Oh how I love to eat. I mean I really effing love to eat. Some days I pray to the dear lord and thank him for giving me a mouth and hands to transport things to it… actually, I could probably do with out the hands if I really had to, but I sure am damn thankful for my mouth. Food touches me like I have never been touched before (sorry Uncle Roy). I’ve mentioned previously that it is something that we all need to do to live, but eating for me is an event. I look forward to it every day. Preparing and cooking food and feeding friends and family and all of the customers that keep me in a job, and even a few that I would probably rather they ate at a different restaurant (damn smelly little bridge trolls), but I still feed them. And I still love it! I drive to work and think about what I’m going to cook that day. I eat breakfast while I’m pondering what my dinner shall be. I spend my days off slow cooking something delicious (because slow cooking season is upon us now) for dinner, making chutney or mayonnaise with eggs I have just collected from our chooks. I wonder if we should invite someone over to share this feast tonight, or have I already done that too many times this week? I can’t wait to eat. I often get asked what my favourite style of food to cook is. I was thinking about that this morning and then it dawned on me; I don’t have a particular style or point of origin of my favourite foods, they just need to be served feast style, in the company of good, nay great people, with something to wash it down. I find beer or wine is a suitable lubricant for this task. Every day for me is like the day a teenage boy knows his parents are going out, his girlfriend is coming over and he is definitely going to get a peek at his girlfriends boobies tonight. I AM REALLY EXCITED. I think the thing for me is I like to try and fit as many sides and condiments as I can on the table, thus making it easier for me to put them in my belly. It also means you and your guests can adjust seasonings and flavours to your own specific tastes. What a gracious host eh. Always thinking of others. And you know what, if putting all of those sides and condiments on the table has left you a bit slight in the wallet, just get your self a cheap bottle of wine and drink it out of a viking-esque tankard. It worked for them… Anyhoo, I’m sure you all get the picture. I love food, I love cooking, I love my family, I love your mum…err, I love life. That’ll do. This is little feast I knocked up yesterday, and then ate with my children for an impromptu Boy’s Night. This sort of food really does benefit from the presence of a couple of good sides, or it’s just going to be pulled pork on a plate… which would not be a terrible meal but… just make some effing sides OK!

PULLED PORK WITH SOME DAMN FINE SIDES   For the pork 1kg pork belly ½ cup smoked paprika 1 tablespoon each tumeric, mustard powder, white pepper and salt 2 tablespoons brown sugar 5 cloves garlic, chopped

• Mix everything together with a splash of oil to form a paste
• Lather the paste all over the pork belly like it was body chocolate on your best friend’s mum, and let it marinate for a few hours or over night if possible (the pork, not your best friend’s mum)
• Put the pork in a heavy based oven dish with ½ cup of water and roast that sucker for 4 hours at 150-160C. hit it with 200C or your grill for the last 10 minutes to crackle the skin up
• Remove from oven and slice off the skin, which should now be awesomely crisp
• Put the meat in a bowl and pull it apart with two forks, hence the term “pulled pork”
• Add the spiced pan juices into the meat and combine
• Season
• Get it onto the table

For the kidney beans 1 tin kidney beans 1 brown onion, sliced 1 tomato, diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole 2 bay leaves ½ cup olive oil

• Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until translucent
• Add all other ingredients
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes
• Season
• Get it on the table
• I can’t tell you enough how much I love these beans

For the tomato salsa This is but one version of 1 billion salsa recipes out there. Do it however you do it. 3 tomatoes, diced 1 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 pickled jalapeño chilli with a little of the pickle liquid

• Pulse once or twice in a food prcesser
• Season
• On the table. Damn

  The other things that were on the table Pickled red cabbage, shredded iceberg lettuce, grilled corn, chimmichurri sauce, natural yoghurt, lime, tortillas That is how to eat!