The process has taught me that what appears to be seemingly ordinary and mundane days or our lives and the memories that surrounds the taste, are in fact what sustains and shapes us the way we are. I’ve leant to appreciate the everydayness. What are the components of a fantastic meal for you? I didn’t know that… Early in his career, Andy Warhol illustrated etiquette expert Amy Vanderbilt’s cookbook (Claire named her book after a set of Warhol’s prints). Photography by Maren Caruso Put the water, sugar and salt into a small saucepan. Whisk together to combine and add the orange peel and star anise. Bring to a gentle simmer over a low heat until the sugar has fully dissolved – this takes about 4 minutes.

I didn’t know that… In Singapore, the satay is so good on the streets, no one makes their own. Photographs by Kris Kirkham Jjajangmyeon is a popular Korean-Chinese dish which has established itself as one of the most convenient delivery meals of all time in Korea. Place the vegetable oil and chunjang in a cold wok or sauté pan over a low heat to slowly warm them up together. Stir constantly and fry the paste for about 3 minutes, until bubbles surface on top. You will notice the funky and salty smell of the paste. Once done, separate the fried paste and oil – you should have about 2½ tablespoons of oil. Set both aside. The oil will be used to cook the onions. Toss the cabbage in a bowl with the Worcestershire sauce and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide the pork cutlets between two individual plates without slicing. Pour the warm brown sauce generously over the top. Serve with shredded cabbage salad.It’s no secret, by the time I publish this review, that I adore Rice Table: Korean Recipes & Stories To Feed The Soul, the debut cookbook of award-winning food writer, recipe developer, and mother Su Scott. I’ve been raving about the book via social media for a good few weeks, and Pete’s made several recipes already, which we’ve loved!

I make rolled omelette (gyeranmari) from Rice Table frequently, albeit with different choice of filling. It is such a versatile recipe that works as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Great served on its own or with rice, but always with tomato ketchup!

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Rice syrup has a softer sweetness than sugar, and a faint butterscotch taste with umami undertones. In the absence of rice syrup, a simple mixture of sugar dissolved in hot water in equal ratio, with a touch of maple syrup to flavour, can make a reasonable substitution. But I do think it is worth trying the recipe with rice syrup, as the substitution will give the dish a different finish (it sets differently). After all, it wouldn’t be a gangjeong without the dominant appearance of traditional syrup, which can easily be found in Korean supermarkets or online.

I didn’t know that… Andaza means ‘estimation’, in the sense of cooking relying on the senses. Photography Alicia Taylor After the dough has rested, divide it into four equal-sized portions, so you have a more manageable volume to work with. Work one piece at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered. Shape the dough roughly into a log, then divide it into five small golf-ball-sized pieces. The texture of the dough may feel unusual and a little crumbly. Don’t worry if this happens – just squeeze the dough firmly to shape.After her daughter, Kiki, was born in 2015, Scott experienced postnatal depression: “When you’re in that fragile mindset, a lot of questions start to arise. I found cooking as a way of controlling my collapsing world.” Born in Iran, Saghar Setareh has lived in Italy since her early twenties. Her first book is a seriously beautiful, rich sharing of the food culture of her two ‘homes’ and the space between, capturing how the migration of ingredients, recipes and people informs and develops food traditions. This personal, lively and engaging book – laced with sour cherries, pomegranates, filopastry, anchovies and courgettes – delivers as fully on photography (her own) and writing as it does recipes. I didn’t know that… Scraps left from cutting pasta are known as maltagliati, meaning ‘poorly cut’. Photography by Dave Brown

We have permission from Quadrille to share these three fantastic recipes with you from the book [coming soon]: Fun fact… Many Koreans believe the touch of the fingertips can influence the overall harmony of flavour in a dish. Photography: Toby Scott

Continuing with the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and add the flour. Cook the flour over a low–medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns toffee brown in colour, making sure you don’t let it burn. Fill a saucepan suitable for deep-frying with vegetable oil. It should be filled deep enough to submerge the dough balls but no more than three-quarters full. Heat to 160°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, a cube of bread should brown in 12 seconds. When it reaches 160°C, turn off the heat and carefully lower a few of the dough balls into the pan, making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Keep the heat off for two minutes. After two minutes, the dough will start to move and float a little. Remove from the heat and pour over the rhubarb, pressing down gently to submerge in the brine. Put on the lid, leaving it ajar so everything cools down a little, before securing the top. I didn’t know that… Honeybees’ fuzzy body hair has the correct electric charge to attract pollen grains. Photography: Kim Lightbody I didn’t know that… in Italy, during the Second World War, shortages of bean coffee meant that caffe d’orzo (barley coffee) became popular.