The Butternut Squash Incident

Even while puréeing veg for the baby and simultaneously scouring your Annabel Karmel cookbook for delicious meals to entertain your children’s palates, you'd half-suspected that they’d end up eating toast and yoghourt again. But that didn't stop you busting a gut in the kitchen in your unrelenting attempts at Trying To Be A Good Mother. Scanning the pages of Annabel's beautifully photographed creations, you’d been seduced by the pictures of a scrummy-looking butternut squash risotto. No child could resist butternut squash, Annabel assured you, not even a ‘fussy eater’ like your firstborn. So you’d decided to go for it, hacked away at the skin, chopped the flesh up into cubes as per instructions, followed the recipe to the letter. MC had even taken the children out for a walk so you could concentrate on recreating this culinary masterpiece. You’d hovered over the pan, stirring the rice, making sure there was enough water. You’d nurtured that dish, tended to it, brought it to life. And when you’d presented it to your children? Child #1 had tried one spoonful and instantly spat it out. Child # 2 wouldn’t even look at it and instead used the back of his hand to remove it swiftly from his high chair with one careless flick.

That was the first and last time you attempted to cook à la Annabel.