rustle up a treat
Saturday November 07 2009
Home cooking takes many shapes and forms, but for me it's simply about using fresh ingredients, enjoying the process of cooking at home and eating healthy, hearty meals.
I grew up in Howth, Co Dublin, in a family surrounded by food, and if we weren't eating it, we were talking about it; it was just part of life.
As a kid, I picked up basic recipes from watching my mum, Liz, cook, and it's from these basic recipes that the bones of my kitchen knowledge comes from.
In many ways, being in the kitchen from a young age fuelled my passion for cooking and gave me the courage to experiment, even when I might not have been too sure of what I was doing.
The transition to cooking real meals came after I spent a summer in France with an old family friend. My mum had prepped me with five fool-proof recipes and I was sent off with a hug, a kiss and a side of smoked salmon.
However, after a long flight and a hot, sticky drive through the south of France, I ended up with a whole suitcase of clothes smelling of smoked salmon, and that smell lingered for the rest of the summer.
I sampled everything that was put in front of me, from classic French home-cooked dishes to wafer-thin smoked ham and melon slices. I was hooked.
I started the Good Mood Food blog in 2007 as a means of recording what I was cooking. I had a terrible habit of creating a really tasty dish and forgetting to write down the ingredients. I never imagined the worldwide community I would be joining when I created the blog.
All of a sudden, people were commenting on my recipes, telling me what they liked and disliked, what they would add and remove.
The recipes featured here are from my book, which, if nothing else, I hope leaves you full. Home cooking has a certain charm and personality which is completely lost in takeaways and ready meals.
Nothing beats the smell, taste and look of a freshly made meal placed on the table with love, care and attention...not to mention the oohs and aahs you're guaranteed to receive.
One of my favourite things to do when it comes to food is to entertain. I don't know whether it's because I like the admiration from hungry guests or if it's more to do with sharing a meal with friends. Either way, we're all left satisfied and that's what cooking is all about.
W
Good Mood Food is published by Mercier Press
- Donal Skehan
Irish Independent
