Here are some things I know:

• Great olive oil and good, flaky sea salt will make almost anything taste good;
• Love will change you;
• Emma Thompson is absolutely glorious;
• Pickled carrots are awesome;
• Pickled garlic is also awesome;
• Reading a book is an incredible gift to give yourself;
• Commuting in London will make even the most sane and well-balanced people want to punch random strangers in the throat;
• Everyday magic exists;
• Me and mussels will always have a tense relationship;
• Sometimes it can be hard to be kind, but it’s worth the effort;
• Sleep will solve almost anything;
• Nat King Cole’s voice and (most of) Thomas Newman’s music are like balm for the soul;
• A good laugh and a good cry are sometimes completely necessary and should be actively encouraged;
• Travel and food are two of the great joys of life;
• Often doing what requires effort is better than doing what is easy; and
• Leftover pizza makes a perfectly respectable breakfast.

While that’s not quite me bounded in a nutshell, I think it gives you a good idea. At least to begin with. I am a writer, traveller, lover of food. I have a wonderful family, great friends, and I’m lucky enough that my best friend is also my boyfriend of seven years. I love wine, and think a dry martini or a great scotch is brilliant when days get tough. Coffee from my much-loved bialetti is one of my favourite daily rituals. I think yoga is a fantastic way to find a little slice of calm in a busy week. And I love to cook – anything and everything.

Speaking of: the heart of this blog is about food. About the restorative powers of cooking. Of finding passion in the rise of a loaf of bread, the smell of gumbo, the colour of homemade marmalade. And cultivating a slower pace. It’s about me, by and large, and the weird and wonderful things in my particular life.

I think it’s going to be fun.

For now, have a read through some of the posts, get in touch, follow me on Twitter and keep reading!