Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Letter from the editor: A kitchen nightmare

Simon Kelner
Thursday 12 May 2011 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It seems I may have spoken too soon when I suggested that there were very few issues on which i readers spoke with one voice.

In fact, a great many of you like nothing more than to return after a hard day at work, put the oven gloves on, and get all Gordon Ramsay (minus the bad language, of course). And now we've gone and inflicted a kitchen nightmare on you.

Every day since i launched, we've included a quick and easy recipe from Bill Granger, the popular TV chef who doesn't garnish his act with four-letter words, or feel the need to boil up a little controversy on the side. Neither do his creations involve a sous-vide machine, liquid nitrogen and a type of samphire only found on the western isles of Scotland. They are no-nonsense recipes designed with the i audience in mind, and fit perfectly with the ethos of the paper: they are clear, concise and accessible.

So, since October last year, thanks to Bill, the nation has cooked - and enjoyed - dishes such as spaghetti and chicken meatballs, Thai pork stir-fry and asparagus and mushroom pizza, all possible to concoct within 30 minutes using ingredients bought on your way home from work. But now, the larder is empty. Bill has simply run out of recipes, and you're not happy.

Stephen Grange, for instance, writes to say that he's collected all the recipes since issue one, and now he's bereft. "I haven't eaten since Friday," he says, with only a hint of hyperbole. John Turnbull wants Cooper Brown replaced by the daily recipe (maybe we could combine the two: I'm sure Cooper does a mean vegetarian risotto), Vicky Chiesman laments the absence of recipes she can really trust, while Simon Mohammad was one of many in the Twittersphere who had to make do with a sandwich when they got home.

Bill himself is touched by your support, and is busy coming up with new creations. In the meantime, here's my suggestion: take a pan of boiling water, place an egg in it and keep on the boil for four minutes. What do you mean, pathetic? Delia Smith made a career out of it! Bon appetit!

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in