The Party Girl's Invitation

Alan wanted Pizza and I wanted classic French cuisine. Chris, Daniel and Elliot just wanted to be fed; they didn't care what we ate. There began an enthusiastic explanation over why pizza always tastes best in Italy, and pepper salad really belongs in Belgium. As the sun set over the Vendee we reviewed London in the 'Thatcher' years, Berlin just after 'The Wall' came down and the influence of the Mayans in the Belizean Jungle, all due to a simple request for pizza. We decided that my thoughts really should be written down for posterity; I mean, when you marry a soldier at the age of nineteen and travel the world for the next two decades, there's plenty to say. Don't Forget the Kettle depicts a sometimes naive, occasionally forceful and at times moving glimpse into the lifestyle of a mostly capable and sometimes inventive army wife, grappling with the demands of a tough and strangely alien world. Hospitality breaks down barriers and rapidly becomes the currency of a universal language, so feel free to share my recipes and share also in the memories, tears and laughter from the colourful world of the British Army.