Why

It's really the most important question: Why?

Why contribute to the log-jammed river that is the blogosphere? An environment that is, justifiably, rapidly achieving a universal perception as the purview of -- at the charitable end of the scale -- the opinionated, the louche, the moron; and -- at the harshest fringe -- the crank, the manic, the nutter.

Well, it's because my life, or at least the most pleasant parts of it, invariably involve food and I want to talk about that. I have amassed a life of food -- the hours spent cooking, the hours spent eating, the lessons learned at table and the secrets learned, too. Observations made: he's rich as Rockefeller and he eats like a hog; she served the finest gnocchi I've ever enjoyed; IPA works with everything; Magnalite. And so many, many more.

This could easily have been a fashion blog. It was a real race to the finish, but, in the final reckoning, food won out.

Why?

Because, though I imagine heaven as an infinite bespoke wardrobe fitting by Sir Paul Smith himself, I could still find my way to dressing down to a t-shirt (Marks & Spencer) and jeans (Naked & Famous), if need be, for the rest of my life. I could not imagine living without cooking, dining, talking, learning, being moved and making life-long friends at table. Just couldn't do it. No how. No way.

And so A Life of Food.

Which will cover:

• Planning the meal
• The market
• Preparing the food and the table
• Wines and other accompaniments
• Cookbook reviews
• Restaurant reviews
• Memorable dinners cooked by friends
• The downside
• Interviews with people doing interesting things with food
• Other (my favorite category!)

Dearest reader, one of the most obvious common traits shared by every living organism on the planet is our need to eat. If we do, we live. If we do it well, we thrive. If we do not, we emaciate or, at worst, we die.

At the end of the day, A Life of Food will succeed if it inspires you to live -- your own life of food.