Call me tacky, but I love the union of sweet and sour, even in some now-unloved Oriental dishes incorporating pineapple and ketchup.

I love my garlic press; in fact, it is probably my one true desert island gadget. But I'm happy to put it aside whenever the smell and sweet taste of slow-cooked garlic is called for.

Infants have around 30,000 tastebuds, only about a third of which survive into adulthood, so a child's sensitivity towards extremes of sweet, sour and bitter flavours is heightened.

Greek yogurt with some olive oil stirred in can transform many dishes.

My secret with kale is to add lots of sweet or sharp flavours to offset some of that grassy intensity.

I love the way soft white cheese such as ricotta or the creamier mascarpone reflect the milieu in which an animal has been raised.