Fiesta
Feasts
The celebrity chef and mama-of-three, Thomasina “Tommi” Miers, shares how she’s encouraging her kids to be healthy, happy little eaters Wo r d s K AT Y G I L L E T T R e c i p e s T H O M A S I N A M I E R S Photography of T homa sina Miers TA R A F ISH ER
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or Thomasina “Tommi” Miers, eating is about togetherness and she always encourages her children to get involved in cooking at home. The MasterChef winner is a cook, writer, TV presenter, and the co-founder of Wahaca, a chain of Mexican street food restaurants across the UK. And the reason she’s so inspired by Mexican cuisine in particular is because, in Mexico, food is central to life, she tells Absolutely Mama. “Living is about eating together, never alone, about making time to sit down with friends and family over lunch, dinner, breakfast,” she says. “It is not considered an indulgence like over here, but an indispensable way of life, crucial to how they interact with each other and spend their time.” That’s why her three daughters love taco nights at home… “when they are masters of their own destiny and can fill their tortillas with what they want from what is on the table”. This kind of interaction is just one way Tommi manages to get her kids to have an interest in food. She also
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urges them to flavour and taste everything as they cook. “I think it makes them feel in control and grown up. They seem to love it.” When it comes to what her children eat, Tommi takes a rather hardline approach. “The main thing is not to give a choice,” she explains. “If you just matter-of-factly put supper down and don’t ever question whether or not they will eat it you will save yourself much strife down the line. “My children know they only get one supper, they must always try things, and they know I will never make them alternative dinners if they don’t like the first one.” If they behave badly and refuse to eat, Tommi doesn’t worry too much, as they’ll never go hungry and can always have a giant breakfast the next day. “It sounds a bit hardcore, but it’s much simpler and gives them clear boundaries… And, clearly, if one of them really loathes fried eggs, or another pickled cucumbers, I won’t make them eat them!” Her recipe book, Home Cook, features more than 300 fuss-free recipes and a children’s chapter that’s full of food grown-ups would want to eat as well. Here, she shares with us two of her favourites, which are perfect for whipping up with the kids...
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03/05/2018 15:49
