Mi'sen

- I have bought 'Salt, Fat, Acid Heat' by Norsat, for a number of people, it's fantastic because it takes a pretty different approach to learning to cook. Samin introduces some foundational principles as to what makes something delicious, rather than just a pile of techniques.

- Norsat introduces the sort of 'cook's intuition' that you might pick up from your grandmother if you grew up in a kitchen. It isn't magic, but Norsat has given visibility to an aspect of cookery that has mostly been confined to oral tradition.

- I alluded to Ferris' 4h cook earlier. I both hate and love that project. There is an enormous amount of noise in that book, but I really appreciate his general approach to learning, and the demystification of certain things. I think the best thing he introduces is enthusiasm:

- which brings me on to something that I think is absolutely foundational, and probably quite romantic. Food is all about love. Food is about passion, and tenderness, and sharing. I've been very, very poor, and still been able to cook a plate of rice and beans with dignity & love

- If you can identify the basic spark which makes you enjoy food, or cooking for yourself or others, then that will be very helpful in giving you the willingness to learn. Cooking is not hard, and you seem smart so you'll learn quickly, so some basic motivation will go a long way

What is your happiest food memory?

Pick one, and tell me... I'll go first. I was seven years old, at my grandparents house, and my Nanna was sick. I had seen her cook dinner hundreds of times. She cooked poverty food 90% of the time, but on Sunday, she cooked meat, and she shared it with love and generosity.

My parents weren't going to be there in time to cook Sunday lunch, and my Grandad couldn't cook. And I wanted to make people happy, so I just copied what I had seen her do: took the lamb out of the fridge, put it in a tray w/ garlic/oil/rosemary, chucked some potatoes in.