THE LOVES OF MY LIFE
Secrets of a food stylist
The person Two little girls named Pearl (5) and Poppy (1) have stolen my heart forever The memory When growing up, having the kitchen to myself on a Sunday afternoon to bake to my heart’s content. Then filling my family full of treats and disasters The moment of the day Inhaling my two girls’ enthusiasm and watching their happy faces as they help me cook The song Does the sound of an ice-cream van count? Great tune, filled with nostalgia! The movie Waitress. Stick me in that all-American retro-diner outfit and I’ll happily make you pies all day. I‘ll have the ‘marshmallow mermaid pie’ over the ‘baby screaming its head off in the middle of the night and ruining my life’ pie any day, thanks The hero All hail Martha Stewart. Not so much for the prison part of her life. I’m thinking more the arts, crafts, cooking, gardening and home organising. I went to see her live TV show when in New York and now totally want my own version of the show here. Including the Jerry Springer-style audience chants. ‘Go Martha! Go Sharon!’ The book My second book, The No-Cook Cookbook, of course! I hope to convince those who don’t cook that they don’t even have to cook to cook, if you get me. Anyhow, I’ll bash everyone over the head with this until they get cooking The outfit Check out the back of my new book to see me wearing my most favourite dress of all time ever. A flirty, flowery, little 1980s off-the-shoulder number in a 1950s style. A bargain eBay purchase The accessory Can someone please buy me an Orla Kiely handbag? The gadget Step away from the iPhone. When having time apart, I’m known to flirt with a Magimix food processor The pet hate Disorganisation! The friend Ah, I love all of my girlies. I have many great friends from every part of my life who still help keep me sane and strong The beauty product Rose water is my toner of choice. I like it because it screams of old lady chic, but also works fabulously in meringues The holiday I took a trip around the world as a year-long holiday about 10 years ago. Sri Lanka, India and Vietnam were my top three countries The piece of advice Several cookery show producers have advised me to keep steamer pans topped up. I’ve been known to burn water! The drink Having never been into whiskey, I was sold hook, line and sinker on whiskey sours by the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, at one of her show wrap parties. Delicious! However, as I’m currently breastfeeding, camomile tea is my tipple of choice The hotel Taxi, take me to Monart Spa in Wexford. This place, setting and land has serious healing and restorative properties. I would happily stay there wrapped in a white robe, with no phone, very little verbal contact with other humans and snoozing for several days. Make that weeks. Forever The bar I have to say my mammy and daddy’s bar, the Lobster Pot in Carne, Co Wexford. My childhood bed was right above the bar counter, so I hold many local secrets going years back The hobby It’s all about the cooking. Food vibrates my world, besides being my work, it’s my passion and I hope I can inspire as many people as possible to fall in love with it too The part of my body While some suspect I have a wardrobe full to choose from, my beehive is proudly all my own The celebrity Despite ending up working with many celebrity chefs over the years, I was never one for being dazzled by celebrities in general. In fact, I’m renowned for not recognising them. I once asked James Nesbitt was he a chippy on the set of a Jamie Oliver commercial. On another occasion, I wouldn’t allow Mike Tyson into the Ready, Steady, Cook studio, saying he would have to wait until I got the production manager down to talk to him The virtue Breastfeeding, thankfully having come really naturally to me, is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced. It has made me realise just how caring and nurturing I am. Not to mention self-disciplined and strong for having sacrificed booze for a few years and counting The vice Nobo vanilla and coconut dairy-free frozen ice cream. As this is technically sin free, chuck a Tunnock’s tea cake in on top for good measure The smell A Sunday roast cooking. And Escentric Molecules perfume The taste: All I can think about right now is that whiskey sour. OK, and the Sunday roast . . .