James Barber
Encyclopedia
James Barber was a Canadian cookbook author
and host of Urban Peasant
, a CBC cooking show
.
Born in the United Kingdom
, Barber worked as an engineer before becoming a food critic for the Vancouver Sun. His lifelong interest in food and writing and his increased knowledge in these areas naturally led him to become a cookbook author. Following his retirement, he spent his remaining years on his farm in British Columbia
's Cowichan Valley
on Vancouver Island
. An energetic and passionate man with a large personality, Barber strove to empower others to do things for themselves.
Barber was married twice and fathered five children; 3 sons and 2 daughters. Perhaps fittingly, Barber died peacefully at his farm of natural causes while sitting at the dining room
table reading a cookbook
with a pot of chicken soup simmering on the stove. He is survived by his wife and five children.
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
and host of Urban Peasant
Urban Peasant
The Urban Peasant was a Canadian cooking show starring James Barber. The show was broadcast on CBC Television and was produced at the network's Vancouver outlet, CBUT...
, a CBC cooking show
Cooking show
A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...
.
Born in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Barber worked as an engineer before becoming a food critic for the Vancouver Sun. His lifelong interest in food and writing and his increased knowledge in these areas naturally led him to become a cookbook author. Following his retirement, he spent his remaining years on his farm in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's Cowichan Valley
Cowichan Valley
The Cowichan Valley is a region around the Cowichan River and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. There is some debate as to the origin of the name Cowichan, which many believe to be an anglicized form of the First Nations tribal name Quw'utsun.Communities include...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. An energetic and passionate man with a large personality, Barber strove to empower others to do things for themselves.
Barber was married twice and fathered five children; 3 sons and 2 daughters. Perhaps fittingly, Barber died peacefully at his farm of natural causes while sitting at the dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
table reading a cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
with a pot of chicken soup simmering on the stove. He is survived by his wife and five children.
Newspapers and magazines
- National PostNational PostThe National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, occasionally - Pacific Yachting
- Vancouver MagazineVancouver MagazineVancouver Magazine is an English-language lifestyle magazine focused on Vancouver, British Columbia and the Lower Mainland.Vancouver Magazine describes its mission as informing, guiding and entertaining residents of a "dynamic, international city."...
- Vancouver Sun
Books
- Ginger Tea Makes Friends (Illustrated) (January 1977 ISBN 0-88894-169-2)
- Ginger Tea Makes Friends (July 1982 Madrona Publishing ISBN 0-88894-148-X)
- Flash in the Pan (July 1982 Douglas & McIntyre Ltd ISBN 0-88894-331-8)
- James Barber Mushrooms Are Marvellous (1984 Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.; First edition ISBN 0-88894-444-6)
- James Barber's Personal Guide to the Best Eating in Vancouver (October 1985 North Country Book Express ISBN 0-932722-10-5)
- James Barber's Immodest but Honest Good Eating Cookbook (October 1986 Solstice Press ISBN 0-932722-12-1)
- Urban Peasant (April 1991 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 0-9694144-0-4)
- Urban Peasant Quick & Simple Cookbook (June 16, 1993 Urban Peasant Productions ISBN 0-9697123-0-8)
- The Urban Peasant: Recipes from the Popular Television Cooking Series (September 25, 1994 Hasting House Publishing ISBN 0-8038-9370-1)
- Peasant's Choice (October 1, 1994 Urban Peasant Productions ISBN 0-9698398-2-0)
- Peasant's Choice: More of the Best from the Urban Peasant Recipes from the Popular Television Cooking Series (March 1995 Hasting House Publishing ISBN 0-8038-9370-1)
- Peasant's Alphabet: More of the best from the Urban Peasant (September 30, 1997 Urban Peasant Productions ISBN 0-9698398-4-7)
- Cooking for Two: The Urban Peasant (January 1999 Macmillan Press ISBN 0-7715-7634-X)
- Ginger Tea Makes Friends (August 2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-284-3)
- Flash in the Pan (August 2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-312-2)
- Fear of Frying (August 2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-310-6)
- Chef's Salad: Greens, Vegetables, Pasta, Bean, Seafood, Potato (April 1, 2003 ISBN 1-55285-419-1) James Barber (foreword)
- One-Pot Wonders: James Barber Recipes for Land and Sea (July 10, 2006 Harbor ISBN 1-55017-378-2)