Imposter syndrome (is it just me?), what it's like to be a Great Taste judge, restaurants I'm loving and more

Imagine tasting soy sauce, then brownie, then saffron: a day in the life of a Great Taste judge. PLUS A restaurant that lives up to the hype (I finally managed to bag a table) and a v good potato dish

Thanks for welcoming me into your inbox. Before I go further, I want to say a head-over-heels thank you to all of you who, since I started this fledgling enterprise a month ago, have put your faith in me and become paid subscribers. The format I’ve fashioned takes a fair chunk of time every week (have I created a monster? Hope not!), but you tell me you’re enjoying the format, which is my primary concern for now – plus I’m loving writing about stuff I hope you’ll enjoy. The content is evolving through your feedback, so keep the comments coming – you’re a part of this! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: your support means a LOT. Thank you.

If I’m honest, writing about ‘joyous things’ has felt a little off beam when there are so many terrible things happening on far-off shores and at home here in the UK. I mentioned my discomfort about this to a friend, to which she replied, ‘That’s exactly why you need to write about joyous things – we need happy news amidst the sadness and anger…