The real key to good cooking is buying the best and freshest of ingredients. This does not necessarily mean buying the most expensive items on display - a good cook can make wonderful meals from the cheapest of meat cuts or fish - but simply being able to judge the quality meat or fish - but simply being able to judge the quality of what is available in any given price range.

Shopping for food should be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Instead it often seems to become a mere chore and part of the weekly round of household duties.

The quality of the food you buy can also be seriously impaired by poor handling and storage, so get it back home as soon as you can unpack it immediately. Take the time to unwrap or re-wrap items as appropriate and put it straight in the refrigerator, freezer or vegetable basket.

Shopping in the supermarket is speedy and economical, frequently involves taking a calculated risk with food that it already pre-packaged and can’t be examined, felt or smelled - let alone tested. The answer is to be ready to return anything that does not live the expectations.