Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: vivienne on May 17, 2008, 03:05 PM
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I am married to Bruce who has been mentioned on this site from time to time. I am going to try to answer some of the questions that have been asked.
First of all , yes, Bruce does visit this site but has good reasons for not posting here: it`s quite simply that he knows that anything he posted would almost certainly appear elsewhere under another name. (Curry House Cookery was turned with some changes into an ebook by a wellknown curry author and sold under a pseudonym. Material from the first series was used by someone to win a cookery competition sponsored by one of the big four supermarkets which later marketed the dishes, complete with errors, as ready meals. Material from both series has been used by TV chefs. These are the instances we are aware of.)
It has also been asked why Bruce hasn`t published anything since Curry House Cookery.Well it is not for want of trying. He has spent a lot of time perfecting methods and quantifying recipes. At one time he was making a (4ltr)pot of sauce most days. Once when trying toeliminate an unwanted flavour he made 4 pots in one day!
The object has been to understand and document methods rather than simply list recipes, to demonstrate how virtually any restaurant dish can be produced at home and to deconstruct and analyse any unfamiliar dish with a view to reproducing it.
All of this has been written up in a book which has been revised over time and also a series of magazine articles.
Just over a year ago he contacted nearly 30 publishers with this material. They all reected it saying either there was no market for this sort of thing or that the market was saturated.Agents were no more help as they were not prepared to take on an unpublished unknown author. For the time being then it`s stalemate.
So Bruce will not be appearing on this site. I will attempt to answer any questions if I can but my time is limited so please don`t expect an immediate response and please don`t request any recipes.
One last thing- we would like to apologise to anyone who wrote to Bruce c/o the Curry Magazine and didn`t receive a reply. This was simply because not one letter was forwarded to him.
I will try to visit the site again in the next week or so.
Vivienne
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Hi Vivienne,
Thanks for getting touch with us, were not worthy :D sorry to here its not all good news, don't understand why publishers would not be interested there are not many BIR cook books about or at least not many that are much cop? all the best UB.
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Hi Vivienne
Sorry to hear about the book rejection - a real shame as I suspect it would have been exactly what most of us here are looking for. Whilst there may be hundreds of curry cook books (and yes the market is saturated with them), there are almost no books available specific to BIR style cooking. I'm sure Bruce's book would have been a breath of fresh air and something quite different.
Thanks for your post Vivienne. I'm sure any future contributions you make will be greatly appreciated by all members.
SnS ;D
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My Gosh
I don't believe this
I wrote to the Curry Club, to get in touch with Bruce, and got nowhere
I would like to say thank you so much to yourself and Bruce
The second Curry House recipes were the best documented recipes ever to go to print.
I cooked loads of the meals and used the naan recipe and the pre cooked chicken recipe too
I have now had many cooking demos, and have learnt from watching
But if Bruce has any more info, then I would pay for it
Because it's going to be first rate
I was waiting with bated breath for each of the four Curry Club magazines which contained his articles.
I was so sad that he never wrote again
To my mind there still is no "definitive" curry house cook book
I would love Bruce to still do that
Best wishes to you both
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Hi Vivienne,
I totally agree with all it has been already said in this post. I would like to add that I am a devoted fan of Bruce Edwards articles and I would pay for any book of him, please keep trying to get the book published.
All the best
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Add another one to the "I'd buy it" list.
I use quite of few of Bruce's older recipes. Very curious to see what breakthroughs Bruce has developed since his last publication.
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hi vivienne
i am probably his biggest fan! i believe his curryhouse cookery article is a must read for any BIR curry fan even if they never cook the recipes it gives a real insight to how it is done, i have passed on many of his articles to my friends and had very good feedback, i have ccoked many of his recipes and i can say without doubt that is where everything changed for me from just trying to make curries to replicating real bir standard quality curries. i too have had many demos at my local bir restaurant (Rajver) and seen my meals cooked and even cooked a couple myself. but i believe that bruce's commitment tremendous and it is he that should be a millionaire and not the charlatan who is know as the "curry guru"! hope you keep up with the book idea because i would undoubtedly buy one and recommend it to all i dare to meet!( actually gave a copy to a friend who i cooked an entire meal for last friday for it consisted of chicken tikka with salad and mint sauce, 2 chicken tikka masalas, rice, tescos garlic and coriander naan poppadums bombay potato and mushroom bhaji. i was knackered after that marathon and still cooked a chicken vindaloo and rice with naan for myself and my wife what a night. will post the recipes i used for these dishes as soon as i get the opportunity. my friend is coming round to get the recipe for the mint sauce especially as his wife thought it was fantastic and said it would be good as a salad dressing!
anyway i digress i will try to get hold of a coulpe of people i know in my village who have written books and have contacts an lots of money too! will pm you viviennne if i get any luck( may cost me a meal but it would be worth either the sweat for having to cook it or pain of having to pay for it but if bruce gets to pass on his his knowledge in his name then every drop of sweat would be worth it!
thank you vivienne for getting in touch and above all thank bruce for changing my life!
kind regards
gary
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Hi Vivienne,
Great stuff, I agree with everything else thats been said, Bruce's articles are the best thing in print regarding BIR cooking!
