I celebrated my 25th birthday in a none too remarkable way - it was early spring 2008 and I gathered with many friends to enjoy the watery sunshine in the beer garden at the Drayton Court pub in West Ealing, my local. My birthday was a fun day spent with people I love. It was not however extraordinary. Except for three extraordinary gifts. David, a friend from work, gave me The City of London Cook Book by Peter Gladwin. Cat, a friend from pub quiz, gave me Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries (this remains the only cookbook I have ever read from cover to cover). And Justine, a friend with whom weekends are rarely spent without, gave me my first Le Creuset dish. Duck egg blue, it is small but perfect.

To say that these three gifts started my love affair with food and cooking would be to exaggerate a point. My mother was a caterer when I was growing up and went on to own a cafe. She is therefore a very good and imaginative cook and I was brought up to love and appreciate good food. These gifts did however kick start my appreciation of food as an adult. This blog is intended to chart my cooking and eating experiences for my own sake. Should it inform, entertain, amuse others, that would be a bonus.