I wrote an ode to my kitchen, says Parveen The Spice Queen

I. myself, was invited down to my daughter’s for Christmas Day. I have to say it was quite nice not having to shop, cook and clean for a change. Although, I must admit it was quite hard not to get involved with the cooking, especially as I suffer from that little known condition called ‘taking-over-titus’!

But it was my daughter’s house, so I DID feel quite at home - however, for me there really is no place like home and being in my own kitchen. I love my kitchen so much that when I was having it renovated a few years ago, I got quite depressed. We were eating takeaways for months, making tea on the hallway table and using the dining room as a makeshift kitchen, not ideal but needs must.

I found myself wandering from room to room, like a nomad trying find a place to call my own.

It was then that I had an epiphany - I realised that for me, the kitchen really is the heart of my home, and it’s probably where I am the happiest.

I close the door, pin up my hair, put on my pinny and lose myself in the creative process of cooking.

Once my brand new sparkling super duper kitchen was finished, I decided to write a poem for it. Strange you may think, but once you have a read of it, I am sure you will get it.

The Matriarch’s Kitchen

For the Matriarch the kitchen is the heart of her home. You will find her in there countless times making dinner or occasionally enjoying a quiet cup of tea on her own.

For her family and friends, she cooks with the intention of love, food that will feed their bodies but she also endeavours to nourish their minds and souls. And even a domestic goddess she strives to be at times monotony sets in and such a chore it all seems to be.

She yearns to be recognised for her than her culinary delights, as she had many other facets and is a person in her own right.

But secretly she revels in the role as the Matriarch and takes great pleasure in being central in the heart of her home.