Make sure you tune in to Radio 4 on Tuesday 26 May at 11.30am for The Deighton File. Patrick Humphries will be talking to Len Deighton about his writing career stretching back to The Ipcress File in 1962. Of course, he wasn't just a writer of spy novels - he was also a food writer of some renown. Amongst the highlights, Henrietta, a complete fan, will be talking about his Action Cook Book.
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It was a fascinating interview. The most interesting insight into his approach I felt was his description of how he came to write the Action Cook Book for men. He realised that he had to attract men to cookery with a scientific, laboratory approach. So, when describing how to make a dish, he didn't write about the ingredients. He asked the reader to imagine the difference between putting a hand into a hot over at 250 degrees, and putting his hand into a boiling pot of water at 100 degrees - "the relationship bettween heat and temperature is the key to all cookery" were Deighton's words of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteRob - That's one hell of an action approach... Would one even be allowed now with Health and Safety? But he was right - see Harold McGee and Heston for a start.
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