I often make up what I cook depending on what’s in the fridge/cupboards. I read a lot of recipes online and I have a bad cookery book buying habit. This informs my cooking but often I do not follow recipes to the line (apart from when baking as it is a dark art which I do not understand). I spent a huge amount of my time at university watching cookery shows whilst working on my computer and I love to feed people with delicious things. I also find cooking therapeutic because no matter what else is happening you can almost guarantee that at the end of a some kitchen time – long or short – there will be something tasty produced to gobble up.
My husband ‘The Jim’ has been on the receiving end of my cooking for over seven years. Although what I make is generally good I have begun to find it dull. I keep turning to the same old stuff which are mainly spin offs from Ottolenghi’s book Plenty. This is where Dave enters the story. He is always trying new things, doing technically demanding things and I am always in awe of his latest cooking adventure, hence this blog was born.
My favourite foods are ice cream, vegetables, almost anything pickled (not eggs thank you – there is no need), my Babcia’s (Polish grandma) cabbage pancakes, my ma’s layered spinach pancakes in a cheese sauce and her Polish vegetable salad. There are plenty more foods I enjoy and they tend to be savoury: current favourite topping to most things is salsa verde and I REALLY like padron peppers and delicious tortilla from Barrafina. Romesco sauce is also a must – but something I’ve never cooked myself but did enjoy at our wedding party at The Dock Kitchen. The Jim is more old fashioned and meat orientated in his food preference – please bear this in mind whilst he is scoring the food.
So I hope this blog will make me plan more carefully, follow recipes to make me start learning new techniques & dishes and generally bring a bit more interest back into my kitchen.
So now the start. To begin the first challenge to a new and energetic Anya in the kitchen. I pick up my wooden spoon, ready to begin.
Well Anya, if your same old stuff is a spin off of Ottolenghi’s work it’s going to be pretty good anyway.
I’ve never heard of a cabbage pancake or a spinach version. In theory, on paper, it sounds dreadful. But you like food so if you like them they must be good and therefore at some point I need to try them 🙂 You will have to teach Dave to make those.