Food is life

It is very true to say that food feeds the soul as well as the body and I can vouch for the positive effects that the involvement with food can have on mental well being.

I began this blog some years ago as I am excited by food, not just eating, but cooking, the history, the culture and how it is so much part of our lives interests me. I wanted to share what I enjoyed, my knowledge and passion for all things edible, whether it be family recipes or those from my favourite cookery books to even venturing into relating my very much intuitive recipes to the page.

My blog's beginnings were a little sporadic at first as I discovered it takes a great deal of time to write a recipe and having a regular day job could be draining leaving me little time to indulge my passion. Then a couple of years ago something happened that left me in a very dark place indeed. I must have been heading into the dark days of depression well before I was put in a very awkward position that meant I could no longer stay in my job. Was it a nervous breakdown? I'm still not sure but I had been in denial of what was happening to me and then boom, I fell down the biggest and blackest metaphorical hole in the universe.

I find it hard, even now to express how I really felt back then, but my thoughts were often suicidal.
One of the things with depression is that you can lose the want to do the things that you once enjoyed. On the advice of my doctor I tried very hard to continue to pursue my hobbies, my blog being one of them.

I can honestly say that it was very good therapy. It gave me focus and purpose and still does although perhaps I'm not as prolific as I was. However there is a very good reason for this. My blog became a springboard for a business I set up with my husband, whose help has been absolutely invaluable and now my passion for all things food is directed into The Artisan Food Trail.

Could I say that food saved my life? It would have to be a resounding yes. Also without my husband's encouragement, support and steadfast faith in me and what I was capable of I wouldn't be sharing my story today.