Dave is such a keen foodie, he is allowed to tuck in before I sit down, especially as he has cooked the meal.

I can hear the race has started as I close up my files for a quiet few minutes eating lunch. Dave is part of the Jamie revolution, that has allowed young lads to cook without people thinking ‘Boys cooking, what’s wrong with him’ (we still think that about him, of course!).

Weekends & holidays are planned around food. I often over hear snippets of conversation with Dave chatting to Chefs & Food Stylists about produce & techniques. It is a new and exciting world that Jamie has started.

Dave’s favourite meals often used to include bread crumbs. We had stale loaves of all types of bread & crackers on top of the kitchen cupboards, plus lots of wiring noises from food mixers. I am sure his Mum will know, as she must have spent hours sweeping up crumbs from the surfaces & floor.

Dave is a natural, creating fantastic dishes (or as Hazel would say “Too good a cook for your stomach”) from lots of left over products. Last week we were besieged by peppers, so Dave produced Romano Peppers stuffed with couscous, chorizo, dried apricots & Manchego cheese with Spanish chicken balls for lunch.

and it was delicious.

Just north of Lucca, on the Serchio river is a small sleepy town called Ponte A Moriano. Apart from a Tuesday market, very little happens apart from a constant flow of people who flock to the Ferramenta, the busiest shop in the town attracting men & women of all ages.

I would describe it as an ironmonger, but it actually sells everything apart from food & clothes. We call it Aladdin’s Cave because there is nothing it doesn’t sell. Whether you want a nut or bolt, polish, basket on wheels, bbq it will sell it.

Maurizio, his Dad & Uncle run the shop with a little help from his Mother too (to add the feminine touch). Maurizio is deadly serious and wants to provide every customer with exactly what they want; if it doesn’t fit he will find a way. Nothing is too much trouble.

Although the entrance is small, the shop extends in every direction. I know it is a cliche, but in Britain we do not manufacture anything so when we need a part for a tool it always has to be ordered or replaced, whereas, Maurizio in his perfect English would say ‘What size is the tool & show a huge selection of parts?’ The British mindset is ‘if it is old, let’s replace it’, but the Italians will mend everything. If a nail can be straightened then it will be tapped until straight; nothing is wasted.

It may be cheaper to buy new nails, especially when you are paying a builder by the hour, but this is not the Italian way, tap,tap,tap.

This attitude to age is in the Italian’s blood, whether people, plants or objects. In the countryside many olive trees are over a 1000 year old; they would have been pruned annually, but no one would ever consider chopping them down and replacing them.

What is so unique about Italy are the old fashion values. Everyone is accepted at face value & no one is hurried. If you require a particular item, they will discuss it with you for hours, even though the queue has grown to over twenty and is winding out of the door.

Nothing is too much trouble. If something is required, the 3 wheeler will zoom off and collect. There is no ‘white van man’ in Italy, just a man on 3 wheels.

Opposite the shop is a very popular Gelateria (ice cream parlour), but you will never see the boys in there – they are too busy, the heart beat of the town, whether selling or ordering more stock, just so another gadget can be mended, the Italian way.

Father’s Day, Festa del Papa is always celebrated in Italy on March 19th. Tuscany celebrated with a sweetened bread, whereas in the south it is with a sweeter stickier pastry

If that is too convential, then even the smarter designer shops like to add their own touch of class (even though that might not seem the most appropriate phrase, but then it’s Father’s Day innit)

This is serious business, happening for only one day a year & the client is encouraged to try them on for a perfect fit – ‘well you wouldn’t want to disappoint your girlfriend/ boyfriend?’

An Italian (Stallion?) likes to look good, so why disappoint…

On New Year Eve in Italy, it is a tradition to give your partner red underwear. Not only is this to be worn on New Years Day, but old items must be disposed by dropping them from the window.

After seeing a Massimo Vitali print last week, I had to research him & blog about him. They were the best pictures I had seen for ages (especially when I was only in the office to write my will).

After researching him further and sadly realising I could never afford to buy a print (Euros 50,000 /print, with an edition of 6), I went to see his new work at the Albemarle Gallery & love his work even more. His work is so amazing, especially when you view the 2 metres long prints that I had to do another blog.

