Today's live session has now ended - Allegra will be back in four weeks' time. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
This week's topics of debate are the mighty grains - too long associated with woo-woo hippies, they are now being clasped to the bosom of health-conscious eaters, as well as those who just love their food.
From the Middle Eastern bulgar (of which there are many kinds from green to nutty brown) to the Andes for quinoa, European pearl barley, Morocco for couscous as well as further south in Africa where millet abounds, grains and cereals run rings round the world with their flavour and goodness.
Some of their facets are well-documented (good slow release carbs) but as a group they have minerals, proteins and other essentials for our bodies on offer. We may all know how to make couscous and tabbouleh (or do you?) but there are a wealth of uses that are less seen, like in soups and slow-cooks where the grains can swell and absorb the flavour of their carrier.
But with new explorations in cookery comes questions, so chuck handfuls of grainy queries my way, tune in tomorrow at 3pm and I'll be there to guide you through their fertile field.
