Food is one of my passions – both cooking and eating it. Maybe I’m a bit of a gastro-geek, but my idea of a good night in involves helping my gorgeous wife bake some fresh bread and cooking up something new from the entire bookcase of recipe books we’ve acquired over the last two decades.
Wine or beer or sometimes both are involved – as is some music – usually Latin Jazz, but it could be folk, rock, or 80s cheese. Watch the hugely under-rated film Chef and you’ll get the idea.
A big night out invariably involves eating – ideally at two or three different venues. This used to be almost impossible outside of the tapas joints of Seville, Valencia or San Sebastian, although the best tapas I’ve ever head was in Haro – the capital of rioja, where the evening paseo offers a veritable cornucopia of lovingly crafted appetisers.
Now more and more British foodie outlets are recognising that small plates or sharing platters are the way to go.
My native Ribble Valley is becoming a bit of a foodie hotspot, with more than its fair share of really good restaurants offering interesting food – most of it sourced from the enthusiastic community of food producers and retailers centred on the Valley.
The local council has even sponsored a foodie tour – the Ribble Valley Food Trail – which I can heartily recommend. I’m hoping to turn my passion into a business sideline over the next couple of years, so watch this space for more news!
Buen provecho!