We all know that every story has to have a happy ending (or so I was told). Anyway the evening we were back from Italy I was going through a pile of mail & saw a letter from the Premium Bonds. Now, I haven’t won a prize for years , but always felt I would win & win big. I had only recently passed on our new address, so had been hopeful of a few cheques coming my way. I opened the envelope and immediately sniffed out a cheque (when you are self-employed it is an acute sense one obtains). Okay, it wasn’t the big one, only £25 but once re-invested & when I win big, I will buy a Massimo Vitali (until then, the family size tin of Quality Streets will have to make do!)

I was in my lawyers office (writing my will!),  earlier this week & spotted a small photo of a beach scene on his wall. As a lover of everything Martin Parr,  http://www.martinparr.com/index1.html I was naturally choking at the bit. I love over crowded pictures of beach scenes & going back a few years “Where’s Wally?”.

I could easily waste away hours trying to spot the little b#gger / previously unspotted faces etc (& even nudists!) in over crowded scenes…’oh, there I am!’

After a quick chat about his photographer friend, Massimo Vitali http://www.massimovitali.com/, we looked at his website full of his fantastic photographs of over crowded scenes – beaches, clubs etc. He is represented all over the world including in Picadilly, London http://www.brancolinigrimaldi.com/section/artist

I think these are some of the best pics I have seen in ages. So refreshing and happy – everyone loves a beach holiday, now come on…So forget the leopard skin tanga’s & splash out big time – for the best holiday memory.

We have been having a fun day for Carluccio’s with all things Italian, from Spaghetti on Toast thru’ to Coffee & even Easter Eggs.

For this experimental day, Dave has been serving us great food topped by Spaghetti Hoops, my fave (!!). What a good chef the young lad is & always smiley with it, until he has some one standing behind him, then he becomes deadly serious – see picture.

I loved the chocolate Easter Eggs. A great idea & design by Jean Jullien  www.jeanjullien.com

I thought I would gobble them up in one go, or at least two, but the gianduja filling is fantastically rich, so one was sufficiently adequate…. (okay one & a half!)

Atul Kochar, Michelin starred Punjabi Indian chef was in the studio this week – what a charming guy, unlike the manic aggressive chefs we read out about in our papers. He cooked some wonderful dishes from all over the curry world – sharp & sour tamarind flavours, fragrant ginger & lemongrass, creamy coconut, punchy cardamon – you name them, we ate them!! Yummy.

Atul is such an interesting chatty guy and knows everything there is to know about food, restaurants & chefs (sshh). Some of his favourite restaurants are Moro (loves the place & atmosphere), Bocca di Lupo & Barrafina (who said I didn’t have good taste!)

The selection included: Crispy skinned duck Indonesian curry, King Prawn Sri Lanka curry, Lamb Korma, Burmese chicken curry, Shrimp & bamboo curry, Beef curry, Tamarind Pork ribs, Swordfish with coconut sauce, Cambodian chicken curry, Tofu & Ginger curry, Aubergine curry in a sweet sauce.

Experience Atul’s wonderful curries, visit his Mayfair restaurant. http://www.benaresrestaurant.com/

Earlier in the week, young assistant Dave cooked up a Beef Rendang with Aubergine for the studio. It was so good, it easily could have been included in the maestro’s list above.

Another charming & talented Indian chef I worked with on ‘Curry Cuisine’ is Vivek Singh http://www.cinnamonclub.com/http://www.cinnamonclub.com/

Vivek has also opened a new restaurant in Soho http://www.cinnamonclub.com/Blog/cinnamonsoho

Another truly fantastic Asian eating experience is at David Thompson’s Namh. http://www.halkin.como.bz/events/nahm

Although recently slated by the Telegraph as a trendy Shoreditch hang out, Keu deli in Old Street is one of many Vietnamese sandwich bars springing up in London. If you don’t have time to visit Song Que in Kingsland Road for a real feast, try a Banh Mi (or two) – Lemon grass infused pork loin with daikon & coriander, Kue classic – pork & ham  terrine with chicken liver pate, lemongrass infused mackerel with daikon & coriander. The French introduced the baguette to the Vietnamese during their colonisation in the 1950/60′s & it is a wonderful combo http://keudeli.co.uk/index.php

This week has been fairly full-on. Chocolate eggs, Pies, Puddings, most peoples idea of heaven but not when you are working with it all day.

