"Breakfast is a notoriously difficult meal to serve with a flourish."
About Clement Freud
Clement Freud — Life and Legacy
Clement Freud, a multifaceted British writer, broadcaster, and politician, is celebrated for his unique blend of humor and keen observations on life. His work often reflected his experiences, notably in his role as a panelist on the BBC's 'Just a Minute', where his quick wit and ability to engage in playful banter captivated audiences. Freud's quotes reveal a deep understanding of human nature, as seen in his assertion that 'The only thing that matters is the quality of life', which underscores his belief in prioritizing personal fulfillment over material pursuits. Freud's perspective on parenting is encapsulated in his quote, 'The best way to make children good is to make them happy', suggesting that joy is fundamental to nurturing well-rounded individuals. This philosophy resonates with his broader worldview, where he often challenged conventional notions of success and happiness. His statement, 'A man who is afraid will be in the same prison as the man who has no money', reflects his belief that emotional constraints can be as limiting as financial ones, highlighting the importance of mental freedom. Today, Freud's insights remain relevant as they encourage a more nuanced understanding of happiness and fulfillment in a world often obsessed with perfection and material gain. His ability to weave humor into profound truths continues to inspire readers and listeners, making his contributions to literature and broadcasting significant in contemporary discourse.
Quote collection
Clement Freud quotes
18 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"To barbecue is a way of life rather than a desirable method of cooking."
"If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer."
"About one thing the Englishman has a particularly strict code. If a bird says Cluk bik bik bik bik and caw you may kill it, eat it or ask Fortnums to pickle it in Napoleon brandy with wild strawberries. If it says tweet it is a dear and precious friend and you'd better lay off it if you want to remain a member of Boodles."
"In moments of considerable strain, I tend to take to bread-and-butter pudding. There is something about the blandness of soggy bread, the crispness of the golden outer crust and the unadulterated pleasure of a lightly set custard that makes the world seem a better place to live."
"Owning a racehorse is probably the most expensive way of getting on to a racecourse for nothing."
"If anyone tells me I'm fat, I say, - That's because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit"
"I've known Nicholas Parsons for a fairly long time and his geniune pleasures are in rubber tubes, metal clips"
"The depressing thing about an Englishman's traditional love of animals is the dishonesty thereof ... Get a barbed hook into the upper lip of a salmon, drag him endlessly around the water until he loses his strength, pull him to the bank, hit him on the head with a stone, and you may well become fisherman of the year. Shoot.the salmon and you'll never be asked again."
"Wine buffs write and talk as though the food and wine will be in your mouth at the same time, that one is there to be poured over the other. This is bullshit. Gustatory enjoyment comes from food and wine and cigars of your liking. So far no one has said that a Monte Cristo is the only cigar to smoke after Armagnac, Romeo and Juliet after Calvados ... but the time may yet come."
"I was going to talk about Nicholas Parsons' ignorance, but 18 seconds would be a wholly insufficient time."
"I think our police are excellent, probably because I have not done anything that has occasioned being beaten up by these good men."
"There's no law that decrees when not to whinge, but you reach a certain age - 80 seems about right - when you're expected to manifest querulousness - the coffee's too hot, the boiled egg's too soft."
"Congealed fat is pretty much the same, irrespective of the delicacy around which it is concealed."
"I find it hard to say, because when I was there it seemed to be shut."
"It is essential that we understand people for who they are as individuals and not the public perception of them or their family and past."
"If you mind losing more than you enjoy winning, don't bet."
"I understand it is 13-8 against Egon Ronay publishing a Good Betting Shop Food Guide by 1997."