About

 

My name is Susan. Food is my passion – cooking and eating! I grew up in Wales and now live in London (most of the time) and in Switzerland (some of the time). My background is in hotel and catering and I spent many years living, working and travelling in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. I try to produce authentic food using seasonal ingredients which can be found in supermarkets and only sometimes in specialist shops.

When my children left home they wanted to recreate the meals they grew up with. In reviewing what we eat and how I cook, I was struck by:

• the majority of dishes stem from a small number of core recipes which I adapt based on whom I am cooking for and what ingredients I have available. For example, a chicken and rice recipe can vary greatly by adding different vegetables, herbs, spices and cooking liquids. However, the skills required and ingredient ratios remain the same. Similarly, many of my recipes for pasta, muffins, cookies and cakes stem from core recipes which I adapt depending on the season, what I have in my cupboards and simply what we fancy eating.
• the importance of spices. I have developed a range of spice mixes and curry pastes to help quickly prepare an exciting range of dishes. They can also be used as the base for marinades, butters and dry rubs.
• the usefulness of batch cooking. I like to make large quantities but freeze dishes in small portions. I can then create different dishes and use them when I am in a hurry, my cupboards are bare, or I have a surprise group to feed! A chilli con carne, for example, can be defrosted easily and served with rice, chips/french fries, nachos, burritos, in a Mexican lasagne, with chilli dogs, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes.

I set up this blog to store these recipes in a place my children could access. This has morphed into Daffodil Kitchen!

I am neither a photographer nor a food stylist; I simply use my i phone to photograph the food as I cook it for my family, often one handed as I add ingredients and stir! This blog is a food diary of our family’s meals and treats (including our idiosyncrasies and various likes and dislikes), plus a few memories from special occasions along the way and, of course, our photogenic pets!

I hope this blog will inspire you to cook, ensure you eat well, are creative and have fun with food!