Welcome from the editor: indulgence

Welcome and thank you for joining me this weekend.

We all have an indulgence, don’t we? Even the strictest among us have one or more foods and drinks they struggle – or fail – to say no to.

And of course there’s nothing wrong with indulging a little – heck, it keeps us sane and makes us appreciate food.

Indulgences change as we grow. Mine certainly wasn’t a glass of Bordeaux when I was 10, although dark chocolate and ice cream have, admittedly, been a constant. The difference is, at 10 I’d have happily eaten a kilo of ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner, whilst now I (just about) limit and control myself.

Even the ascetics among us know a thing or two about indulgence. Nuns and monks have made delicious foods and drinks for centuries in a bid to be self-sufficient, and they certainly knew, and know, what people crave. Read about it in Divine delicacies: delectable foods and drinks born out of convents and monasteries.

Has our love for rich food gone too far and could legislation change our palate? Discover more in this week’s podcast How the new HFSS rules could change our eating habits.

One thing I certainly don’t indulge in as much as I did in my 20s is alcohol. I still enjoy a glass or two, but hangovers (and the occasional embarrassment) are not for me anymore. Thankfully I can have an enjoyable night out without hooch, and with so many options available I don’t have to stick to cola all night. Parties, picnics and pubs: enjoying the summer alcohol-free is packed with delicious and healthier alternatives for sociable days out without a headache.

Food and drink are only part of the indulgence, we look at the other part in Eating with your eyes: how colour impacts our psychology and relationship with food.

And talking of eating with your eyes, these 10 must-read books about food, ingredients and nutrition, will leave you salivating and at times perhaps, a tad horrified.

Wishing you an indulgent weekend,

Stef