TV cooking sensation Delia Smith has thrown manufacturers of obscure ingredients into a production frenzy ahead of her new series How to Cook - Part Two.

The BBC Two programmes begin on 10 January with a show designed to give tips on store cupboard ingredients.

Delia will highlight the indispensability to canny cooks of products such as rare cheeses, Maldon Sea Salt and Worcestershire Sauce.

And the makers of these little-bought products are anticipating a huge rise in sales after she has dispensed her advice.

Judging by 58-year-old Delia's track record in these matters, the manufacturers have every right to be excited.

The book of the series was the fastest-selling hardback of 1999, after selling more than 200,000 copies in its first two weeks.

In 1998, her back to basics How To Cook: Book One, and the accompanying TV series, caused a rush on eggs, lump-free flour and omelette pans.

It followed a country-wide craze for cranberries in 1995 with the book and series of Delia's Smith's Winter Collection.

This time round, it is Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder which looks likely to generate sparks amongst the nation's cooks. Delia names the product as her "first prize essential".

Its London-based distributors, which currently sell largely through independent health food stores, announced that advance publicity had already led to increased interest from retailers.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's has already started stocking the vegetable bouillon powder. Marigold director Patrick Tobin said other big stores could also start selling it next month.

"Tesco, Waitrose and Asda have all asked us for information about the product recently, and I would say this is definitely due to Delia Smith's influence.

"We've been marketing this product for nearly 20 years and until now we've never really tried to convert the mainstream, but now that seems to be happening anyway."

Delia will also include Maldon Sea Salt and that old staple, Worcestershire Sauce, in her top 10.

Top tips

As for useful kitchen implements, throughout the new series, Delia will be using a small balloon whisk for mixing sauces.

It could prove as popular as the Lune Metal omelette pan she praised in her first How to Cook series. After she dubbed it a "little gem", its Lancashire-based manufacturers had to take on 15 extra staff to cope with sales that rose to 90,000 in four months.

Delia's first TV show was Family Fare in 1973, and her first TV cookery course followed in 1978.

Her BBC books have now sold more than 12 million copies - including more than a million for How To Cook: Book One.

Delia Smith's How to Cook - Part Two begins on 10 January at 20.30GMT on BBC Two.