It's a shame Bruce doesn't feel like he could join in with the cr0 community, I'm sure anything he could add would be most welcome and not just recipes. Unfortunately there are always people who will try and make money of other peoples work, we have had a few come though here so I can understand Bruce's reluctance to post.
Would love to see a book so put me down for one ;)
cK
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Wow, it's great to hear that Bruce has had a look at the forum. I get the impression he must see some of my attempts and cringe! ;D
I agree with everyone else and would most certainly buy the book.
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I to agree with all the comments about Bruce and his recipes....Put me down for a book, in fact put me down for a few hundred so I can hand them into the Indian restaurants around where I now live in Brisbane Australia ::)
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I totally agree with all it has been already said in this post. I would like to add that I am a devoted fan of Bruce Edwards articles and I would pay for any book of him, please keep trying to get the book published.
Me too. I agree. Let's see how many people can add their name to this thread by way of a sort of petition to try and get a book published by Bruce Edwards. You might then show it to all these doubting publishers. Or perhaps go the way of DIY publishing, if that's feasible. There's no justice. So many people rave about Bruce's recipes and it sounds like he's made virtually nothing. On the other hand, hardly anyone who knows better has much to say about PCs recipes, yet he's probably made millions.
Regards
George
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Me too for a book. this man is the king of BIR cooking - forget the imitators
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Hi Vivienne,
If Bruce would like to compile an ebook (for example) then I am more than happy to arrange for it to be sold exclusively to members of CR0.co.uk through this website.
In fact you can have an entire section of the forum dedicated to Bruce's work. This would allow people to buy the ebook, talk about it and provide a place for Bruce to answer questions direct on his work.
As you can see all members would purchase his work and I would allow you to use the forum to advertise it.
Contact me on admin@cr0.co.uk if you wish to discuss further but I think you can agree it would be an exciting development for Bruce and for the members of CR0.co.uk
Best Regards,
Stew (CR0.co.uk - Site Owner)
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hardly anyone who knows better has much to say about PCs recipes, yet he's probably made millions.
I think your comments are objectionable George. You are implying that anyone who disagrees with you doesn't know what they are talking about :-\
Pat Chapman has done more (much MUCH more) than anyone to bring BIR curry cooking to the masses at home. He had the VISION and TENACITY to not only SEE the market opportunity, but TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. Whereas most of us just think and talk about it.
Pat Chapman recipes are certainly up there with the very best; on forums such as this or elsewhere. He founded The Curry Club and publishes regular curry cooking periodicals and articles. He organises trips to India. He sells spices and spice kits and equipment. Hes branched out into Chinese cooking. Hes appeared on both television and radio. Hes developed and published cooking videos. Yes, hes no doubt made loads of money in the process, but GOOD LUCK TO HIM! He deserves it.
Let's hope Bruce is able to do the same. And good luck to him too :)
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I'm dubious about PC. My old local BIR, The Balaka in St Andrews is really good but not that typical BIRish. However there was a BIR a little less central, with a less rich and influential owner called Cafe India, South Street, St Andrews. Cafe India made the best curries I have ever had the pleasure of tasting (all my mates agree that it was better than The Balaka). Yet he awarded The Balaka best BIR in Britain. If there's one in the same town of around 10,000 people that's clearly better than the one he rates best in UK, there's something a miss.
The fact that the owner of The Balaka is very rich and powerful (there are pictures of him in a big parade with an Indian official who was visiting the UK) makes me think perhaps PC is compromised.
Sadly Cafe India closed a couple of years ago, as the owners sold it to make way for La Orient - a Sushi bar that is completely s**t. Sigh...
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I think your comments are objectionable George. You are implying that anyone who disagrees with you doesn't know what they are talking about :-\
I have to agree with George on this one, It's not a matter of if you like a Pat Chapman recipe then you don't know what your talking about. If you take a poll on here, i.e BIR obsessives, of the best 'BIR' authors around I would be very surprised if Pat Chapman didn't come plum last. Thats not to say he hasn't done a lot of good things for the BIR 'scene' but bringing out the same books year after year with different covers isn't one of them. I'm not saying his recipes are no good and they may well be up their with Madhur Jaffrey and Camellia Panjabi et al but they are not BIR which he claims them to be.
