tis the season to get cooking

AUTHOR:
MAE

With the holiday season just round the bend, days are starting to fill up, with family festivities to school performances, the calendar starts to look quite merry, like the time of year. Regardless of what you do or don’t celebrate, an air of warmness dances amidst the cold winter chills. With festivals, personal and communal, lies the magic of good food. Whether we find time to have a quiet moment with an old friend or cuddle with the family on long winter nights, or have huge end of year bashes with work mates, food is one thing that is common among every social call.


Whether we choose to dive deep into the staple of age old family secret recipes or pick up new treasures to add to our repertoire, cooking for someone always shows your audience that you care for them. Sadly though in the modern day more and more people seem to be daunted by the idea of whipping something up for an audience, especially if it happens to be for a “special” occasion, but it does not need to be in this way.


A meal does not have to be “fancy” looking and a struggle to squeeze on to the table for it to awe-struck your fans. At the end of the day, there is only so much one can eat in one meal; make less items, but make them well, keep it simple, but made with love and care. When you give time, love and care to any meal, it already has the right foundations, finish it off with good flavouring and seasoning and you have a great meal.


Start off by focusing on packing flavour in your marinade, then marinade liberally. Incubate your marinating products in the fridge for sufficient time, whether it is veg, or meat that you are cooking, do not skimp on these two vital steps. It is the flavours in any dish that make it stand out and tango with your tastebuds. Watch over it as it cooks taking in all the aroma and excitement, hanging about working in the same space means then you don’t need to fear it burning or over cooking. Taste it as it progresses; don’t be afraid to add more flavour if you feel like it needs it, even if the recipe doesn’t call for it. Always trust your gut instincts the flavours need to sing for you if they are to perform for anyone else.


If there is a particular recipe of mine you are looking for to experiment with in the holidays, let me know so that I know to fast track it, or if you are interested in booking some one to one time get in touch! With the volume of recipes I have waiting to upload in the pipe line, it always helps to know if I need to accelerate certain ones.


With festivals lurking, I am also keeping busy with various projects here and there. In recent weeks I have been doing some teaching sessions (already have a couple of sessions penciled in for January too- exciting times ahead Insha Allah). I am also scheduled into be doing some catering for some upcoming events going into the Christmas break. Meanwhile in the day time, at the moment, I have been keeping busy assisting is various spaces including prepping some meals for up to a dozen portions.


It’s been an exciting and enriching year, I have discovered many things this year along with this- my new direction. I look at the new year with hope and aspirations, lets see what this uncertain fate of UK brings to the plate of the many…


Regardless of what you have to look forward to as the year closes in, hope you stay warm and cosy, and sample great food!


Warmest Wishes & Season’s Greetings!


Let’s end it on a high and start the new Decade with abundant hope and positivity!


MUCH LOVE