We need time to defuse, to contemplate. Just as in sleep our brains relax and give us dreams, so at some time in the day we need to disconnect, reconnect, and look around us.

The fact is that modern life has deprived us of life's one great luxury: time.

Unlike some people who love to go out, I love to stay home.

Cooking is like anything else: some people have an inborn talent for it. Some become expert by practicing, and some learn from books.

I come from a coffee-loving family, and you can always tell when my sister and I have been around, because both of us collect all the dead coffee from everyone's morning cup, pour it over ice, and drink it. This is a disgusting habit.

My idea of a good time abroad is to visit someone's house and hang out, poking into their cupboards if they will let me.