A MOMENT WITH
Author and Screenwriter Liv Little
Words
LIV LITTLE
I'm in the kitchen trying an elaborate new recipe — a stew which takes hours to assemble, the slowest pasta sauce you'll ever encounter — harvesting and gently layering vegetables from my garden for a delicious green spread, carefully basting my meat for a Sunday roast, in preparation for when my guests arrive.
Food, to me, is joy, love and warmth — a direct translation of how much I adore family and friends. Walking through the front door, loved ones are greeted by the scent of a rich sauce simmering gently on the stove, a glass of wine offered on arrival and something to nibble on as the rest of the food finishes cooking. Lips are licked in anticipation.
The beauty of food is that it's a comfort that can be offered without saying a single word. It says, 'I love you, I'm sorry you are grieving,’ or 'I've missed you so much!' But there is always, of course, lots of conversation around my kitchen table accompanied by laughter. Gentle music provides the soundtrack to our life updates.
And then there's the all-important first bite — seeing someone you love physically relax into a dish. Watching a smile emerge from the corner of their mouth and their shoulders drop - oh, and nothing sweeter than a request for seconds.
The act of cooking supports my well-being and feeds my heart and creativity. My moment of Hush will live forever in preparing food to nourish myself and others, and I hope you, too, will carve out moments of Hush for yourself, whatever these might look like.
With love, from my kitchen to yours, Liv.
Liv Little is a screenwriter and author. The founder of groundbreaking magazine gal-dem, she is also the host of ELLE UK’s podcast Why I… Move. She currently lives in Margate, with plans to move back to London early next year. You can read our interview with Liv here.