Will just add that without PC there would be no Curry Club and therefore no Bruce Edwards articles so it's not all bad from Pat :)
cK
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most of the time its a pointless endeavour for everyone on here to try and achieve the same results. my idea of good curry probably tastes crap to some people on here and vice versa. such is life and the variety of sub continent derived cooking in the uk.
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sorry tamala but i have to disagree! but this the thread is not about him and i feel that Bruce and his work has been used by others to make money.... for themselves yet the person who did the work gets nothing! and that is about time we all on this site must help to change. it is just a shame it has taken so long as he would have had a best seller for sure!
i agree that an ebook would be great more instant and readily available, maybe bigger things would come from it when word gets out, getting excited just thinking about it.
kind regards to vivienne, bruce and fellow cr0'rs
gary
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Thanks Tamala. Just as hopes were stirred that maybe Bruce could be coaxed to make an appearance and enlighten some of us on cr0... ???
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I have to agree with George on this one, It's not a matter of if you like a Pat Chapman recipe then you don't know what your talking about
Then you disagree with george, surely?
If you take a poll on here...of the best 'BIR' authors around I would be very surprised if Pat Chapman didn't come plum last
I'm not suggesting he is "the best" but that he's been by far the most influential, not just for those on here, but for the general public at large.
I'm not saying his recipes are no good and they may well be up their with Madhur Jaffrey and Camellia Panjabi et al but they are not BIR which he claims them to be
Although he throws in many traditional recipes, the techiques (and a large proportion of the recipes) he describes are definatelely BIR
Will just add that without PC there would be no Curry Club and therefore no Bruce Edwards articles so it's not all bad from Pat :)
That's absolutely correct! ;)
I'm dubious about PC
Because you disagree with an assessement in "The Good Curry Guide"???
sorry tamala but i have to disagree!
Disagree with what Gary???
Thanks Tamala. Just as hopes were stirred that maybe Bruce could be coaxed to make an appearance and enlighten some of us on cr0...
What are you thanking me for? George and Gary (and others) made derogatory comments about Pat Chapman and I presented an opposing and perfectly legitimate view (in my opinion). What's that got to do with Bruce "appearing" or not? His wife says he wont anyway! ::)
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I think your comments are objectionable George. You are implying that anyone who disagrees with you doesn't know what they are talking about :-\
I'm sorry but this how arguments and fights start! My comment was critical, yes, but unless you are PC himself, they were not aimed at anyone on this forum. Your comments amount to a personal attack on me.
>Pat Chapman has done more (much MUCH more) than anyone
> to bring BIR curry cooking to the masses at home.
I totally disagree. The books make great claims on the cover and fail to deliver.
>He had the VISION and TENACITY to not only SEE the
>market opportunity, but TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Yes, as a shameless money making venture. That's why I estimate he's made millions out of thousands and thousands of us, who bought his books and were very sorry to see what was inside. You don't expect to find recipes for scrambled egg in a book claiming to be about BIR recipes. And even recipes for typical menu-named items, like Chicken Korma DO NOT WORK.
>Whereas most of us just think and talk about it.
I suggest this forum has made a lot of progress.
>Pat Chapman recipes are certainly up there with
>the very best; on forums such as this or elsewhere.
I totally disagree. I think they're some of the worst.
>He founded The Curry Club and publishes regular curry
>cooking periodicals and articles. He organises trips
>to India. He sells spices and spice kits and equipment.
All this business activity helps produce more and more revenue - his millions. But it doesn't produce recipes as good as the recipes found on this web site.
>Hes branched out into Chinese cooking. Hes appeared on
>both television and radio. Hes developed and published
>cooking videos. Yes, hes no doubt made loads of money
>in the process, but GOOD LUCK TO HIM! He deserves it.
I credit him with being a business success but there's no justice in that I still don't rate his recipes or the results one can obtain from them.
Regards
George
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George / Tamala,
Both good cases for and against PC, however this thread is to talk about Bruce Edwards.
Can i suggest one of you starts new thread to talk about PC and the millions he made so we can get back on topic.
Stew
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You wouldn't happen to be Pat Chapmans wife by any chance Tamala ;)
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That`s quite a response to my post- thank you all for the good wishes and support.
It's true Bruce hasn't received any payment for his curry articles, apart from some free copies of the Curry Club magazine, but money isn't an issue; after all the work he would simply like to see something in print.
