The Italian film director Federico Fellini once said ‘life is a mix (‘a combination’ or a 'coming together') of magic and pasta.’ 

 

That's clever. Seriously. And deep too.

 

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram it's maybe no surprise to you that I've thought long and hard about this. Mostly because I realised that I had tried far too hard to rework a quote into the title of a book.

 

But the fact is that sooner or later Fellini's quote will pop up for you in online food circles and, if you have any kind of interest or curiosity about life in general you'll find yourself wondering what the hell did he actually mean.

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'Deep' answer: life's a mixture of the mundane and the miraculous. The creative spark and the essential.

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Foodie / Artiste answer: Inspiration. In life, as in cooking, sometimes the magical woo-woo is there. All by itself. The eureka moment when you just know that something is going to work; the spark that ignites your next masterpiece moment.

 

But of course, sometimes IT isn’t there.

 

Sometimes your cookbook collection can’t get you out of the rut you’re in and resorting to stealing a TV chef’s latest big idea means you’ll just have a new party piece for the next few years. But then you'll be back to square one.

 

Sometimes you just want to forget stuff and be back on holiday.

 

Sometimes you realise you’ve got more experience eating than cooking; all the passion for the tastes, food, the culture and the ingredients but not the foggiest idea where to start. 

 

I've certainly been there and done that. 

 

And my point is I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. I think.

 

This book is for us, you and me.  I really hope  it'll give you a few sprinkles or drizzles or great big fat dollops of magic to inspire your pasta cooking.

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Goo-goo ga-joob. 

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