\u201cIf you could only keep three vegetables for the rest of your life, what would you pick?\u201d<\/p>\nVery British Problems<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It really got me thinking, but it was only when Adam mentioned potatoes that I realised they would have to be one of them. To me potatoes are an essential part of life. They aren\u2019t the additional vegetables that you have to eat for important vitamins. They are a diet staple and a key part to many meals. They were one of the reasons back in the 90s and 00s when the Atkins diet was a big trend that I knew I could never do it, if I was ever to go on a fad diet that is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you factor in onions, another vegetable that is an essential part of cooking, I\u2019m left with one additional option. That made the decision even harder, and I still don\u2019t think I could choose, though of course Brussels sprouts are up there as a serious contender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today I had another difficult, everyday decision to make – what to cook for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re at that point where we have very little food in the fridge, cupboards or the freezer, so shopping would have to be done, but I knew there were a couple of things in the fridge that I could make a meal around: potatoes and cream. Simple, we would be having dauphinoise potatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without a doubt, dauphinoise is one of my favourite potato dishes, and one that I used to consider a treat. Potatoes, garlic, cream. Three of my favourite foods. It\u2019s a dish that ticks all the boxes. I\u2019ve been known to choose items from a menu when eating out solely because the dish included dauphinoise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early days of lockdown I treated myself to a new mandoline (a vegetable slicer that is, not to be confused with a mandolin, the musical instrument). Those days of fearing sliced fingers in the process of slicing vegetables were gone. In those dark days of being stuck at home, good food was one of the things we needed to get through. Dauphinoise became one of those treats that I started making more regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n