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First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2017
FIRST EDITION
Text © Rachel Allen 2017
Photography © Maja Smend 2017
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Source ISBN 9780008208172
Ebook Edition © February 2017 ISBN: 9780008179809
Version 2017-01-24
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This book is dedicated to the two mothers in my life. To my mum Hallfridur, who is loving and wise in every situation, and has given me the best start in life. And to my dynamic, indefatigable mother-in-law Darina, who has dedicated her life to teaching and inspiring future generations to feed themselves and others in the best possible way. Thank you both.
Contents
I’ve always been fascinated by what makes people the way they are. We are like very complex, colourful tapestries, and as with every other living being, no two of us are exactly the same. We are all, of course, a product of two different people, but who we are as actual individuals goes deeper and is much more interesting than that. The place where we grew up, the climate, the cultures, the traditions and, not least, the food we eat all play a part in weaving together the fibres that make us who we are.
I grew up in Dublin with a sister, an Irish father and a mother from Iceland. I’ve always been very proud of my half-Icelandic and half-Irish heritage. I count myself fortunate in that it was a very happy home with lots of good food. While my father made great brown bread and the best poached eggs in town, it was my mum who always cooked a delicious and nutritious meal for us all to eat at the end of the day. She had first one, then two, busy boutiques (while even whipping up the clothes for the shop herself on the sewing machine in the 1970s) and somehow there was always a great meal ready for us in the evening.
My favourites were the kinds of dishes that many people call comfort food – roast chicken, stews and casseroles – for which there is rarely a traditional Irish recipe as every family has their own. Despite only arriving in Dublin when she was 19, my mother seemed to quickly master the Irish flavours and cooking techniques. Recipes such as St Patrick’s Day Bacon with Parsley Sauce and Cabbage Purée and Irish Stew with Pearl Barley were a regular feature of my childhood. Looking back on it now, I am so appreciative of the fact that I got to sit down at the table to enjoy these meals with my family and catch up on what had happened during the day. It’s the one thing that my husband, Isaac, and I insist on now with our children – for me it’s one of the most important times of the day.
I’m also very appreciative of the fact that as a child, family holidays often took us abroad. By visiting different countries, I was introduced to a wealth of different foods and flavours. So it felt right to include a few dishes inspired by these memories – Mussels with Tomato, Chorizo, Sherry and Parsley, for example, and Tomato Risotto with Lemon and Basil Mascarpone.
Although my mother has lived in Dublin since marrying my father, she grew up in Iceland. Life in Reykjavik in the 1940s was, of course, very different