Delia Smith Quotations

But quite honestly I can't help being a passionate football supporter. If that's my sin, I'm guilty

A cake is a very good test of an oven: if it browns too much on one side and not on the other, it's not your fault - you need to have your oven checked.

Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed... I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself.

There are people who claim to be instinctive cooks, who never follow recipes or weigh anything at all. All I can say is they're not very fussy about what they eat. For me, cooking is an exact art and not some casual game.

I sometimes think the chef end of cooking is not the real end of cooking. Cooking is all about homes and gardens, it doesn't happen in restaurants

Getting into the habit of switching a timer on will, I promise, save you from any number of kitchen disasters.

I found in my whole career the best thing that can happen to you is that you hear what people want.

Remember, it's very simple to have an oven tested professionally, and it only takes about five minutes.

A measuring jug is also vital when cooking rice, as this is always measured by volume rather than by weight

There are three reasons why this book came into being. First, throughout the 33 years I've been writing recipes - although I'm not vegetarian myself - I have greatly enjoyed creating vegetarian recipes, and cooking and serving them at home.

Good kitchen equipment is expensive, but most items last a lifetime and will pay for themselves over and over again

Memories are fallible and a timer can save a lot of hard work from going out of the window

I have always read all the latest cookery books and magazines, from all over the world

In 35 years of being in the media, I've had all this mud flung at me many, many times. It's not the first time. It's nothing unusual. I've been through it all before and the best way to deal with it is not to read them

The chemicals in the dishwashing process tend not to be good for saucepans.

Although a food processor is not an absolutely essential piece of equipment, because you can certainly chop, grate, slice, knead and mix everything by hand, it does do all these things very quickly and efficiently and saves you time and energy

I cheated at school. I remember on one occasion I wrote some history dates in pen on my leg. So when there was a question like 'What year did that happen?', I'd lift my skirt up and have a look.

Hopefully people will be inspired to cook. It's my mission to persuade people not to be afraid of cooking.

If I was a Mayor, I would sort the traffic out and that includes public transport. The traffic jams really get on my nerves.

My agent, Debbie, saying, 'Don't get involved in advertising.' She gets so many calls a day about me promoting a product, but I am really pleased I have never gone down that route. I don't want somebody else to make a saucepan with my name on it.

I don't actually get recognised. I only have my hair done and make-up put on when I am on TV. The rest of the time, I go out without make-up on, so people don't recognise me.

The thing I can't resist is a pork pie. That's my idea of a lovely treat.

I don't get insomnia, but I do get the odd night when I can't unwind.

The journey of prayer is nothing more or less than a gradual awakening to the reality of recognizing what is already there.

I have tried all my life to look after my skin, so I never do things like go to bed with make-up on. I also always use moisturisers. But I certainly do not believe in Botox or anything like that. The thought of it just makes me think 'urgh'.

I've never done any advertising because I feel I am in a position of trust, and that has been very liberating

A message to the best football supporters in the world. We need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you? Let's be having you. Come on!

I do believe you can be attracted by somebody at first sight. We have all done it.

In our house, some of our favourite recipes just happen to be vegetarian, but I still enjoy meat and I believe very much in meat.

I think Antony Worrall Thompson is dreadful, just repulsive.

The real love for somebody comes from getting to know them very well.

I cannot for the life of me understand what the Minister Of Transport does every day. He goes to the office at 9am and leaves at 5pm and the traffic in London is still horrendous.

Football is becoming all about money. I would like to be in a lift with Gordon Brown and say, 'Please do something about football.'

A hen's egg is, quite simply, a work of art, a masterpiece of design and construction with, it has to be said, brilliant packaging!

Electronic scales are, for me, a no no.

So often much of the flavour and nutrients in vegetables are near the skin, and with a good peeler you really are only removing the skin.

This is a message for possibly the best supporters in the world. We need a 12th man. Where are you? Where are you?

Football and cookery are the two most important subjects in this country