Sound Bites
Top TV chef Phil Vickery on branching out from baked beans around the camp fire, why Chinese cooking isn't much of a puzzle, plus tips for tomatoes and kids' healthy lunches
Lunches my girls love
Healthy food and kids doesn't always work, but when it does, it's really satisfying. Going down well right now are steamed Kenya fine beans (my girls call them 'squeaky beans') with fresh buffalo Mozzarella and roasted butternut squash. Plus their favourite at the moment, grilled sweet and sour teriyaki salmon with cucumber noodles, followed by large wedges of watermelon.
Camping is cool
As a child, I loved camping, and my father did a sterling job cooking on a single camping Gaz stove. We really enjoyed ourselves, but it was hard work for him.
Then, two years ago I went to Jersey to make five films on outdoor food for ITV's This Morning. One film was about cooking for campers, as this type of holiday is popular again, so I had a look at the cooking equipment options. Wow, how things have improved. It's now lightweight, state-of-the-art, and very user friendly.
Using some of the new kit I cooked a delicious meal for four, which included courgette and pea pilaff plus venison sausages with a rich tomato sauce. Best of all was a chicken, tomato and tarragon casserole for eight adults, cooked in a Dutch oven in a charcoal fire, all done in 45 minutes, start to finish!
So, check out what's available now, and happy camping.
Top tomato tips
Seasonal summer tomatoes may taste terrific but, to improve the less flavoursome varieties available for the rest of the year, buy yours a week before you need them and leave at room temperature, next to the fruit bowl. You can really taste the difference: a softer, fuller flavour. If you want to chill them, just remove from the fridge an hour before you plan to eat. Trust me, it's worth it.
I'd like to try Chinese cooking but where do I start?
Peter Bryant, Manchester
With the OIympics kicking off in Beijing, this is a timely moment to be thinking of feasting Chinese style. Get going with a really good cookery book, that way you know the recipes will definitely work and it'll give you the confidence to experiment. Ten years ago, I worked with wonderful Ken Hom, probably the most famous Chinese chef in the world. He taught me so much and I can honestly recommend his cookery books which are clear and informative. Most tasty Chinese food is easy to make, but start with something simple, such as homemade stir-fried rice (quickly frying cooked rice with soy sauce, eggs and veg). So easy, my kids cook it.
Funny old game
A couple of years ago I was setting up a cookery demonstration when four really beefy lads wandered in. Looking bemused, they hung around and eventually sat down. The conversation went like this...
'Ere mate, do you know what time Phil Vickery is here?'
'Er, that's me.'
'Na, na, he's a rugby player.'
'Yes, I know, but I'm Phil Vickery the chef.'
'We thought it was him doing a talk on rugby.'
Apparently one of their wives had got them tickets as a surprise. They couldn't get a lift home until later so they stayed, had a good time, and even picked up a few ideas.