When I open my restaurant, A Vat of Mashed Potatoes, let me tell you, there will not be a lot of cheese on hand. The smell of most cheeses makes me physically ill, and I’m just not a fan, especially of melted cheese. I realize my brain is wired differently and that I’m in a clear minority with this. Even Prince Charles prefers cheese to everything else. The Duchess of Cornwall made a guest appearance on MasterChef Australia, and she was asked about what kind of food the chefs could serve to Charles. Her answer sort of surprised me:
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is opening up about Prince Charles‘ favorite food! The 70-year-old royal appeared on MasterChef Australia where she was asked what food the prince couldn’t get enough of.
“He loves, loves local cheeses,” Camilla told MasterChef Australia judge Gary Mehigan. “He’s a huge cheese fan, anything to do with cheese, he will love.” She added Charles, 69, also couldn’t resist “anything with eggs, with a bed of a lot of local vegetables. He’d love that. You’d definitely see a smile,” Camilla said advising the chef what he should serve the prince if the occasion every arose.
When it came to what shouldn’t be served at royal gatherings, the royal couldn’t help but express regret for one particular food item.
“I hate to say this, but garlic. Garlic is a no-no,” she said. “Because you’re talking, chatting?” Mehigan asked her. “Yes, exactly. So you always have to lay off the garlic,” Camilla said.
I probably shouldn’t be surprised, actually. Charles seems to favor all-things-local-and-organic, so of course he would want to experience local cheeses, local veggies, local wines, local… eggs. Again, I know I’m in the minority with this, but if I got to travel for work like the royals do, I would want more of an 80/20 experience – 80% of the time I would want to experience more of the local cuisine, and 20% of the time I would need the food I’m accustomed to, just to settle my stomach from everything else. Does Charles just travel the world, eating local cheeses and omelettes and writing every letter in longhand?
The Duchess of Cornwall gives us the heads up on what His Royal Highness, The Prince Of Wales likes to eat and what *not* to do in a canapé 👌 @ClarenceHouse @crispycrackling #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/0eOZZeqxfn
— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) July 4, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I actually do not like the smell of melted cheese at all, but yet I love most cheeses…go figure (my exception being any kind of blue cheese / stinky cheese. Blech, I can’t with those.)
Honestly, give me a good, sharp cheddar cheese with some tart Granny Smith apples, and I have a perfect snack. Mmm.
Prince Charles (and also Princess Anne) has been highly involved in farming, and especially organic farming/sustainable agriculture, for a long time. As a fellow farmer, it’s what I find most fascinating and endearing about him.
A bit about Duchy Home Farm: “the Duchy Home Farm is an organic farm operated by the Duchy of Cornwall. The farm is part of the gardens of Highgrove House, the country home of Charles, Prince of Wales. The produce is used as ingredients in Duchy Originals products, sold in vegetable boxes, and wholesaled to supermarkets and restaurants. Prince Charles is credited with using “pioneering agriculture techniques” to produce this organic food” (wiki).
Princess Anne is particularly interested in Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs, and keeps them at her estate.
I am not at all surprised that PC values a good piece of local cheese, and local veg!
when it comes to local produce, I totally get it. When we bought our first house we were so excited to be able to cultivate the land (we both grew up with parents who had big gardens) we transformed most of our backyard into a veggie garden, and let me tell ya, nothing beats picking and eating veg from your backyard, still warm from the sun *swoon* I’m a bit obsessed with our backyard garden, we also donate any leftover veg to a local farm sanctuary for the animals so nothing goes to waste
I hate Brie and blue cheese but otherwise love cheese. Especially goat cheese. However, I dont typically have cheese on my mashed potatoes so I could still visit your restaurant 😉
Hello, I would like to have a table for one at The Vat. I’ll take the Mashed Potatoes, large, with butter and salt, a nice salad on the side and a dry red wine. Also: do you guys deliver?
Wait. Just realized this is the first time I’ve heard Duchess Camilla speak!
Suddenly, she’s less harsh and more fun. Never thought of her as pretty until now, either. I liked her here.
I KNOW.
P.S. At A Vat of Mashed Potatoes, you will do a killer bread basket to tide us over until the potatoes arrive at the table?
Here to say the same thing! I’m so happy to hear her! I KNOW, also!!
I’ve always thought she seems fun. I mean once all The cheating scandal tarnish wore off. As someone who was cheated on by my spouse I’m sometimes surprised at myself for liking her as much as I do. I’ve come to the conclusion that people and relationships are complicated. I’ve realized this about my own divorce, and when I think of The added pressure of fame and attention like Charles and Diana, and probably them being so mismatched from the outset, I dunno I guess I just don’t have the necessary mental energy to see Camilla or any of them as evil, so much as swept up in a kind of unwinnable situation.
She seems fun and like she’d be a hoot to day drink with. And I think she’s a fantastic looking older woman. Her hair color is consistently fab.
I get it. I’m right there with him, especially on the local thing. He needs to throw in a few salads tho b/c that jacket looks a little tired trying to stay buttoned over his midsection. Lucky its double-breasted.
I remember reading somewhere that the Queen also dislikes garlic? I guess it’s genetic, although I don’t know how you can visit places like Italy and avoid garlic.
Also I like this soft roll-out approach in the media. Easing themselves into the public eye while maintaining the workload is the best way to go about the transition. I’d be interested to know how much QE2 & Charles work together behind the scenes.
Important question: What is The Vat’s policy on bringing your own cheese? Can there be a cheese corner of shame to keep the scent contained?
If anyone’s interested, I found a cute video of Charles expressing his love of local cheese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7rzSslub6U
I love cheese. Got a particular liking for Greek cheeses at the moment, Kefalotyri for saganaki has been purchased and will be eaten within the next couple of days .. thank you Waitrose! But if you looked in my fridge you’re more likely to see either a mild Scottish Cheddar or a Red Leicester kicking about in there. They’re good on a sandwich and both melt wonderfully and aren’t offensive or so strong that they take over.
As a lifelong devoted lover of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and as someone who was cheated on by her scoundrel of a husband, I do adore Camilla. There is just something so down-to-earth and genuine about her. I also agree that she is a handsome woman, who is likely a riot to be around. I believe that Camilla and Charles are a much more compatible match – much like my ex and the other woman he left me for – and deserve to be happy (as did Diana but alas that was not meant to be.)
Hilariously, as far as anyone can tell he didn’t eat a bite.