Having spent a lot of time in Asia, one of my favourite aromas is definitely a local market. The convergence of spices, fresh produce and the experimental tastings of all mysterious flavours is certainly up there with whiskers on kittens.

If you have ever sat down at a hawker stall and worked your way through a pho ga, tom yum, laksa or prawn amok, you will appreciate all that is great about the flavours of a great Asian dish that tantalise the taste buds with every slurp.

Living in the inner city of Melbourne, my ability to buy freshly picked produce that has been non-refrigerated, non-transported by motor, non-chemically ripened and non-sitting around for weeks at a time until someone buys me, is greatly reduced.

So what does a girl do when she can’t have what she wants?

She goes out and gets it, sows it, grows it, reaps it and eats it.

you bloody ripper!