These are a few of my favourite things

When I envisaged writing this blog I thought it would be all about restaurants I visited and how good/not good they were. But a few posts in and I've already realised that food is about much more than that, and that I have much more to say about it than that. (In addition to which, most of that is already said repeatedly on a range of more popular blogs by people with better credentials). Food is actually a big part of how I find pleasure in the world, and even of how I interpret my surroundings and experiences of the world is often heavily influenced by what the food is like there (A trip to Adelaide, for example, was MADE by the discovery of the BBC at Ying Chow). Food is also a great primer for relationships with others. Most of my close friends really like food, and we talk about food and do things surrounding food.

Anyway, in light of the wonder of food, I thought I would list a few of my top items.

1) Dry roasted almonds. These are a revelation. They are so much better than regular almonds. And yet, according to the name, they're just roasted. Not coated in chilli and sugar or luxuriating in their own oilyness (like these wonderful peanuts I found in Indonesia and macadamia nuts, respectively) or smothered in happy portions of salt. I mean, all of those are nice additions, now that I think about it. But the roasted almond is so simple, and yet so special.

2) Shepherd's Pie made with lamb mince. Apparently this is real Shepherd's Pie. The other one (with beef mince) has some other name (also on the agricultural theme, I think). Did everyone know this? Anyway, it's heaps better. Though I still like to drown mine in tomato sauce. Did I just lose all respect?

3) Sour cream. Since I looked up the nutritional info on this I don't eat it much. But boy, do I enjoy it when I do.

4) Potatoes, in their many forms. I salute you.

Dinner's on the way. It's Shepherd's Pie. Soon my little mesclun leaves can join it in a side salad with balsamic and olive oil. More of my favourite things. Happy days.