing every time she looked at me, she was so convincing. February 24 2007 San Antonio in June June 2nd I am going to be teaching two cooking classes in one day at Central Market San Antonio. It is one of my favorite cooking schools in the country and Mary Martini has a great team there to make me look good. I usually do a class on a Saturday and another on a Sunday but I have been asked to host a tea party to raise funds for Les Dames D'Escoffier on Sunday June 3rd. I am excited about this event and looking forward to raising money for another good cause. February 22 2007 Hip Hop Harry It wasn't that long ago that the newspapers were filling their pages with news of "Harry out of control " " the party prince" and " playboy Harry" so it brought a smile to my face when it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that Prince Harry is to be deployed to Iraq with his unit. It wasn't that long ago he was running around the apartments at Kensington Palace with his toy gun, dressed as a soldier. Could he have got out of this deployment ? In a heartbeat ! But when it came time to be counted he chose to "do the right thing" just as his mother used to. She would have been as proud of her boy as every other mum who has a son/daughter going off to war. I hope Prince Charles will plan the same homecoming for his son as he did for his brother when he too returned from war. It was 1982 and the royal family were at Balmoral. Prince Charles arranged for a welcoming party to meet Prince Andrew at the gates. A rowing boat with H.M.S. Invincible on the side was brought out to carry the Prince up to the castle. Prince Charles dressed as the Old Man of Lochnagar and the party went on into the night. I hope the estate workers are already working on a tank to bring this royal hero up to the castle on his safe return to blighty. Good luck Sir, and Godspeed. February 16 2007 Good Friends Great Tastes If you attend the cooking school classes at Market Street Colleyville you will already know Debbie Meyer Gore. She is a great friend of mine and has just brought out her new cookbook and it is wonderful. Not only full of excellent recipes but also a good read too. A celebration of Life, Food and Friendship she claims and it is exactly that. It's going to be a huge hit and just in time for Mother's day too. Go to my links page to order it at discount price. February 15 2007 Le Dinner Royal Hey, this blogging is fun ! I am teaming up with Gary Cogill - he's the jolly old chap interviewing me in the clip above and WFAA's award winning film critic - to donate a dinner for 10 to Ursuline Academy Dallas, Benefiting Student Scholarships and Faculty Endowment. It should be a great evening with me cooking and him serving dinner and the stories afterwards will be worth listening too as well - after all, we have both seen the Queen (think about it - try to keep up (laughs) If you plan to attend the 17th Annual Mardi Gras Ball at the Dallas Anatole on February 17th, then bid away ! For more, have a peek at Le Dinner Royal February 15 2007 Peanut Budder Wow ! this peanut butter thing is pretty scary. I have found, and yes disposed of, a jar of Peter Pan peanut butter on my pantry shelf that had the product code beginning 2111 on the lid - though the kids wanted to eat it - "would we get a WHOLE week off school dad ? " For those of you with your heads in a saucepan this week and not caught the news ConAgra Foods Inc. told consumers to discard certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after the spread was linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people nationwide. So, "if in doubt, chuck it out ! " ... as my old Nan used to say. February 14 2007 Happy Valentines Happy Valentines day everyone ! I hope you have all decided to stay in and share the cooking of a gourmet dinner party for two. If your stuck for a last minute dessert idea then try my Valentines day Mocha Custards on the recipes page. For those that came to my valentines day classes... I hope you have your chocolate brownies coming out of the oven about now and the champagne sorbet and raspberry coulis already made made. February 14 2007 Savor Dallas Raising money for these charities next month through Savor Dallas - North Texas Food Bank, Greater Dallas Restaurant Association Education Fund, and Arts Magnet Building Campaign for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. I will be doing a cooking demonstration at the Victory Park AT&T Plaza at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on March 10th. Also cooking will be Johanne Killeen and George Germon of Al Forno in Provididence, R.I. and Rocco DiSpirito - remember him from the reality tv show the restaurant ? For more information go here - www.savordallas.com February 14 2007 March of the Dimes I'm like the number 11 bus aren't I ? nothing for ages then three turn up at once. I'm in a blogging mood today (smiles) Just wanted to tell you about an event I have signed up for today. March of the Dimes fundraiser in San Antonio, Tx on November 18th to raise money for the charity to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. If you live in or near San Antonio, put the date in your diary and come and join me. More soon. February 11 2007 Chocolate Transfers Here is the link to purchase the chocolate transfer sheets that I used in my valentines class. You will get about 24 two inch discs per sheet and as you saw, they are pretty impressive. Thanks again for a great class....Beryl's Cake Decorating & Pastry Supplies February 09 2007 Busy, busy, busy... I know, I know, I am supposed to blog on here more often. I will when I get a minute I promise. So many exciting projects going on at the moment I just haven't had time to sit and type. Having said that, I should have a new newsletter up for you this week. A huge thanks for filling my Valentines cooking classes this coming weekend and for making last weekends two in San Antonio and the two the weekend before in Houston a great success. February 03 2007 Turbochef oven I got a sneak preview of the new “Turbochef oven” this week. If you saw it debut on Good Morning America on Thanksgiving when Sara Molton cooked a 12lb turkey in 42 minutes then you will be as amazed and skeptical as I was. If you didn’t – remember where you heard it first – this new oven is AMAZING ! Read a report on it in the new newsletter… February 02 2007 I've been to see "The Queen" Went to see the Queen last night! Well not THE Queen, but the movie. People have been asking me at my cooking classes if I had seen it and what I thought and were the kitchens REALLY like that. Am I the only one to spend the journey home with the phrase “Would you like some fish fingers Tony”… the cockney accent ringing in my ears? For my full review of the movie check out the next newsletter. February 01 2007 New website So, what do you think of the new website? Pretty cool isn’t it. Kudos to my brother Chris McGrady for getting this up and running. Click on his link on the Links page if you are in the market for a web site, he will take care of you – and as you can see, he does a good job. Here in the blog I can add bits myself – weekly, daily or hourly – or just when I get time or want to share something. Then I can go into it in more detail on the newsletter page later. So, here goes… !

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