‘Two Fat Ladies’ ride again

“Two Fat Ladies” found fame on these shores via their late ’90s broadcasts on the Food Network. The irreverent BBC stars were unlike anything ever seen on that cooking network. Not only were they fat, they wanted to make sure you were, too.

Until recently, the delightful cooking shows of Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright have been MIA on DVD. Acorn Media has imported all episodes of the politically incorrect cooking show, in a tribute to butter and lard and fat yumminess. Light up a ciggie, crack open a brew and enter the world of “Two Fat Ladies.”

Lard and butter were the basics for most dishes, slathered on in portions that would give a nutritionist hives. The BBC chief of the time recalls the ladies’ “pornographic zeal” in pouring on the butter. “They were determined that as many people as possible should die early because they’ve eaten (these recipes).”

The show had its share of great-looking dishes, too, and offered honest culinary instruction. It made no pretense of keeping up with cooking trends, however. The Fats officially hate vegetarians and those who would dare to watch their weights.

The show faded to black in 1999, sadly. Fat Lady Jennifer Paterson, who drove the show’s signature Triumph motorcycle, died of lung cancer.

Acorn’s DVD set features a BBC tribute to Paterson that tells of her fairly amazing life growing up bold and British, with a total disregard for authority. For decades, the well-traveled cook was in high demand at London’s choicest dinner parties, both as a guest and a caterer. She got the media bug working on ITV’s “Candid Camera.”

“You could always hear her voice in the recipes,” a friend says.

The “Fat Ladies” DVD set has OK audio and video, in stereo and TV full screen. A brief booklet has “eight yummo recipes,” including the famous “Hedgehog” meatloaf. “Quekke treat!”

Perfect gift for: Foodies, Food Network fans, Anglophiles.

Buy the “Two Fat Ladies” DVD set at Amazon.