The French director Claude Chabrol takes his food very seriously. Even the humble fried egg must be cooked perfectly in "Inspector Lavardin".
Audrey Hepburn learns how to crack an egg in a scene from Billy Wilder's frothy comedy "Sabrina".
Alfred Hitchcock's wicked sense of humour is at work again in"To Catch a Thief".
Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, the spy who can whip up a perfect omelette, in "The Ipcress File".
... and other places
The Perfect Egg by Aldo Buzzi is an excursion into the food that has obsessed, provoked and intrigued the author through his life. Rupert Baker reads an extract, admittedly on the subject of overcooked spaghetti, here.
"Go to work on an egg", the 1957 advertising campaign featuring Tony Hancock. The eight ads were banned from being shown again for the 50th anniversary in 2007 as 'they did not suggest a varied diet'. Enjoy them here.
This was a discussion I had with Tim Johnston at the infamous Juveniles Wine Bar in Paris, which has an excellent wine list that is based on the premise that you would like to order another glass!
He is obviously of the opinion that an extra glass is good for business and buys wine accordingly, yet still interestingly!
Peter Boizot, MBE, is a Soho legend. In 1965 he introduced the pizza to Londoners when he imported an Italian oven into the first ever Pizza Express in Wardour Street. The popularity of the jazz club below his Dean Street pizzeria lead to the founding of the Soho Jazz Festival. He fought the very successful Save Piccadilly campaign, was a founder member of the Soho Society and the Soho Restaurateurs Association and supported in no small measure Soho Housing Association.
We interviewed him about those pioneering days at his home in Peterborough.
A visit to Liu Shunli's teashop in Xiamen is a leisurely affair as he makes tea for tasting - not drinking - explaining the process and customs involved. He talks about the properties of Tieguanyin Tea, one of China's most famous teas, grown in the plantations of Anxi.
