My stay in Goa turned out to be rather longer than planned. With flights being cancelled left, right and centre, I spent my nights going down rabbit holes of flight trackers and sold-out routes via Singapore. The nights were the worst – but the days had their compensations, and having dinner with some lovely people really lifted my spirits.
I’ve also started painting again, inspired by my friend Ron (you’ll remember the Texans from just after Christmas!), who introduced me to urban sketching – loose, quick drawings of the world around you. It’s taken the pressure off my struggles with watercolour.
There’s plenty of food, of course:
- Half a tandoori chicken, served with red and green chilli sauces – which reminded me of New Mexico, where having both is called “Christmas”.
- Huge, meaty chunks of tandoori fish, cooked as spicy as I like it – sensational. The chips and salad went home with me for the bull outside my hut.
- A little chat about guinea fowl – slightly gamey, incredibly tender, and perfectly fine to serve a little pink in the middle. It’s supposed to be pink!
For all my new followers, I also do a quick recap of who I am: a cook, never formally trained, who ran a supper club for 17 years, hosting 16 to 24 guests two or three times a week for a six-course, bring-your-own-bottle dinner. That’s where all of this began.