THE SIMPLE THINGS

FAVOURITE TIME OF DAY

I love waking up, and I’ve got this nice husband next to me and he’s either asleep or reading and there’s this wonderful sense of calm. I also love the end of the day, when you come in after being outside or at work and you pour a glass of wine and get something out of the fridge and have a bit of a chat. It’s different in the country to the city, I think. In the country, it’s more about light. And in the city, you’re more aware of things like when is it busy outside on

the street and can I get a park!

FAVOURITE NIGHT OUT

With a bunch of friends and we’re at their place; I usually prefer that to a restaurant. We’re all around the table – yabbity yabbity, drink, drink, drink. Slightly hungover the next morning!

FAVOURITE BREAKFAST

Soft scrambled eggs with lots of thyme on wholegrain toast with butter. And then I like more toast and butter with my home-made marmalade. I make the best marmalade in the world – it’s all tawny, almost but not quite burnt, and I put a bottle of whisky in it. I

make a LOT of marmalade.

FAVOURITE DINNER TO COOK FOR FRIENDS

They’re never going to get the same thing twice because it’s going to be about the weather and the mood!

Something light and salady for summer, something warm and stewy for winter. I’ve learned over the years not to make anything complicated! My mother always said, “Too many chardonnays spoil the cook” – so I have

pudding made ahead of time!

FAVOURITE WAY TO ROAST A CHICKEN

I love a nice organic chicken. I brine it – it’s the single most important thing you can do to chicken, turkey, duck – even fish sometimes. It plumps up the cells with the flavour of the brine. I put a little bit of honey in with the salt, and a bit of rosemary and lime. If I want gravy, I’ll put onions on the bottom because they will caramelise and give it this richness of colour. Brine it, roast it and rest it before you serve it with

lemon, rocket and roast potatoes.