James Barber (author)

James Barber (23 March 1923 – 29 November 2007) was an English-born Canadian cookbook author and host of The Urban Peasant, a CBC cooking show.

Barber worked as an engineer before becoming a food critic for The Province. He immigrated to Canada in 1952. 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 on 29 November 2007, 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 was 84 years old and is survived by his wife and five children.

TV appearances

 * The Fry Pan Man, host
 * The Dini Petty Show, frequent appearances
 * The Urban Peasant, host

Newspapers and magazines

 * National Post, occasionally
 * Pacific Yachting
 * Vancouver Magazine
 * The Vancouver Sun

Books

 * Ginger Tea Makes Friends (Illustrated) (1971 McClelland and Stewart ISBN 0-7710-1007-9)
 * Fear of Frying (1978 Douglas & McIntyre ISBN 0-88894-281-8)
 * Ginger Tea Makes Friends (1982 Madrona Publishing ISBN 0-88894-148-X)
 * Flash in the Pan (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 (1985 North Country Book Express ISBN 0-932722-10-5)
 * James Barber's Immodest but Honest Good Eating Cookbook (1986 Solstice Press ISBN 0-932722-12-1)
 * Urban Peasant (1991 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 0-9694144-0-4)
 * Urban Peasant Quick & Simple Cookbook (1993 Urban Peasant Productions ISBN 0-9697123-0-8)
 * The Urban Peasant: Recipes from the Popular Television Cooking Series (1994 Hasting House Publishing ISBN 0-8038-9370-1)
 * Peasant's Choice (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 (1995 Hasting House Publishing ISBN 0-8038-9370-1)
 * Peasant's Alphabet: More of the best from the Urban Peasant (1997 Urban Peasant Productions ISBN 0-9698398-4-7)
 * Cooking for Two: The Urban Peasant (1999 Macmillan Press ISBN 0-7715-7634-X)
 * Ginger Tea Makes Friends (2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-284-3)
 * Flash in the Pan (2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-312-2)
 * Fear of Frying (2000 Raincoast Book Dist Ltd ISBN 1-55192-310-6)
 * Chef's Salad: Greens, Vegetables, Pasta, Bean, Seafood, Potato (2003 ISBN 1-55285-419-1) James Barber (foreword)
 * One-Pot Wonders: James Barber Recipes for Land and Sea (2006 Harbor ISBN 1-55017-378-2)