DOES anyone remember the old hit, 'Hey, hey good lookin, what ya got cookin?'

In a recent post to the Life section I came precariously close to pontificating in a negative manner regarding the media's treatment of a certain "earthy goddess" TV cook who has the undeniable ability to enchant most of her audience not only with scrumptious recipes but with her simmering presentation.

But, setting aside our predilection to venerate to either sainthood or divinity those whom we inordinately reverence, I would now prefer to turn my unsolicited attention to cooking shows generally.

In a word I would prefer they, in the main, were gone from my TV screen.

Especially those in which anxious contenders face each other off like gladiators in the circuses of Rome where the Caesars of cookery from the safety of elevated stadia sample the delicacies and imperiously pronounce a life or death judgement on the rabble below.

Now in an uncharacteristically but conciliatory moment, I might allow Food Safari on SBS to continue because much of what is being prepared is real food and always received with the universal sound of appreciation "Mmmm!"

Plus my attention is not diverted from the dish being prepared by the dish doing the preparing.

A Byrnand

Wandal