After the death of her beloved cairn terrier Wilf, food writer Felicity Cloake reflects on the role food plays in life's big events, whether happy or sad. She notes that friends and family have rallied to take her out for meals, concerned that grief might affect her appetite.
Comfort Through Cooking
Cloake observes that people often cook for others after shocks as a way to offer practical help and show love. These gestures fall into two categories: high-energy foods that can be eaten one-handed, such as Melissa Hemsley's five-ingredient flapjacks or Anna Jones's chocolate chip cookie power bites, and home-cooked meals that make recipients feel cared for, like a vegan ragù or chicken cacciatore.
She suggests bundling clearly labelled containers with pasta and cheese, so recipients are never more than 10 minutes from a good dinner. For those who prefer pies, options like Nigel Slater's cauliflower cheese number or Calum Franklin's keema-spiced shepherd's pie are recommended, and Thomasina Miers' ricotta, courgette and spinach dumplings freeze well.
Personal Food Notes
Cloake also shares her week in food, including a visit to Bijan's Kitchen in Henley-on-Thames, where she enjoyed lamb kebabs on naan and Iranian black tea perfumed with rose petals. She reminds readers that British apple season winds down towards the end of October, advising to stock up on unusual varieties and store them in a cool, dry, dark place.
She mentions the start of Celebrity Traitors as a welcome distraction, and notes her interest in the on-set catering. Finally, she celebrates Waitrose's new hot-smoked herring, which replaces Scottish mackerel removed due to population collapse warnings, and suggests using it in potato salads or paté.
