21.4.10

The Urban Peasant

Posted by Stephanie |



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Bunches of carrots and vegetables on market stall

My love for cooking began with simple curiosity. Starting when I was about eight years old, I’d rush home after school to watch my favourite show on CBC: The Urban Peasant. It was a cooking show that starred James Barber, an engineer turned food critic turned cookbook writer. His recipes were incredible. They were simple, yet elegant – he took classic dishes and turned them into fusion genius, perfect for entertaining. He made it possible for anyone to learn how to cook, and inspired those who already could.

Though Barber passed away in 2007, his legacy lives on, and is as strong as ever. There is a new website dedicated to James, named after his show, The Urban Peasant. The site features recipes (though this part of the site isn’t up yet), memories of James, episodes of his show, and a list of his cookbooks. My favourites are the two cookbooks that began it all for me: Quick and Simple, and Peasant’s Choice.

Other books of his include:

More than a Cookbook
Peasant’s Alphabet
Ginger Tea Makes Friends

Fear of Frying
Flash in the Pan

Cooking for Two
One Pot Wonders

The Genius of James Barber

Just to hold you over and give you a taste of James Barber’s delectable recipes, try out his Pan Roasted Salmon with Sweet Peppers.

If reading this sparks any memories of how you began to love food, let me know! What inspires you? Why do you cook?




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3 comments:

Ladyexpat (Nancie) said...

I remember the Urban Peasant. It was a good show. The recipe you've shared here sounds amazing. I'll have to try it.

Nancie said...

I always liked the Urban Peasant. That recipe sounds delicious. I'll have to give it a go.

Nancie said...

I also liked the Urban Peasant. This sounds like a great tasting recipe. I'll have to give it a go.

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