Believe it or not it is possible to enjoy cooking without swearing, terrifying those around you or having hair that looks like you’ve been plugged into the electric blender.

Don’t misunderstand me, I have the greatest admiration for Marco Pierre White. I happen to know that behind that gruff exterior and aloof intolerance lays a young man who rose from a Leeds council estate to international stardom.

Good stuff comes out of Yorkshire, and not just the puddings. Many a thrifty recipe to beat the recession will be coming your way soon in our new cookery column!

Seriously, do you like to mess in the kitchen after watching the master chefs? I do.

I make no claims of culinary expertise but do like to dabble. On several occasions I have come close to mass murder by over lacing casseroles with garlic, damping it down with coriander and topping up with red wine, but other ventures have been more successful.

When it comes to roasted vegetables I am the Marco Pierre White of the Yorkshire Moors. Variety is the key. Par boil the potatoes while you heat the oven up to full blast and enjoy a glass of something. Lace a large roasting pan with good cooking oil, not Trex, and peel and chop every conceivable vegetable you can lay your hands on. Carrots, butternut squash, courgettes, mushrooms, swede, shredded cabbage, and loads of garlic (whole cloves are best) the lot. Have another glass of something and keep the fire blanket handy.

I love to season things well with salt, pepper, coriander and assorted herbs.

Drain your par boiled potatoes and slap them in with the rest and into the oven they go for anywhere from 20 minutes to half an hour. The beauty of roasted vegetables is that you can serve them with virtually any meat and fish and any leftovers make a great bubble and squeak for supper.

We will bring you recipes from around the world in the coming months but we would like your favourites too.

Now…another glass of something!

Editor, Third Age.