Ok, this one gives me a chuckle. First let me explain, mostly for us Americans, who exactly Delia Smith is. In short, she’s as famous in the United Kingdom as Julia Child. In many ways, she’s the television chef who three decades ago got things rolling. For some reason, here “in the States” we got Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, but we never had exposure to Delia. She’s the grandmother, the Dame of British television cooking. And for the last eight or so years has been semi-retired from the airwaves. During her absence, Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay sprung to prominence. Now Delia’s back.

Here’s the thing though, and the chuckle. In an interview the other day someone asked the prim and proper 66-year-old cooking veteran what she thought about Ramsay and her reply was: “That’s not teaching. I like him when he does his recipes, but I’m not keen on his swearing.” Ok, no shock there. Right? Well the UK press is having a field day with headlines like “Delia roasts Ramsay” … and words such as “grills” Ramsay … “attacks” … “ticks off” …. “smacks” and the like.

All because of the words “not too keen”?! And I thought American newspapers exaggerated everything, but we’re apparently nothing compared to the long noses of the British press.

{04 Mar 2008}