Lesley Waters: My husband and my picnic tips

Plus some amazingly simple cherry recipes - including one in which you don't even have to remove the pips!

Carol Muskoron talks to the fabulously inspirational lady of British cooking, Lesley Waters

 

Q: I've heard that you're seriously into picnics at the moment. Isn't a picnic just as hard to prepare as any other meal?
A: It can be as complicated or as simple as you like. The other day I packed up a simple loaf of bread, some cheese and tomatoes and went to the beach. There is something wonderful about being so independent. You can be extravagant but you can keep it lovely and simple.

 

Q: What's your top picnic tip?
A: Get good plastic plates and tubs and glasses - ones that you can use again and again - and a good blanket with a waterproof underside and keep it all to hand so that you can grab it quickly. You can even have a spontaneous picnic in your garden. But if you know you're having a picnic, freeze drinks ahead the night before to make sure they're cool on the day. Remember, picnics don't have to be unhealthy fast food and it's cheaper to make your own. And appetites increase outdoors - remember that too!

 

Q: What's your favourite picnic recipe
A I love chicken and houmous wraps and fruit kebabs with chocolate sauce.

 

Q: And what's your favourite ready-made picnic product?
A: Humus. I adore it! Love the ones from the Co-op and Waitrose - I don't like the reduced fat ones. It's the real thing that you want.

 

Q: You've done so much - you've been headteacher at Leith's (Prue Leith's Michelin-starred restaurant), starred on Ready Steady Cook and you've got your own cookery school in Devon. What's been the highlight so far?
A: Opening the cookery School. But I do love teaching kids. I've just finished a cooking programme for children called Little Chef that'll be out soon. That was a fantastic experience.

 

Q: And what was your worst career moment?
A; That's a question and a half! When I was first on TV, I did very early morning TV. I hated it. It was so hard to get up that early.

 

Q: But what about foodie disasters - have there been any?
A: All the time! The night my husband, Tim, and I decided to get married we had too much Champagne and the duck turned out black. He still married me...

 

Q: Tell us about Tim. He's getting involved in the picnic campaign too. Why's that?
A: Well, the campaign's all about family picnics and he loves picnics. He has such happy memories of picnics from when he was a child.

 

Q: He's not a cook, is he?
A: No, he's a photographer. But he's a good cook and he loves his food.

 

Q: Is it Prue Leith or nothing for us Brits? Are we really any good as cooks or do you we just like watching TV programmes about food while we eat trash?
A: The food shows are always popular but I do think people are beginning to understand about food quality. It's getting better. There is beginning to be a real interest in food.

 

Q: Cherries are in season now - got any quick ideas for making the most of them?
A: Delicious with thick cream and meringues with dark chocolate sprinkled over. So simple.

 

Q: Should you take the pips out first?
A: Yes! Or you can have them in a glass with sparkling wine - you don't need to de-pip them, then.

 

Q: What's next for you? Any burning ambitions left?
A: I want to do more stuff with kids. Get a long-running TV series aimed at children. That would do it...

 

Find out more about the Fairy Parents for Picnics Campaign which Lesley is leading here. Oh, and Lesley recommends cleaning your plastic picnic boxes and glasses with Fairy Liquid or Fairy for Dishwashers - she heartily approves of their unbeatable cleaning power!