Clarissa
Dickson Wright, who rose to middle-aged fame as the co-star and co-chef
of “Two Fat Ladies,” a popular British television show known as much
for the hosts’ irreverence and eccentricity as for their indulgent and
sometimes confounding recipes, died on Saturday in Edinburgh. She was
66.
She
had been ill for several months, according to Heather Holden-Brown and
Elly James, her literary agents in London, who announced the death.
Ms.
Dickson Wright grew up in an affluent family, became a lawyer at 21 and
an alcoholic not long after. Sobered up, she got serious about cooking
in her 40s.
She
was writing a cooking column and running a store called Books for Cooks
in London when a television producer recruited her to collude with
another culinary rebel, Jennifer Paterson, on a cooking show unlike any
other. “Two Fat Ladies” made its debut in 1996 on the BBC and was picked up in the United States the next year by the Food Network.
Each
episode opened with the pair heading to a new location to cook, Ms.
Paterson steering a motorcycle while Ms. Dickson Wright rode in a
sidecar, sometimes beneath the carcass of an animal bound for the dinner
table. They spoke approvingly of royal mistresses, less so of
vegetarians. They enjoyed imitating profound flatulence.
In an era of health-conscious cooking, Ms. Dickson Wright and Ms. Paterson just said no.
On lard: “Just in case you think it’s unhealthy,” Ms. Dickson Wright said, “don’t be put off by that.”
On bacon: “I’m told that more vegetarians relapse on bacon than any other substance.”
On a lofty legume: “Always get rid of all the lentils. You would have no idea how randy it makes all the vegetarians.”
On tongue: “It’s wonderful stuff, tongue. Everybody forgets about tongue.”
On flavorful Indian tea: “Yes, I quite like a strong Indian myself now and again.”
On
the proper application of butter to a cake pan: “You really want to get
it well greased. Did you see ‘Last Tango in Paris’? Something like
that.”
Clarissa Dickson Wright was born Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary
Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright on June 24,
1947, in the St. John’s Wood section of London. In her 2007 memoir,
“Spilling the Beans,” she recalled the inspirations for her numerous
given names, including her mother’s favorite saint, Philomena, and a
woman who cooked for her family, Louise.
Perfect examples of enjoying life while you have the chance.
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