This time of year can be tricky, I find, as the first flush of enthusiasm for the new year fades and the prospect of endless winter and the usual rota of obligations begin to weigh heavily. This is where the kitchen comes in. There is something so comforting about retreating to the warm hub of the house, either to cook alone or chatting to friends. When everything is grey outside, I am happiest stoveside or pottering about near my oven.
This is the season of soups and stews and I am revelling in it. Of course, I should be at my desk writing — and since my subject itself is the kitchen and the foods that emanate from it, there is pleasure there too — but there's nothing like having work to do to make cooking even more compelling! But procrastination is not healthy behaviour for someone whose motto is 'Do It Now', so forgive me if I leave you to go back to my study...
