About changing preferences

Is it age? Probably. I have always been quite specific about what I eat. As a child I was a parents horror. I didn’t like anything on my plate. Especially not if it had a scent of vegetables or fruit around it. Quite a harsh thing if your parents are fruit farmers and own their own grocery store. Strangely enough, I have always been a great fan of fish and shellfish. Raw or cooked, it made no difference to me. The only exception has long been sushi. Nice, to have a kid who is delighted to get a raw oyster or herring but just simply refuses to eat her pasta with sauce because it contained tomatoes.

Living in a student house kind of teaches you to stop fussing about food. First of all you just can’t afford to be peculiar when you live on a tight budget, second, it is a bit offensive to be fussy over food when your housemate just put his best effort in a nice dish. And, already then, I was a fan of cooking. I had two banana boxes of kitchen tools, which I kept save in my room, to prevent them from damaging by anyone else but me.

Now I eat about anything and I like it all. I have a few exceptions, for example I never really got to love braised endives. Although I have always liked raw fish and I like a nice liqueur late at night, until a few months ago, sushi and whisky were on my exception-list too. But strangely enough I suddenly love both. Isn’t it awkward how taste develops?

I’ll keep my fingers crossed about endives and Brussels sprouts. Maybe one day, my ability to love bitter tasting food will improve. And mum, I am sorry, I really am!

Me when I still was a devilish little creature in my families plum orchard

Next summers herb garden

I have my own herb garden for some years now. Lucky as I am with a small city garden, I grow tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, sage and other essentials in my own garden. Imagine a summer barbeque with not only home-marinated meats and fish, but also with lemonade with green limes and freshly cut mint leaves. 
Now, in mid winter, my garden is covered with snow. But I can't keep myself from making plans for next summer!

For sure, I am going to grow my own tomatoes again. I learned by now that I have to be modest. While my cherry tomatoes are sweet and delicious, larger sorts simply don't get enough sun here in Holland. Another thing I want to do again is try and grow more strawberries. Although I only have two strawberry plants, the taste of just one homegrown strawberry definately wins from a whole pack of strawberries from the supermarket.

What I haven't got yet is a laurel plant. Delicious for stews. Last year I grew my own sage plants, I hope they will last through wintertimes. Otherwise, I will grow some new plants.
Nasturtium is a plant I am certainly going to grow again. This summer, I preserved the seeds of this flowering plant in vinager, laurel, garlic and peppercorn. A great alternative for capers!
I can't wait for summer!