My focus is how herbs and spices are used in food. I want to use this blog to explore more ways to inject flavour into everyday meals and to try some quirky mixes. My first step is to sit down with my recipe books and see what I can start road-testing. I am keen to explore both the sweet and savory sides, mixing it up so that cinnamon is in with meat and rosemary is in dessert.
I believe in eating meat and fish in a sustainable way, and for me that is about how much I eat them and the quality of the product. In practical terms, I might eat meat or fish twice a week and I try to buy the best that I can afford. After all I do like a perfectly cooked steak, with a spicy pepper sauce or hot English mustard. Last night I put Serrano ham on my pizza to give it a mellow saltiness. In winter, I often cook up a big pot of beef goulash or pea and ham soup.
The rest of the time I eat lots of vegetable, cheese and egg based dishes – pumpkin risotto, olive and tomato spaghetti, pesto pasta, dhal and rice, stir-fried vegetables, asparagus and spinach quiche or scrambled eggs. And with everything I use lots of herbs and plenty of spices. This can be as simple as a handful of parsley or basil to finish off a risotto or pasta, or as complicated as a list of spices for a curry.
Beyond cinnamon and parsley 