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So often, when somebody dies in the family, whether a child or a parent, there is no one to lean on. When something like that happens, you go into a shell, but on the other hand, it's a really good thing to talk it over and say how you feel.
Mary Berry
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When I thought I couldn't write recipes, my boss at the time advised, 'Write as you talk.'
Mary Berry
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I never fry a doughnut! If you want a doughnut, go and buy one once in a blue moon. It's about everything in moderation.
Mary Berry
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I'm really boring. I think about cooking all the time. I have a little book, so when I go out or see something, I jot it down and try to include it in a recipe or do a variation of it. I even have a notepad by my bed, which is usually saying we're running out of mango chutney.
Mary Berry
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I won't cook in deep fat. Years ago, I met a fireman who said most kitchen fires were caused by deep fat, and I don't think that's changed. Oven chips are good enough for my grandchildren, and they're chuffed with that.
Mary Berry
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I admire my fellow judge Paul Hollywood enormously, though we often argue. He believes presentation and uniformity are paramount; I'm more interested in taste. I don't mind if one bun is smaller than the others, or if there's a little pastry cracking, though I don't want a soggy bottom.
Mary Berry
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I was born in 1935, so I was quite young when the war started. I remember we were in Bath, and it was 1942. We went down into the cellar of our house, and when we came up, I remember seeing all the glass on the floor where all the windows had been shaken out by the bombs.
Mary Berry
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My bread and croissants wouldn't win a prize! I'm not an expert in yeast cookery.
Mary Berry
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I've always had a strong interest in how food is produced and in knowing where it comes from.
Mary Berry
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I was always nervous before a television show, and I still am now. But 'The Great British Bake Off' is a happy show; there is no bad language, and although we do have drama, we deal with it calmly.
Mary Berry
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I still think it's essential for a parent to cook with their children. Weighing out the ingredients and learning where the food comes from is educational, but it also helps to place meal times at the heart of family life. We never had dinner in front of the TV.
Mary Berry
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As parents are usually working, they haven't time to teach children about cooking, and it's a wilderness. They should be given healthy recipes - some standbys so that when they leave home, they don't live on junk.
Mary Berry
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I'm just very grateful that the media has been so kind to me, because there's nothing unusual about me. I'm just a mum and a granny who is teaching cookery on TV. Basically, I'm very ordinary.
Mary Berry
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I walk, and I play tennis, but mainly I watch what I eat. I eat all the things that I love, including cake. Cake is very important to me. But it's all about the size of the slice!
Mary Berry
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It helps to have a happy home life to keep up alongside your career.
Mary Berry
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I don't go to fancy Michelin-starred restaurants often.
Mary Berry
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If you are buying a larger turkey than usual, make sure it will fit in the oven.
Mary Berry
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I would always stand up for women, but I don't want women's rights and all that sort of thing. I love to have men around, and I suppose if you're a true feminist, you get on and do it yourself. I love it when someone says, 'I'll get your coat' or, 'I'll look after you', or offers you a seat on the bus. I'm thrilled to bits. I'm not a feminist.
Mary Berry
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I don't like showing cleavage because I get cold, and if I had fantastic legs, I might wear short skirts - but I think at 78, one's got to act one's age.
Mary Berry
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I never leave anything until the morning. I put my jumpers, scarves, and shoes out the night before. You never know what is going to happen. You don't want to get stressed.
Mary Berry
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Lots of people have written to say 'Bake Off' has inspired them to bake with their children. I feel proud about that; it's exactly what I used to do with mine.
Mary Berry
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I think my father couldn't wait to get home to his wife, but I don't know if he was so keen on us children.
Mary Berry
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I am not great at computers. If I were to try shopping through Google, I'd end up with 33 vests.
Mary Berry
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I'm very keen on the family getting together around the table because you learn so much of what's going on. With a full tummy, they begin to talk to you. People now have busy lives, but once or twice a week, it's lovely to sit all around together.
Mary Berry