Quite often when we are shooting we might hear a loud “Miaow” from outside. I’m more of a dog man, but like cats too,  but ‘Roger’, the studio cat is huge & beige & just wants to eat (“Like you”, I can hear the wife saying). Walking or even having his eyes open is just too much effort. He spends most of the time on the hall table or lying around in the corridor following the smell of food. We can’t let him in as there is always too much food lying around & he’s too fat already.

Earlier in the week we dropped in to the Sand’s End for a quick lunch & relax. The food is really fantastic & very reliable. From the set lunch menu I had rillette du canard followed by a very rich, creamy chicken & mushroom pie (just to get the ticker going). They always have a daily pie and they are always a winner. I cannot say a bad word about the place. In the evening the place is packed, most of the tables with food & lots of 25-35 year olds chilling out after a day’s work. Well groomed, leggy blonde tanned girls with a suited boyfriend, just as Roger & I like).

With Masterchef reaching the semi’s, assistant Dave really enjoys creating his own lunches. Yesterdays pan fried cod on a bed of creamy leeks with creme fraiche and duck egg was a real winner & sooo filling. Roger, the jammy dodger would have loved it!!

I can see why Italians often use leeks instead of onions with pasta as it has a gentler taste, especially when cooked with butter in it’s own juices.

Scientists recently reported that as many as 90% of sharks in the world’s oceans have disappeared because of the growing international demand for shark fin soup, especially with the rapidly growing Chinese middle class.

As this once ceremonial dish ‘ Shark Fin soup’ has become more accessible, up to 73,000,000 sharks are being killed a year & one in three shark species are on the brink of extinction.

In Kaohslung, Taiwan thousands of fins are dried outside in the sun before being packaged & sent to oriental stores & restaurants.

The seas in the Far East are being drained of sharks to meet the demand. Sharks have been swimming in our seas & oceans for 400 million years, 100 million years before dinosaurs existed.

With the Pacific over-fished for shark, fishermen are now travelling further to remove the top predators. As shark numbers decline, the oceans will suffer unpredictable & devastating consequences. Sharks help maintain the health of ocean ecosystems, including grass sea-beds & coral reefs.

Although habitat loss is resulting in many wild animals becoming scarcer, the Chinese demand for animal parts – rhino horns, tiger skins & parts etc – is also accelerating their decline too. There are now more caged tigers in Texas than wild in India.

Most of our local Chinese restaurants serve shark fin soup, so we can contribute to saving our oceans by not ordering shark fin soup & buying wild animal body parts in Chinatown.

Tigers are killed to supply underground black markets with its organs, pelts & bones. These items are highly regarded in Eastern medicine, claiming to heal human illness & dysfunctions. In addition this regal & magnificent symbol of nature’s beauty & power is hunted for sport & trophies. In 1990 Japan confiscated 4,189 pounds of tiger bones from Taiwan. The South Korea government admitted 8,700 pounds of tiger bones were imported from Indonesia last year.

In Asia tiger parts also used as a mythological medicine. The tiger’s eyes, hair, internal organs & penis are used in a soup as an aphrodisiac. Hong Kong markets sell ground tiger bones for £1,700/ ounce despite there being no scientific proof of any medical value.

Wealthy Vietnamese grind Rhino horn for their personal consumption in roadside cafés throughout the Baoloc district of Vietnam. Although Rhino Horn is illegal, the male dealer has no fear of the Police as the grinding takes place in full view of the street. The woman says Rhino horn has cured her kidney stones & now takes it daily for her general health & labido.

In 2011 South Africa lost more than 400 Rhinos to illegal poaching; the horn is now worth more than gold on International markets.

Linda with her lovely quiffed hair and coloured scarves will be sadly missed. Jonathan & Sanjana Lovekin, Graham Ford, Christine Hanscombe, Martin Thompson & Simon Lee were the photographers present along with over a 100 other friends including Bridget & Chris Sargeson. She was 70.

Before Christmas we lost the eccentric Peter Cole. A great character and model-maker. Mark, my friend & agent too has just lost his Mother after a long & very brave fight against cancer – very sad & a great loss to all the family and friends.