A Blonde Cook’s Welcome
Good afternoon and welcome to Octavia’s Oven!
My name is Octavia and I have recently moved to The Smoke. I originally moved here to train to be a teacher, but some things have changed and my career is one of them. With change, comes new ideas, and for me, one of those ideas was setting up a cooking blog. The move to London meant that I had my own kitchen, so it was easy for me to cook what I like, when I like and share it with you all accordingly. No more stepping on dad’s toes… I reckon he misses the food though, as he comes to visit quite often and I endeavour to feed him like a king, every time. My boyfriend has no complaints either!
Cooking has always been a hobby of mine and has grown as a passion over the past few years. I really enjoy following recipes, adapting them and making my own. I am an avid fan of Nigella Lawson’s saucy approach to eating and I admire Jamie Oliver’s concern for good health and how effortless it is. We can enjoy anything in moderation. Chefs and cuisines from all around the world inspire me and I like to think that my own food pays homage to the fantastic flavours I have enjoyed in my time and to the beautiful care that I see professionals put into their presentation.
I love food, and when you love food you eat it, and when you eat, you have to cook it. Let’s be honest, we all love eating out, but we can’t do that every night of the week, so we need drive and inspiration to cook in our own homes. I cook pretty much every day. We can all do it at the end of the day, nobody should be saying, “I can’t cook,” because you can. Don’t get me wrong, it is a talent and a skill, but it is a skill that can be learnt and a talent which we can posses with the right practice, passion and charisma. Granted, it might come more naturally to the more creative, but a foodie is a foodie and deep down, we are all one of those. I genuinely feel that people who say they can’t cook say this because they fear doing it or they are out of practice, or they feel under intense pressure when they try. Cooking is fun and relaxing; it isn’t something to be feared.
I am hoping that my recipes, photographs and future videos can enhance this positive approach to cooking. I want more and more people to be cooking and feel encouraged and confident about doing it. It doesn’t need to be a laborious task after a long day and it doesn’t need to be a tremendous effort. By no means am I saying, “Stop having your take-away on a Friday,” because I am not, but we all have the capability to make tasty home-cooked food, with or without the frills. Homemade food doesn’t have to be bland or a repetitive cycle of the same meals.
So, guys and girls, don those aprons and flash those oven gloves. It’s time to cook!
