Pressing matters.....

My friend Gordon is a very, very good cook. I can't even begin to tell you his specialities, as there are so many, but from the most flavoursome breads and scones, to the rich depths of a game terrine, there's nobody whose food I'd rather eat.

His current 'thing' is making sushi. This particular type of pressed rice, called oshizushi , is made in a box. Gordon's one was sent over from Japan by our great friend Masako, a producer of musicals in Tokyo.

We met Masako a long time ago, when she came over here to learn English. Nowadays, her language skills are incredible, but back then, she won't mind me telling you, she had great difficulty with pronunciation.

We were extremely surprised one Friday, when she informed us very happily, that she was going up north to 'pick broccoli'. Raspberries yes, brambles yes.....but broccoli? It seemed a rather odd way to be spending time in Scotland - but she was very enthusiastic and we wished her well.

It was only when she returned, that we found out she hadn't been spending her weekend in a muddy field trying to pick broccoli at all - she had, in fact, been to Pitlochry.....