HAS THE BBC LOST THEIR PLOT?

I ask this because of the following quotation from her culinary hero Mr. Michel Roux Jr.

"It's ridiculous when you think I have been associated with Albert Bartlett (Rooster Potatoes) for twelve years and on MasterChef for only six."

And, it is not as if he stands on street corners and whisper to passer-bys "Oi, I've got a load of tatties going cheap, want some", no, he advertises this brand of potatoes on television by saying that he serves them in his restaurant (The Gavroche) and has done so, as he says, for twelve years.

So there can be no doubt that the Beeb has lost their plot for they must have always known he did advertisements because the rest of us certainly did!

Never mind, because of the parting of their ways, he is now able to do articles for The Times, the first was in yesterday's edition in the Weekend Section on page 12 and you can also watch him on-line cooking French Classics.

The weekly video series started yesterday at thetimes.co.uk/timeskitchen.

He will also be able to advertise and hopefully he will tell us more about a small company that he is an investor in.

I believe it is called 'Growing Underground', a company recently set up to grow Micro Vegetables in old London tube tunnels. 

No nasty wind, controlled lighting, a constant degree of heat, just think of how Mushrooms and Rhubarb would simply love it!

I suppose you are wondering why he and his famous father and uncle are her heroes.

Well, Dear Readers, apart from having eaten at The Gavroche, and watched as he demonstrated the trick of how to make a very special Potato dish, it is because he is continuing his family's role in furthering the culinary skills of chefs and would-be chefs.

For thirty years ago, yes, you read that correctly, thirty years ago his father and uncle, Albert and Michel Roux founded The Roux Scholarship.

This is and obviously has been a very serious undertaking and their generosity of spirit is remarkable.

Generosity of Spirit is not a phrase she would connect with the BBC after their decision not to allow Mr.Roux to continue to front MasterChef which, she thinks leaves them with egg on their face, an appropriate remark, as I think you will agree?

Anyway, there is no television watching in this house.. grrr. For she touched the AV button on her television last week and the wretched machine has gone back to being Analog, she has tried to reset it, has even put new batteries into the remote control.

But nothing is working, there is just this irritating little box moving about the screen saying 'NO SIGNAL' and now she has to take it, not easy as it is thirty two inches wide and heavy, to a Comet / Dixon store where they will have to reset it.

It is a good thing she likes books, is it not and that she has me to entertain her. 

If the weather is behaving itself, she will be busy gardening all this week, there is still so much to do at this time of year and she has not even started on the delinquent plot which needs serious attention. 

But there is just time for one more game of Catch the Grape before my bedtime. PipPip, my Dear Readers, PipPip.

GeeGee Parrot.

March 23rd. 2014.