Herbs

I realized what a miraculous effect the use of herbs can have in cookery when I first went to the Lubéron hills in the south of France. The dry hillsides are covered with wild thyme and rosemary, and these dusty little plants give off a wonderful smell as you walk through them. It was the exquisite combination of this aromatic thyme and pink, succulent baby lamb which fired my enthusiasm for using herbs in my own cooking.

Herbs really transform food, and some combinations seem to have been designed for each other: basil with tomato, tarragon with chicken, both thyme and rosemary with lamb and oregano with cheese and eggs. Yet there should be no compulsory combinations; what is exciting is that there is always more scope for experiment and the possibility of a new and successful mixture of tastes. I never tire of trying new fusions.