I heard about the project over a year before we began. My American agent said 'Oh you might want to read 'In Cold Blood' because they're talking about you for Capote but the script's with Johnny Depp and Sean Penn at the moment.' So these things take their time to dribble down the food chain.

Meat is a big deal in my life. I do love breakfast food but I don't think that's extraordinary. I'm a normal American. We love eggs and meat and potatoes and gravy.

In corn I think I've found the key to the American food chain. If you look at a fast-food meal a McDonald's meal virtually all the carbon in it - and what we eat is mostly carbon - comes from corn.

I'm not sure that some of the food purists are in touch with what really goes on in American households.

I want Americans to enjoy food. I want them to celebrate food. I want them to on occasions to have big cakes and great things. And I want them to indulge.

Most of my life I was occupied with American television and American food. My ethnicity was my choice. It still is.

The American public is not aware that there might be potential allergenic and toxic reactions. With regular food at least people know which foods they have an allergy to.

You know rural Americans are a special people. Their labor puts food on our table and fuel in our gas tanks. Their service in our military sets a powerful example of leadership honor and sacrifice. Their spirit of community inspires us all.

Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food nobody looks twice when it comes to their food. But there are golden nuggets everywhere.

You know most of the food that Americans hold so dear - things like hamburgers and hot dogs - were road food but even before they were road food they were peasant food.