RE-INSPIRED

After spending the weekend at Harvest @ Jimmy's, I've come home fueled with ideas and tricks and a buzzing heart. I was on stage for 2 days, hosting the chef's demo stage. It was AMAZING (and terrifying) and I feel like I've now had a master-class with all the big wigs: The Hairy Bikers, Angela Hartnett, Atul Kulchhar, Mark Hix, Oliver Rowe, Tommi Miers, to name just a few.

The main lessons were:
1. Always use sharp knives. I'm now sharpening mine each time I start cooking.
2. Season food at the beginning of cooking, and then you will need to add less at the end, and it will be more rounded.
3. Use FRESH whole spices, not stagnant dusty spices from the back of the cupboard.

This has come in perfect timing as we are going over to some friends tonight armed with supper as they've just had a baby. I've spent the day cooking, not for the deli, not for a supper club, but just for good friends. The pressure is off, and the juices have been flowing. Here's what I've been cooking....



I bought the baby aubergines from Choumert Road Market in Peckham, and the apples and plums were off the market in Brixton. Now we've just got to jump in the car and head up to Green Lanes. A day well spent.