Adamantia Velonis, Founder, Marmalade + Kindness shares her personal shopping guide to London and her kitchen tips to help you start your mindful cooking journey.
Mindful cooking is an opportunity to bring awareness to the entire cooking process, from the ingredients you use and their providence, to being aware of your senses as you cook, dine, and reflect on the experience. At every step there are conscious decisions we can make to bring more awareness and connection to our meals. These are some of my cherished suppliers in London, who reflect our seasonal, organic, local food philosophy and bring joy to the kitchen.
Choosing ingredients
Often simple recipes are best, so select the freshest, seasonal ingredients you can find (preferably organic). I often start my weekends at the Borough Market – freshly brewed Monmouth coffee in one hand and basket in the other. I recommend getting there early to beat the crowds. The Sunday Marylebone Farmers’ Market is another favourite for fresh fruit and vegetables.
For dairy, La Fromagerie has an excellent selection of organic produce, as does Neal’s Yard Dairy. (The only exception I have found to buying organic dairy is pastry making – organic butter tends to have higher water content, so I prefer non-organic in this context.)
The Ginger Pig is my go-to in sustainable butchery, and I also use Daylesford and Natoora if am short on time.
Invest in a quality pantry
As above, choose the best quality ingredients you can find – particularly when it comes to cooking oils, dried herbs, nuts and honey – they have a significant impact on the overall taste of your food. I go to Oliveology in the Borough Market for my all my pantry essentials, including Organic Greek Bay Leaves, Oregano, Olive Leaf Tea and Corinth Raisins.
Get the right tools
As well as sourcing the best ingredients – make sure you have the right tools for the job. From digital kitchen scales to dough scrappers and measuring spoons, it’s often the little things that make a difference. For example, my Epicurean chopping boards have been a game-changer – they are both made from a natural wood-fibre and dishware safe.
I also recommend buying quality cookware, like Lodge skillets and Staub dutch-ovens. They are not only healthier to cook with, these tools are often our most cherished, as they will last a life time (often being passed down the generations). I still use my grandmother’s rolling pins and baking trays, and I feel they bring me closer to her each time I use them.
My other tips: get to know your oven like it’s your best friend; fill your kitchen with cookbooks; have your knives professionally sharpened once in a while, and take care of your hands (I love Aesop’s Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash).
The art of dining
After all your effort cooking, create some magic by taking the time to dress the table – add some attractive place mats, tealight candles or even some well-designed salt and pepper grinders. These little touches signal that you are pausing to enjoy your meal and the people around you. I keep returning to The White Company and David Mellor for stylish, quality home wares.