Thank you Stew for the offer re the ebook. It is certainly worth considering but not right at this moment. We are exploring the possibilities of self publishing. B isn't averse to financing the production of a book but marketing is another matter and that would obviously have to be set up before going ahead.
On a slightly different tack; B obviously realises there are a lot of people who are desperate ( as he was ) to produce the classic restaurant curry. He feels bad about not making at least some of his material available so he is sending a suggestion to Stew via email.
Thanks again
Vivienne
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Hi Vivienne,
Thanks for getting back to us after that teaser opening post :)
Anything we can do at cr0 to help out please let us know I'm sure most of us on here are just as keen as Bruce to see a book somewhere down the line.
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Stew - just wondering if you got the email as we haven't heard anything from you.
Bruce.
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hi bruce
great to hear from the man himself who changed the course of curry making history for the people.would love to hear any tips and methods that you have to offer, your postings would be the highlight. "your" curryhouse cookery gave me the confidence to get in to my locals kitchen for recipes and many demos so i know how you must have felt asking to get in the kitchen to see how it was all made and when they agreed the butterflies and then counting down the days/ hours until the day, no sorry night you were to be first shown.
i would love to at last see "your work"in print under your name and i would be the first in the queue. much respect to you and your wife for putting up with all the years of torment just watching you work being exploited. any way bruce good luck, will try to see what i can do from my end, may have to write a couple of letters to a few people,
hope to hear from you soon!
kind regards
gary
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Here's a second to that. Stew... get on that!
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Hi vivienne / Bruce,
I have not received an email to date, can you re-send it athen i will be sure to pick it up and respond to you.
Many Thanks & Regards,
Stew
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Thanks for that Gary - and everyone else. All I can say is that if I had known at the start how long this quest would take and what it would involve, it might well have turned out differently. Anyway, I hope to be able to offer some help soon.
Stew, email has just been re-sent.
regards,
Bruce.
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Bruce,
Email received with thanks.
I will contact you shortly.
Many thanks,
Stew ;D
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Hi Vivienne!
I can only add my gratitude to that of everyone else here. I only found this site as a result of typing 'Bruce Edwards' into Google!
I really, REALLY hope Bruce find a publisher and gets the recognition he deserves.
Call me a cynic, but I wonder WHY Bruce didn't receive any communication from his many fans through Pat Chapman's Curry Club? On page one of this thread someone coined the term 'Charleton', I wonder who he meant? Not the Best-selling author of many crap books purporting to hold the secret of BIR cookery perchance?? I always thought his recipies were crap anyway, nothing like Bruce's recipies which are the 'real thing'! And just in case my comments are libelous, I must point out that my comments do not necessarily reflect the official view of Cr0!!!
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hi adrian
these views of yours have been expressed many times and i think it was me that called the bloke in question a charlatan ;D
but hey each to there own poison, bruce however was exploited beyond belief and we shall try to put that right 8)
regards
gary
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Hopefully we will have something for the forum soon 8)
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Yes, really curious what Bruce had for Stew...
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Just to update you I am waiting for Bruce Edwards to send me a recipe on making a base sauce and cooking a standard curry.
Once I receive something it will go up on the site for all to try.
Stew
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Great. Can't wait.... ;D
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Can't wait. The anticipation.... ;D
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Don't get too exited about this. After all there is already massive amounts of information here on this forum already and there is not an awful lot that can be added - so prepare to be dissapointed ... having said that , I really do hope not.
:-\
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Hey, the guy's (decade-old) recipes are some of my keepers. Any improvements on the base or final curry (albeit marginal) MIGHT help bridge the remaining gap to reaching BIR for ME.
I personally am very curious as to what improvements Bruce has made in the interim. I think there are definite improvements to be made.
Looking forward to the post!
-- Josh
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Hi All,
I turn my back for a minute and you guys have Bruce Edwards missus posting on the forum! ;D Vivienne, for what it's worth, I am self employed as a DJ and I can say for sure that the best form of advertising is word of mouth for sure. If you do self publish and get into print,once the masses on this forum get hold of the book, I would say without doubt that you will have no problems selling. Having nearly 5800 members there's a starter for 10! I'll have a copy too please!! I wish you both all the best in getting published one way or another. Just one more thing, Bruce's spice mix was one of the best things that ever happened to my cooking, in fact it's going into tonights dinner!! :D Does Bruce not fancy doing a TV cookery programme? Now there's something we would all love to see ;)
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The Article submitted by Bruce Edwards can be viewed at the following link
Bruce Edwards Curry Sauce & Basic Curry - From The Man Himself
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2815.0)