What is the most important seasoning for meals?

This is a bit like asking what is the best length for a piece of string!

If I was in Thailand I would probably be saying fish sauce, if I was in India I might be saying cardamon while the French might suggest garlic....

My biggest demand is always for 'a snack with flavour' and as I do not like to smother my food in fatty mayonaise or tomato sauce I am always looking at ways to make even the most mundane ingredients a bit different and interesting.

Making a tomato sandwich? Then I usually squeeze a bit of lemon on the tomato and add some salt. ground black pepper and a bit of fresh basil - hhhmm, the mouth is watering already!

As much as possible I avoid processed food, pre-prepared and pre-packaged foods as we never really know just what has gone into them. So I generally cook most things from scratch - not only is it a rewarding activity but it also means we get to eat things exactly the way we like them with the full knowledge of what has gone into the dish.

My list of absolute essentials are:

• Salt (rock salt in a grinder)
• Pepper (I have a grinder with a combination of black, red, green and white pepper cloves and then I add some coriander seeds to the mix)
• Lemons (great for lifting flavour in all sorts of things - can even be used instead of salt - also makes chicken and duck skin nice and crispy)
• Fresh Garlic (try a clove of garlic and half a lemon inside a chicken next time you roast it)

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (buy the best you can afford - but make sure you like the taste. My personal favourite is about mid-range in price but I like its taste best)
• Butter (real butter, not chemical margarines - but used in moderation)
• Lemon Pepper (use it in scrambled eggs instead of ordinary pepper - its magic! I also use it in flour if I am dusting veal or fish for frying)
• Balsamic Vinegar (taste until you get what you like, great on salads with a bit of olive oil can also use in roasting)
• Fresh Ginger (use carefully, adds fantastic flavour to lots of things but is not so nice if it overpowers everything else)

I am also lucky enough to have a herb garden so I just step out of the door to pick fresh parsley, mint, sage, thyme, hot mint, rosemary, coriander, basil and dill - also have lemon grass but dogs love to chew the top off it all the time!

Looks like a bit of a strange list doesn't it but those are my basics.

The following are specific to certain dishes and some of my "secrets":

• Oyster Sauce (I put a desert spoon of Oyster Sauce and a crushed clove of garlic into chicken stock and bring it to the boil. Remove the garlic and stir in the sauce and you have a chinese soup base - add meat, noodles etc...)
• Celery Salt (I put a bit into the flour when I am making pasta just adds a bit to taste. If you don't like that then try it in Tomato Juice with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of Worcestershire sauce.)
• Worcestershire sauce (is great on any melted cheese!)
• Fish Oil (an essential for many Asian dishes and the basis for a great dipping sauce)
• Coriander Seeds (good in the pepper mix as above but also the basis for thai curry paste that I make)
• Sesame Seeds (they taste better toasted and I use them to sprinkle on all sorts of things)

Now I have to go and make myself something to eat - all this talk of tasty spices and herbs has made me really, really hungry!!!!