Mary Cadogan

Now living in France, Mary is Food consultant to the Good Food team

Mary Cadogan became Deputy food editor on Good Food in 1993 after working as a freelance food writer and stylist for 12 years previously. In 2000 she was made food director, a role she stayed in for a further five years.

Longstanding readers of Good Food will remember Mary from her hugely popular Take 5 recipes which ran for over six years, as well as her Simply Good Food features taking seasonal foods and using them in simple wholesome recipes.

In 2005 Mary and her husband moved permanently to their holiday home in Charente, an area in the south-west of France, after spending more and more time there.

Une vie nouvelle

Although now living in France, Mary continues to contribute to the magazine and act as Food consultant. She enjoys sharing her new-found experiences and knowledge of French life with Good Food readers.

A busy village life and a constant stream of visitors from the UK means that Mary is never short of testers for the recipes she is creating.

Find out more about Mary and the wonderful cooking holidays she offers from her home in France at her website.

Q&A

What three ingredients do you always have in your fridge?: In my fridge I always have a big jar of cornichons (pickled gherkin cucumbers), I am completely hooked on them and eat them straight from the jar; a selection of home made preserves (at the moment I have spiced plum cheese, blackberry jelly, strawberry jam with cassis and fig and plum chutney) and a nice bottle of cold white wine.
Who do you admire, and what would you cook for them?: I really admire the director Ken Loach and would love to cook a traditional Irish meal for him: wild Irish smoked salmon with soda bread, baked ham and colcannon and carrageen moss pudding with roasted plums.
Who inspired you to start cooking and fuelled your love of food?: My mum was what was called a 'good plain cook' and she turned out fresh meals every day for our family of nine children, as well as making great cakes, tarts and puddings - quite an achievement when you think about it. She cooked with a lot of love and I like to think I have inherited that from her as I like nothing better than cooking for family and friends, and sharing meals round our big kitchen table.