It has tried-and-tested recipes in it, but it isn’t a cookbook. It’s made up, but it isn’t a novel. Agony Chef, the mysterious Delilah, is a witty advice-giver, food-lover and a bit of a know-it-all who seems rather like the alter ego of author Kate Sidley, but isn’t her, actually. There’s no problem, big or small, that sardonic advice, a good pun and a well-chosen recipe won’t solve. Whether you’ve run over the neighbour’s cat or want to feel like Mother of the Year, whether your son’s exited the closet or you’ve just smoked your last cigarette, Agony Chef Delilah is the go-to girl for the vexing situations of modern life.
Part-agony aunt, part-foodie, Delilah has been there, cooked that. Neither psychologist nor chef, she’s lived an eventful life on a few continents, making and fixing mistakes both in the kitchen and in everyday life. Join Delilah as she shares her wit and wisdom, her opinions and recipes and her touching belief that food and good humour can mend fences and hearts in The Agony Chef, a unique concept in cookery books that puts hilarious, fictitious agony aunt columns alongside delicious, real recipes.
Learn how to control an errant husband with passive-aggressive cooking; discover the mysterious etiquette that applies to the newly facelifted; indulge in the marvellous magic of make-up ceps; make a pasta dish so delicious that your guests weep and beg for your hand in marriage; find answers to the trickiest modern day questions: What should I cook for my obese aunt? How do I welcome my fiancee’s gorgeous ex? When did a food aversion become an acceptable replacement for a personality? And many more…
Competition! Win one of 4 copies of The Agony Chef!
To enter, simply share the name of your favourite meal in the comments thread below, and your favourite occasion for eating it. Like scones while watching royal weddings, or minestrone soup during winter evenings. Competition closes 20th of September, terms and conditions apply.
Winners!
We have picked our four winners at random, and they are:
- Mabel (with fillet steak on the braai)
- Priya (with apple anzac on a cold and rainy day)
- Christiaan (custard and condensed milk tart at birthday parties)
- Lebogang (Fresh tomato and basil pasta after a long day)
Please check your inboxes for an email from us. Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who entered! All the entries were so delicious; going over them has reminded me of all the special moments that food can create.
‘n Braai, with good friends.
Pizza for cold winter days 🙂
Salmon sashimi with wasabi and ginger
Carrot cake with tea after my Sunday nap.
Malva pudding on a chilly winter’s eve
There is nothing like a Fillet Beef steak and “braaibroodjies” shared with friends over a braai..
Prawns & Chips for movie night
Pizza quality time with my sons
Sushi and cold wine on a hot summer’s day, preferably on holiday!
Home-made pizza while having friends over
Fillet steak on the braai
Chicken with Chillie Chocolate souce on a bead of Mash
Woollies chocolate caramel hidden centre cupcakes, with mom on the couch, or in the car, or on the way from the till to the car…
peppermint crisp tart at a family birthday.
A cupcake with icing and a cup of tea on any day!
Apple anzac with custard on a cold and rainy day 🙂
Padkos of dry masala chicken and roti for trips to Durban
Homemade Mushroom Risotto with my wife after a busy day.
Nothing compares to a nice hot curry lamb stew on a cold winter night !
Lasagne!!!
Pap & tripe, the Friday before the wedding with neighbours!
Op ‘n warm somersdag – hoenderspitbraai langs die swembad, met gegeurde rys, room butternut en potato wedges!
Custard and condensed-milk tart for birthday parties!
Tuna & mayo sandwhiches on a rainy day.
Sushi in a romantic setting with my hubby.
Pizza while watching TV after a busy day
Chocolate cake on a chilly day
My wonderful husband’s speciality, lasagna, accompanied by ratatouille and a green salad and followed by some sinful peppermint crisp tart and coffee – all enjoyed while sharing a few laughs with some good friends.
Nothing more tasty than a delicious Peri-Peri chicken with potatoes and a green salad shared with loved ones for sunday lunch.
Biltong soup made by my mom when I’m home on the holidays 🙂
sweetpotato salad with feta, rocket and sweet chilli dressing outside on a lovely sunny Saturday arvie, surrounded by friends and some nice chilled white wine… heaven!
Pancakes with my brother.
