And so it finally begins! Only a rough idea at the moment of what is cooking, the ingredients not all in place, and certainly not sure of how much to add of which, or when.

Only hope, the hope that something palatable turns out eventually, the hope that people like it, and the hope that what may start out as a simple honest preparation can graduate to something more elaborate – a gourmet recipe, or a buffet perhaps!

So, now to light the fire, set the pot up, throw in some stuff and let it simmer for a bit.