I can’t say that I’ve been cooking my whole life. Yes, I helped grandma in the kitchen or whipped up quick pasta from time to time but I definitely lived the first half of my adult life grabbing tacos on the way home from work or meeting friends for a pancake brunch. When I moved from Phoenix, Arizona to London in 2016, it took a good year to break this fast-casual habit – cooking in a tiny kitchen with two flatmates wasn’t ideal. My love for cooking definitely grew from a few things: curiosity to try new cuisines, a genuine love for good food, and missing the taste of the Southwest. The pandemic fueled this even more and I found myself experimenting with new ingredients and cooking styles, while also seeking to replicate flavours from my home that are hard to find in England. In early 2023, I decided it was time to share my love for food with others and I started the Home for Food Instagram page.
Now, don’t get me wrong, my recipes definitely feature some chilli peppers from time to time but the true joy in cooking is to not limit yourself. I rarely make the same recipe more than once every few months (unless it’s for practice or I’m obsessed!) and I like to keep my flavours changing so no dish loses its excitement. I come away from having a cake or stew in another country and immediately think “how can I recreate that when I get home?” which brings us here.
I’m really excited to share some recipes with you, and additionally on Instagram there are some recommendations on recipes, cookbooks, products, restaurants, or dishes that I have tried and loved from others. One of the most exciting things about cooking is that a recipe is not a rule – you can experiment and look to others for inspiration along your own journey. I hope that you enjoy the recipes, and find some inspiration, big or small.
Happy eating,
Ashley from Home for Food