Rachel's favourite food at home [antikvár]

Introduction I think my very earliest memory of food (actually, probably my earliest memory of anything) is of my sister, Simone, feeding me mashed banana as though I were her baby. She's four years older than me and as she was probably only about five or six at the time, i was only about two! Then, when we were a bit older, we loved helping mum in the kitchen (although now I can imagine that we were probably not that much help), and would often bake cakes and biscuits ourselves. We were very lucky that there was always good home-cooked food in the house, even when Mum was working, and we always sat down at the table together as a family and enjoyed great chats. Often there would be friends there too. It is still the same when I stay with my parents in Dublin. So now that I have children myself cooking at home is very important to me. It evokes such happychildhood memories. I also love thattimeoftheeveningwhen my husband, Isaac, gets home from work and we have a glass of wine in the kitchen while one of us prepares supper. This is our time for catching up on what's been going on during the day. Of course, there is the added pleasure of our children's company -even ifthey are fighting! Many of you may be parents, and working ones at that, so I have included plenty of suggestions in this book for easy meals that all the family can enjoy. Even better, they can be whipped up in no time. But there is so much more to enjoying cooking at home, like those times when you are looking forward to friends or family coming to stay, or when you're planning a big party for a special occasion, or when it's such a glorious day that you decide to have a spontaneous lunchtime barbecue or a little alfresco dinner party on a balmy evening. There are also those important times when only mum's cooking will do -1 know that's how I feel about my own mum's food, and hopefully my children will feel the same about mine. You may want to bake a gorgeous cake or some buns for that special somebody on a special day, or even make completely delicious edible gifts. Cooking great food at home is ajoy that I wish to pass along to you. Among the many recipes in this book I hope there is inspiration aplenty, and that this book will become a much-loved memberofyourfamily. May it last you many happy years, and feed you manyjoyous meals!