Summer… What does it mean to you? Are you all about escaping abroad, experiencing new tastes and bringing flavours back home? Or are you a staycation-ophile, relishing the scores of good things here in the UK? Wherever and whatever your happy place, most of us probably agree the feel of sun on your back and soft sand between toes is hard to beat. This month we’ve tried to satisfy as many food yearnings and capture as many vibey relaxation moments as we can, starting with a guide to shellfish from fishmeister Rick Stein (p35). I always thought you weren’t supposed to eat mussels in August (no ‘r’ in the month), but Rick tells me you can, I believe him and I’m going to, inspired by his fine recipes. By contrast, uber-talent Zoe Adjonyoh is our new writer in residence and has created exciting food moments inspired by a trip to Kenya, where she met two women who gave her the full Kenyan flavour immersion (p48). I’m ever eager to try new dishes, and Zoe’s recipes deliver in full measure, along with stories and down-to-earth advice on ingredients that, I hope, will entice you to experiment beyond your repertoire.
I have to mention Debora Robertson’s defence of convenience food, too (p16). I’m in her camp: I hold no truck with food snobbishness. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s the enemy of getting more people to cook, which is surely the subtle mission of anyone who cares about a) food, b) health and c) the planet we inhabit. Debora has a knack of delivering a powerful message with humour. I, for one, am going to be adding a few new timesavers to my freezer storecupboard, top of the list being frozen chopped chillies – not least because I wear contact lenses. If you wear them, you’ll share my pain-memories… Need I say more? Wishing you a fully delicious.-infused summer!