Food, as we all know, can be simply defined as being that which our bodies require for sustenance. But is that all it is? Is that what food has become in this era of burgers, takeaways and microwaveable stodge? Do we nowadays simply consume food with such little thought as to what we are consuming as we give to disposing of it at the other end? If you think the answer is, "Yes," then that is a great pity - you are missing out on so much in life.

The act of preparing and consuming food should be viewed very much as a pleasure, not as a chore. It should be viewed as an activity which opens up to us endless possibilities and opportunities. Whether we are cooking for ourselves at home, visiting a friend's for dinner or dining at the finest restaurant, we should be making the most of the experience. Certainly, we all have our likes and dislikes, our favourite foodstuffs and those upon which we are not so keen, but so often I have heard someone comment that they "don't like the sound of" this, or they "don't like the look of" that. How do you know whether you like it or not until you have tried it? Our palates require education as much as do our brains. I myself do not have a sweet tooth and therefore do not consume puddings or confectionaries but it has not precluded me from sampling a great many of them in the past and establishing beyond all doubt that they are simply not to my taste.

It is my firm belief that cooking is not something that should be seen just as an every day activity, but rather as a chance for each of us to express our creative talents and have fun at the same time as we are performing a necessary task. We should constantly be asking ourselves questions like, "How can I improve on this dish?" or "I wonder how this would go with that?" If we even stop for a time and consider all our favourite foodstuffs - write them down in a list - it gives us the opportunity to consider new ways of combining and preparing them that can give us and our families a whole new culinary experience and change from the norm. Try it, it is a worthwhile and rewarding exercise. If, however, you don't find this working for you, turn to cookbooks, magazines and online recipe sources as a way of spicing up your eating habits - don't give up and settle for going back to your old ways.

If we are eating in a restaurant, how many of us have three or four favourite dishes that we will faithfully stand by and simply rotate on an ongoing basis? Maybe this time it will be

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