I’m Amy. I’ve been into cooking for as long as I can remember, literally. As a youngster it was my job to make the pastry because I always had cold hands! I grew up helping my parents and grandparents in the kitchen, cooking mostly traditional British fare.
Leaving home opened up a whole new world of cuisines for me. I am fortunate to have lived and worked with people from all over the place and we all had one thing in common….food.
Whether you’re into cooking or not, we all eat. We all have a favourite dish, or a flavour or smell which reminds us of a particular time in our lives. Food can evoke memories, comfort us in times of need, energise us and, maybe most importantly, can break down barriers when shared with others.
Some of my fondest memories are of time spent cooking and eating with friends. Even when times were hard, we always managed to creatively feed ourselves and squeeze another portion from the pot should someone else arrive.
Living in a big city had its benefits too. I was spoilt for choice when eating out and always up for trying something new.
Around 15 years ago, for reasons I can no longer remember, I decided to grow some carrots. At that point I don’t think I’d ever grown a plant from seed. I filled a bog standard bucket with compost, sowed the seeds and the result was the most carrotiest carrots I’ve ever carroted! They were truly amazing, the smell and flavour was like a supermarket carrot on steroids.
The rest, as they say, is history. Ever since then I’ve been growing fruit and veg, some more successfully than others. Thankfully I shared the journey with someone equally enthusiastic about it all. The obsession with homegrown produce has seen us outgrow two gardens and, with a desire for different pace of life and the space to grow more, we sought out our forever home in The Highlands.
Speaking of my equally enthusiastic partner…when I met him he swore blind he did not like Italian food, curries or melted cheese. Perhaps my greatest achievement has been showing him that all of these things are sublimely delicious and turning his tastes around! I’m relieved to say he now eats all that I cook for him with gusto.
We were very fortunate to find a house with enough outdoor space to grow considerably more than we were used to, and even enough space to have a decent sized polytunnel, something which is almost essential in this environment. The shorter growing season can be a challenge, but one we’ve absolutely accepted. We are also very lucky to be surrounded by native woodland, hence the name I chose for my business ‘Woodland Kitchen Deli’.
This brings us to the present day, and a desire to share my passion for food and homegrown produce with a wider audience. I hope you enjoy it.
