I like cooking. It’s a bit like engineering with food – science in the kitchen, chemistry at the cooker. It’s also a rather peaceful, contemplative pastime. Even cooking something simple like a ragu sauce can provide a period of peace away from other worries. It needs most of your attention of course, but is not particularly difficult. Gently frying onion, garlic, diced carrots and celery in butter/oil, adding in turn the mince, tomatoes, Worcester sauce and tomato. Deciding which particular twist to add this time – a few porcini mushrooms, some sweet pepper, maybe a rasher of bacon. It’s all enjoyably creative, but safe, because it usually ends up tasting ok. Sometimes better than others, but rarely inedible.

But the problem is that, if I’m honest, I’m usually disappointed with the results. They are are mostly ‘OK’, but nothing more. I’d like to improve, but am not really sure how to.

This probably explains why I’m always watching cooking programmes – all of them. Jamie Oliver, River Cottage, Hairy Bikers, Masterchef, Bake-Off, Diners Drive-ins and Dives: you name it, and I’ll be watching. I’ll also be on YouTube in between, watching, “Cooking With the Blues” (RIP Jack), Latifs Inspired, etc. I’m desperately searching for whatever it takes to bring it all together.

My latest discovery, which is what prompted this post, is “Simply Raymond Blanc”, available on Netflix. You can’t fail to love Raymond, with his simple joie-de-vivre, zest for life, and happiness as he takes you through his vegetable garden. (Viola, tres bien!) His restaurant has had 2 Michelin stars for 2 decades, but he’s happily showing a load of simple inspiring recipes, using home grown ingredients. Love it, highly recommended. Well worth several hours of your time ifyou’ve nothing else on.