Mary Berry

Professions :

Chef

Cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy.

mental baking therapy cooking

It's so comforting to have a small piece of cake. Just one slice.

small just just-one cake

I think baking is very rewarding, and if you follow a good recipe, you will get success.

good think you success

All my grandchildren bake. On a Saturday, Annabel's boys, Louis and Toby, always bake. Louis makes a chocolate cake, Toby makes banana or lemon drizzle. They're 12 and 10, and they can do it totally on their own. My son's twin girls, Abby and Grace, are 14; they make birthday cakes and like to do it on their own with Mum out of the way.

cake grace birthday son

Having children is the greatest thing that can happen to you as a husband and wife. They are infuriating at times when they're little, but on the whole, they're such a joy. I don't think I was the most brilliant mother when they were young. I had quite a bit of help because I was working and I enjoyed my work.

wife mother work children

Some of my fondest memories are holidays by the seaside.

holidays some memories

When I was paralysed by polio at 13, I went into an isolation hospital and couldn't sit up, so I only took liquid food from spouted cups which the masked nurses would bring in and feed to me. I saw my parents only through glass; we couldn't touch.

hospital parents me food

The very best hotel I've stayed in is the Intercontinental on Park Lane. We went there for the Chelsea Flower Show a few years ago, and it was sheer luxury. Everybody had a smile on their face. I came home and changed all my pillows because the hotel ones were so beautiful.

best smile flower beautiful

I am not great at computers. If I were to try shopping through Google, I'd end up with 33 vests.

i-am computers great shopping

Making your Christmas cake in September is perfect, as too fresh a cake crumbles when cut.

your cake christmas perfect

I honestly think there shouldn't be sugared drinks. All my grandchildren drink water all through the day. I've just had them to stay, and at breakfast, they have water. They don't even know what sugary drinks are.

day think water breakfast

My favourite TV show is... 'Downton Abbey.' The characters are wonderful, and the style is created so beautifully on screen. Everything from the table settings to the linen seem perfect to me. While I'm watching it, I'm in a totally different world.

me style perfect world

It helps to have a happy home life to keep up alongside your career.

your home happy life

I hope that I dress for my age. Because there's no need to be dowdy, is there? But I don't go with all the colours that everybody is wearing. I'm not very fond of lime green or orange, so I don't do that. I read all the fashion magazines, but most things are totally unsuitable for somebody of 79.

dress green hope age

I can't pass a plant stall without feeling I must have one. But my greatest extravagance, I suppose, is roses. We've got masses.

roses without feeling plant

I usually wear only a bit of pink lippy, but for TV, they add a few extra lashes to brighten my eyes and some colour to my face, as without it, I look pale and uninteresting.

pink face eyes look

I mainly cook British food with a few things I've had on my holidays. I went to the Canary Islands a few years ago, and we had all sorts of different mushrooms on brioche with pancetta on top, and it was delicious. I had it most days for lunch, so I thought, 'I'll do that when I get back,' and now it's in my cookbook, an absolute favourite.

holidays thought lunch food

I've always collected vintage kitchenalia because it's beautifully made, and I love to see things that have been used down the ages.

down see vintage love

I've been amazed by the success of 'The Great British Bake Off.' I've been 'rediscovered' at the age of 76. When I was asked to be a judge, I said I wanted to be myself. I didn't want to shout like some other television judges. I also said I was a very bad bread maker, so would the programme makers find someone to help on the bread scene?

great myself age success

I know people think I invented the Victoria sandwich, but I'm really not that old.

old think know people

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