I have quite a number of favourite cookery shows - and, surprisingly, I added another cookery show to my favourites list just two weeks ago.

As a general rule, the cookery shows I enjoy most are those which use every day ingredients, equipment and techniques; those that demonstrate cooking I could actually do myself.

I'm sure a Llama Curry, made from the ears of South American Llamas slaughtered within 12 weeks of being born, served on a bed of Amazon Jungle green leaf salad interests somebody, but if I can't buy the ingredients locally then I am not engaged with the cookery show at all.

Economy Gastronomy was a recent TV cooking show in the UK which was a short series where they found a family who were eating well, but spending an absolute fortune on food (one family were spending over $25,000/year on food).

Economy Gastronomy would then put together a binder of recipes and show them how to make a bedrock recipe in one big cooking session, that would then be used in what they call tumbledown recipes (or what we'd call leftovers!).  Over the course of a week the family learnt how to plan, how to shop, how to cook, so they would be eating better but much cheaper.

This wasn't a show about frugal cooking at all.  This was about continuing to eat high quality ingredients, just to easily prepare food at home to reduce the cost of eating well.

This is a new one to me.  The hairy bikers have been around for many years, but I've only recently watched any of their cooking shows.

They're great fun.  Two overweight, middle-aged, bikers - riding their motorcycles and wearing leather - travel the length and breadth of the country cooking food from the different regions, but often in their own unique style. 

In one programme they made naan bread and curry, on a charcoal oven, at the side of the road in the rain.

Their recipes are entertaining to watch as well as being plain and simple to do for yourself.

The Hairy Bikers get the thumbs up from me!

Photos by: Jeffrey Beall