Thursday, December 17, 2009, 09:30
By Sian Brewis Leicester Mercury
Grow Your Own Own Drugs for Christmas? (BBC 2, 8pm) is one of those aspirational programmes that TV companies put on from time to time, that make you dream of jacking it all in and going to live off the land, or something.
If you go down to the woods today, do look out for James Wong. He’s like a little sprite, a puck leaping about among the trees picking this, harvesting that and bringing it all back to his impossibly cool home to cook.
James, 28, is an ethnabotanist, which means he knows what plants can be used for. Last night, ivy was baked in the oven for a gloriously gloopy lime-green leg cream, Christmas trees chopped up into hot toddies and tea made from holly – “In Argentina, it’s bigger than espresso!” he chirps.
Wong’s a thoroughly engaging chap, with a grin and personality which fit TV like a glove.He wheels out his mantra: “of course, this isn’t a clinical trial” as he tests his herbal remedies on punters.
My favourite was his stress-busting nog – packed with saffron, cream and lots of white rum. “After a glass, all your problems magically disappear.”
He tries his potions on two stressed people – workaholic Rachel and Sharon, whose in-laws push her buttons every Christmas. Rachel’s not impressed: “It’s not hugely nice, this. It’s very strong.” Perhaps giving it to someone who doesn’t drink much is a bit of a mistake.
Sharon, meanwhile, feels much better after a glass a night. I’m thinking of making some to cope when the family descend next week.
Like the early Naked Chef programmes, he’s got his Trendy London Flat where he Entertains All his Friends and/or Producers every week as jingly festive music plays in the background. And very nice it is, with a giant kitchen and giant glass windows.
The people he met were largely lovely, too: especially Peter, the old holly grower who was ridiculously delighted with everything. “It’s marvellous,” he said, to almost all he was given.
How many of his recipes people will have time to make is debatable – drying rosehips, baking ivy, whizzing up cloves etc – but, as most of them seem to involve copious amounts of booze, that puts him on the side of the angels for me.
Buy Grow Your Own Drugs book
