Great Britain

With guests JOHN CLEESE, JOANNA LUMLEY, JOSEPH COTTON, VALENTINA CORTESE
Robert Carrier is the most famous writer on food in the world today - and with good reason. His expertise is beyond question, with both his restaurants starred by Michelin, and his books are generous with the practical knowledge he has gained. Now all his charm, enthusiasm and skill are available on video in the series Food, Wine and Friends. In each of the four programmes which go to make up a cassette he prepares and cooks for us a particular dish, visits one of the great vineyards of Europe to show us what to look for (and what to avoid) when buying a wine, and finally introduces us to one of his equally famous friends, some of whom demonstrate their own kitchen skills. Much more than just a how-to-cook series, Food, Wine and Friends, is Robert Carrier's urbane introduction to a whole new way of living. Volume 1: Robert Carrier starts his series with a simple roast beef, which most people think they know all about, while the pâté may be a new adventure for some cooks. But his methods transform a recipe: for instance, he uses two different cheeses in the au gratin potatoes, his third dish for us. Finally, he shows us his way with deep-frying. For the wines we are taken to Bordeaux to sample a Pauillac, to Beajolais, to nearby Maçon to try the famous Pouilly Fuissé, and to Italy for a Bardolino. We almost believe we are really tasting the wines with Robert Carrier, so vividly does he talk about them. The four famous guests are John Cleese, of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers; Valentina Cortese, the distinguished Italian actress; Joanna Lumley, the tough Purdey in The New Avengers and lately in Sapphire and Steel; and the great Joseph Cotten, whose films range from Citizen Kane and The Third Man to Airport 77.