Mexican for the masses

IN JANUARY 2002 a tall gangly irrepressible girl with thick dark curly hair and a wonderful gappy smile arrived at Ballymaloe Cookery School in a cute little Renault Deux CV.

Thomasina Miers spent 12 weeks having fun, cooking, and developing her passion for food. Always eager to learn she soaked up every scrap of information like a sponge. After the course she headed towards west Cork to meet artisan producers and spent a happy time immersed in the cheese making with the Ferguson family at Gubeen near Schull.

Back in London, Tommi wrote her first cookbook Little Book of Soup, a charming collection of recipes from top chefs and even though she was skint, the proceeds were donated to London Soup kitchens.