Join me on my continuing culinary adventure

I was about 11, at an American junior high school, doing well enough academically and playing a bit of sport. My mum pointed out a simple fact: I still had to eat every day. That was that. I ended up doing home economics for half the academic year, for two and a half years.

A few years later, back at a Scottish high school, I had a gap in my timetable and took O’grade Home Economics. I got the highest mark in the school for the practical exam. I still remember the day clearly. The girl cooking beside me started to panic, so I told her to copy what I was doing. It went well until the vegetable chopping began, nerves took over, and she nicked her finger badly. My main thought, I confess, was making sure none of it got near my food.

That sounds heartless, but it taught me something useful: good cooking starts with calm hands, safe tools, and a kitchen that is set up properly.

Since then, work has taken me around Europe and North America. I fell back in love with Italian food, discovered spicy Eastern European dishes, and kept a soft spot for a proper curry house curry. About 10 years ago, I made a New Year’s resolution to try at least one new recipe every month and take a few culinary courses along the way.

Before we get to the gadgets, here is my first top cooking tip: wear an apron. Most of us cook for family and friends, not TV cameras, but cooking is messy. Hot oil, turmeric, flour, tomato sauce, and melted chocolate all have a habit of finding the shirt you quite liked.

An apron is the first bit of kit worth putting on.