I forgot you were there -

There are aspects of life that we get used to. In fact, some things become so familiar we don’t notice them anymore. It’s not that we choose this, it just happens. If it’s always stormy outside, we grow accustomed to the windows rattling. We get used to being loved, to pain, to sunshine, to hunger, it is the way.

There are a handful of ingredients I’ve got really used to cooking. Onions and garlic are two examples. They store beautifully, which means they tend to be available all year round, so I don’t look forward to cooking them again in the way I might new potatoes, gooseberries or elderflower. These alliums are a mainstay in my kitchen, a constant. I use them habitually, as I do salt or fat. They form the foundations to countless recipes, their goodness is immeasurable — but I always forget to notice them, and once things are underway, they are all too often lost in the shadows of the dish.