Dec 03 2007
The Urban Peasant Died
I just read that James Barber died. He was the host of a cooking show called The Urban Peasant. I learned to cook by watching his show. It’s one of the few good things I ever got from watching TV.
I watched more than a few episodes where he was in the middle of making something, couldn’t find some ingredient he thought he had, and said, “Okay, we’ll use something else then!” It was this attitude of cooking with whatever you happened to have in the fridge or cupboard that turned me on to cooking. Which is still the way I cook today. I don’t measure or follow recipes when I cook. I just take a quick look at what I’ve got and I make the most of it.
From watching James Barber cook, I learned what basic combinations of ingredients work, and as long as you have that general idea of what not to do, you can make it up as you go along. Not only are the results interesting when you cook like this, it’s fun. If cooking was a chore, I’d never do it.
I’ve watch other cooking shows over the years, but most seemed to focus on celebrity guests cooking things you can never replicate. For me, The Urban Peasant was the best. Whenever I’m standing over a stove whipping something together, I’m always following his example. He was a good cook.
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Tags: cbc, cooking, james barber, urban peasant
I liked him as well - make due with what you have. The only problem I have is when it turns out terrific, I don’t remember what I did and can’t replicate it later.
Jeff Smith was also a big influence for me - speaking strictly about cooking.
> I don’t remember what I did and can’t replicate it later.
Me too. I don’t even try anymore.
I just downloaded a bunch of tips and two recipes on the Urban Peasant video page. I’d buy DVDs of old shows if they existed. He’s fun to watch.
I watched him and the Frugal Gourmet regularly. James Barber had a hippy, “fuck it” feel to him, which I liked a lot.