Owner, Pureknead, Whitley Bay
Let’s start at the beginning, what do you eat for breakfast?
We don’t do breakfast, but we’re big fans of elevenses in the shop. Our go-to is fresh sourdough toast with copious amounts of good butter and a cup of tea.
And your go-to guilty pleasure?
Lemon curd – we make it regularly in the shop and always keep a couple of jars in the kitchen for ourselves. We’re not stingy with it – you’ve got to see your teeth imprint when you bite through it.
What would be your last meal on earth?
I’d go to Saltwater Fish Company at Fenwick, Newcastle for the Ligurian fish stew. I’m totally hooked on it at the minute.
What can I find in your home fridge right now?
It’s pretty embarrassing at the moment. We’ve got butter, cheese, apricots, some fresh spaghetti and a lot of beer. What more could a girl want?
Which ingredient would you grab if you could only choose one?
Apricots! I adore roasted fruits with honey and nuts on top.
You must have plenty of essential kit in the kitchen. Which is the most important?
My Magimix is essential; I love it and you can do anything in it. You can make quick knead bread, pastry, anything really. It’s an awesome bit of kit which has served me really well in the last five years.
And your favourite cook book?
I spend far too much on cook books; I get at least a couple every month. My current favourite is from Caravan in London. Their food is just pure ingredients put together really well, and the recipes are fantastic.
What’s your favourite dish to make at home?
Right now it’s roast chicken with a warm salad of pea shoots, broad beans, pod peas and a little bit of crispy bacon.
What’s your most important bit of advice in the kitchen?
There are no mistakes in cookery, just lateral thinking. I’ve seen pastry turned into panatone; we’re still not sure how it happened, but it did!
What would you be doing if you weren’t running PureKnead?
I used to work for a company which staged classical music concerts with fireworks. I loved it and would probably still be doing something in the events business.
If you only had £10 to spend on food, what would you buy?
I’d get some good bread, cheese and berries, and a glass of wine, then have a little picnic in the sunshine.
Who’s the greatest cook ever?
The Kiwi baker Kim Evans. She strips things right back and does incredible things.
PureKnead, 152 Park View, Whitley Bay, NE26 3QW, tel 07964 864 181, www.pure-knead.co.uk
