Alison Holst

The news of the week is the grand old Dame of New Zealand cooking,  Dame Alison Holst, is retiring because she has developed dementia  and is no longer able to cook the way she has in the past due to increasing memory difficulties.  She has produced numerous recipe books , some with her son Simon, and a couple of generations of cooks, myself included, have made her recipes our own.

It is sad. But that is the cruel way of brain disease, neurological disorders, call them what you will.  People with Parkinson's fall prey to these problems too.  I forget things, I shouldn't. I won't tell you what but if you know me, you probably know what anyway!  It is out of sight, out of mind, just like that.  It helps if I have a good night's sleep and am feeling refreshed.  An early wakeful spell can cause tiredness and forgetfulness  later in the day.  I must remember that! And try and go back to sleep for a bit longer.

As for cooking I will fall back on my favourite Alison Holst cookbook , Simply delicious, which has simple mouth-watering recipes for family or friends.