Thomasina Miers loves spending her time in the kitchen

Thomasina Miers loves spending her time in the kitchen

Thomasina Miers loves to cook and she loves food. She told me this plenty of times throughout the interview.

Not only does she like to cook at home, she thinks that when you're on holiday it's the perfect time to cook because of all that spare time you have; I thought that was supposed to be spent topping up the tan?

The renowned chef and former MasterChef winner has created a range of delicious recipes for the HomeAway.co.uk Travel Cookbook, perfect for people who relish the opportunity to immerse themselves in local cuisine whilst on holiday.

Why did you decide to create these recipes for the travel cook book?

When I'm on holiday I love cooking, it's one of the most fun things about travelling is to see what the locals are cooking with and what they're cooking. I mean I love cooking, I love to do it in my free time, I think it's lovely cooking with family and friends on holiday because you've got so much time. So when I do go on holiday I really want to have a kitchen, so my choice is always to rent somewhere rather than go to a hotel where you can't even make a cup of tea.

Which country's food is your favourite to cook?

Well, I love all food really. I love European food, I love Italian food, French, Spanish I adore. I love Indian, I love Middle Eastern, I love Mexican. I just love food. Part of the pleasure of travelling is to get to taste exciting food from all over the world.

Which country's food would you say is the easiet to cook? Especially for those who don't think that they can cook.

I think that Italian and Spanish are very simple. Well actually I think that English food is pretty easy to make. Basically the important thing is to get to a good market and get the best ingredients. Because if you're buying lovely and fresh ingredients you don't have to do that much to make them taste good. And I think that's the joy of the Home and Away properties, you go and stay in a house and get to go to the local market.

In France, Italy or Spain you can buy some beautiful tomatoes and make an amazing salad with some mozeralla and some delicious olive oil - all of which you can buy in a market. And it requires very little cooking and very little work to make a very delicious meal.

What's you favourite foreign meal?

It's so difficult to say because I just love eating, I never eat the same thing because I just love food so much. I love all foods, I just love it.

Have you always been interested in cooking as a career?

Yes, well I've always been interested in food, full stop. Since I was about six, I kind of grew up in the kitchen helping my mother. So yes, I've always been interested.

Which three essential items must be on anyone's shopping list?

A good quality olive oil, is an absolute must. Not for cooking with, but for drizzling on salad and to finish a plate of food. A good quality salt I kind of swear by. Fresh vegetables are lovely, you really don't have to spend too much money if you've got some fresh vegetables. I always have a big slab of parmesan, I hardly use any but it does make a big difference to different plates of food. And it means that you can have a delicious supper without having to buy any meat or fish. You really don't have to eat expensively to eat good food, that is definitely true.

What's your ultimate cooking tip?

Taste you food if you're cooking. So many people cook and not taste as they go and it's so important to taste.

Femalefirst Taryn Davies


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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