He is the biggest pancake fan I know and living so far apart makes this a very special occasion for both of us. Especially the inevitable “first one’s a flop thusmine-mine-mine” fight that is pretty much tradition by now.
Roast chicken with traditional stuffing served for Sunday lunch.
kaiings on homemade bread for breakfast
Lemon cheesecake with hubby after Sunday dinner.
The day after a wedding, I like nothing more than eating the ‘padkos’ wedding cake especially if it’s red velvet or carrot cake while flipping through pics of the event on my tablet.
My mom’s homemade chicken pie with the family.
Sticky Barbecue ribs shared with family and friends at a get together on the weekends
Grilled chicken during a movie marathon with my sister
Sushi (at the roller table) with loads of friends, laughing and joking – just a fun get-together.
Big bowl of pasta in a crowded restaurant with lots of friends – just because we can 🙂
Mom’s Milktart, back in her kitchen after I’ve been working abroad for the last year.
Sharing decadent cheesecake and good coffee whilst enjoying exerts from each other’s books.
spicy tuna pasta with peas, either made with linguine or penne but always saucy! yum yum yuuum!
Pasta fresh tomato & basil after a long day. Very comforting.
Beef and veg soup after a walk on a cold winters afternoon. Traditional pancakes for pudding.
There is nothing like my theme dinners, when we go to India, we go to India that night all we eat and drink is Indian, and so do we do all nations, Moroccan, Chinese, Spanish, Mexican. We love these evenings we are a group of eight friends who take turns every month to host one. We also share new product ideas.
Large pizza shared among friends while watching rugby.. awesomeness!!
Bobotie when visiting my American relatives (I give them a taste of South Africa), pancakes on rainy mornings and my famous red velvet cupcakes on birthdays.
That single, sneaked oven roasted crispy-on-the-outside-but-soft-on-the-inside potato with dollops of thick Greek yoghurt while preparing Sunday lunch.
A delicious lamb biryani prepared together with my daughter, a fantastic way to teach her thepleasure and joy of cooking and we also bond at the same time, the greater delight is when we serve it to my elderly parents at our weekly Sunday luncheons. ( This recipe was developed by my late hubby now a angel in gods home, I’m sure he is serving this meal there too)
A delicious lamb biryani prepared with my daughter, a fantastic way to teach her pleasures and joy of cooking, also bonding time, the greater delight is when we serve it to my elderly parents at our weekly Sunday luncheons. ( This recipe was by my late hubby now a angel in gods home, I’m sure he is serving this meal there too)
A good old SA braai, on a blazing hot summer afternoon/ evening with good friends and some ice cold cocktails 🙂
Boerekos (actually any food shared with good friends). It’s all about the company!
A deliciously decadent chocolate dessert… while watching something girly and mushy on a miserable rainy day 😉
Mexican food on a Sunday with Margaritas.
A debonaires triple decker pizza & coke while watching soccer with my friends.
Lamb shack on mash with nice warm seasonal veggies with good friends with a nice glass of red wine, hearing the winter outside 🙂
Curried Chicken with Basmati rice is my ideal comfort meal :):):)
Malva Pudding on a rainy day 🙂
Chicken feet with pap everytime I visit my hometown.
My favourite moments are sitting on my couch under my blankie on a cold, rainy day, eating a LARGE slice of Black Forest cake with cappuchino and just watching the rain, with of course my favourite book from Exclusive Books close at hand !! Absolute heaven !!!
Lime marmalade on slightly burnt toast when I’m missing my Mum (who is in the UK) on a cool, muggy day that reminds me of England, my second home, which I can’t afford to visit 🙁
A long slow cooked spaghetti bolognise – its all in the ingredients and the slow cook – lots of garlic, lots of red wine (added to the pot, not your glass), de-pitted olives, fresh tomatoes, freshly picked origanum and bay leaves, a sprinkle of sugar, some tomato paste, a few capers, lots of chopped up chilli – oh yes and of course the mince – and then a long simmer on a very low heat – yummy.
A huge slice of Carrot Cake, a mug of Hot chocolate while devouring some decadent book. And do not let anyone say its not a meal…. It has carbs, protein and even vegetables!
My favorite thing to eat is tea and chocolate, (or anything sweet for that matter) while having me time, this is usually complimented with an new glossy magazine, warm covers or an indulgent bubble bath.