Live webchat with Josceline Dimbleby Weds 7 Nov 1-2pm

Josceline, do you have grandchildren? Were your kids/grandkids easy to cook for? Did they eat everything or were they fussy? My granddaughter (one) loves mince (beef) thank goodness!

Have you always wanted to write about food? Was there another career path you wanted to take?

Hi there. I shop around a bit and go to various supermarkets, but I've noticed when I've bought mince from Asda, there is a lot of excess oil in the pan. This doesn't happen with mince from Morrisons. How do I know whether the mince I buy is good meat?

Please forgive me for asking a very personal question but it's something so often discussed on here. I wondered how you coped with the break up of your marriage - particularly when it was all so high profile. Did your work help? I have learned many coping strategies from reading the experiences of many wise gransnetters on here but would love to now how you got through such a difficult period.

Me again! Just wondering...you've got such a lovely name but I wonder how many times a day it gets misspelt? Or mispronounced?

I just saw this webchat advertised on twitter and wanted to ask a question. I have heard people talking about FISH mince. Does such a thing exist? Where would you buy it? And what on earth would you use it for?

And if I may ask a second question... we were recently told in a restaurant that they wouldn't serve our burgers medium rare because it was dangerous - but they were happy to serve steaks this way. What is the difference and are we wrong to eat our burgers pink in the middle?

We like to make our own burgers as we know exactly goes into them - but I do find that they often fall apart on the barbecue or griddle pan. Where am I going wrong?

Hi Josceline - my family likes meatballs - and I have always made them by adding egg, seasoning and breadcrumbs to the mince. But my new SIL is a coeliac so I am not sure what I can add instead of the breadcrumbs?

When I was newly married mince was the staple of our weekly menus. But times seem to have changed and my DD/DiL look at it as a cheap or easy option not suitable for entertaining. How can I proved them wrong (ideally in a dish that is cheap and easy but doesn't look it!)

You have achieved so much in your career - I wondered whether sometimes people think that the Dimbleby name has helped. Or maybe hindered?

My youngest DD has just gone off to university and seems to be living off pasta and chips. I am going to buy your book for her but wondered what tips and suggestions you might have - must be low budget and low effort!!

I believe your son founded the Leon restaurants? Were you involved much with that? Did he ask mum for input on recipes etc? Getting hungry now...

Hi Josceline! I've recently purchased a slow cooker, can I cook mince in it? Does it lose it's flavour?

So thrilled to find this thread as 'Marvellous Meals with Mince' is still on my kitchen shelf. Along with 'Curries and Oriental Cookery' which was also written by Josceline Dimbleby. Other cookery books have been and gone but these two have stayed with me through five house moves and two ex other halves. Thank you Josceline for providing these constants in my life for over thirty years. My children absolutely adored two recipes from MMwM. They even ask for them now when visiting with the grandchildren. 'Little Meatballs in Rich Cheese Sauce' and 'Piglet Pie'. This was a favourite on Mondays using up Sunday's left over roast pork in place of fresh pork mince and adding a little stock or left over gravy in place of frying oil. In these frugal times could we make more use of meat left over from a joint and minced to use in some recipes? From CaOC we can recommend 'Meatballs cooked in Yogurt'. Maybe this could be incorporated into the new mince recipe book? I just love how so many mince recipes can be prepared in advance and popped into the oven when you turn on the veg. Perfect for allowing you to spend time with visitors or when you come home after a busy day out.

Well ,times is 'ard Grannygee!! Romans considered dormice a treat!

PS: 'eGJ' made me smile with her 'typo'! I bet you're really glad she has a 'non mice query'!! I don't think we've resorted to cooking them yet have we!?

I too was given Marvellous Meals with Mince by my lovely husband Pete when he went shopping one day for me to Sainsbury's. I have Cooking with Herbs and Spices and your Desserts one too Josceline. Pete adulterated the title and crossed out 100 and put 1000 on the mince title! Quite right he was too as we were mostly quite hard up at the beginning of our married life so it was a real boon to me to have the recipes. So much has changed since then. Good mince isn't what I would describe as 'cheap' anymore! I still do lots of recipes using it though and it is in part with thanks to you that my love of cookery 'lifted off'. Thank you.

Pleased to hear you are writing book of recipes using mince meat.
As I use mince meat lot, I will be keen to read your book

You have no idea how pleased I am to see this! I had the original Marvellous Meals with Mince book, but it got left behind when I left exdh!

I will definitely be buying a copy, thereby breaking my own rule of "NO MORE COOKERY BOOKS!"

I can vouch for the Farmhouse Pie recipe, but as to why it's called a pie I don't know, no pastry to be seen anywhere!

Note to Gransnet HQ: Why isn't this pinned? All the other webchat ones are!

Hello Josceline. I have a non mice related query! I seem to remember a recipe of yours for a frozen pudding with banana, meringue and I think chocolate. Everyone adored it, but the book fell apart and I failed to copy down the recipe. Help!

I buy a lot of mince for reasons of economy but I am rather bored of all the things I make with it - meatballs, spag bol, lasagne - so please can you inspire me?!

My mother used to make meatballs with minced chicken and they were light and delicious. But I can't find chicken mince anywhere. Turkey - yes, but I am less keen on that. Any ideas? I really can't face doing it myself.

Hello Josceline. Can I ask a question about meatballs? Some recipes say just beef, some say a mix of pork and beef, some say veal! Which is best and why would you mix meats in the same recipe anyway?