Who?
Jamie Gibson. Father to two amazing baby boys and husband to my beautiful soulmate, Lizzie. We met as teenage sweethearts on our first day at Oxford University, where life really began for me. I remember stepping out of a grand sandstone building onto St Giles and looking up to see a beautiful young lady who would bring colour and happiness into my life for the first time and so many wonderful memories. After eliciting a smile that first day, I stood at my window in University college looking out towards the Radcam – the last place I had seen her – and knew that I had found someone special…but it wasn’t all that easy! I was made to work hard for over a year to win her heart, writing hand-written letters every day, leaving her flowers and telling her I’d never give up. Sitting on a bench in her college, Brasenose, I asked her if she believed in fate – I knew that we were a perfect match and I count my blessings for the life we now share. My first love in every way, I am so lucky to have her and the wonderful boys she has given me. She brings me a joy I had never known and I wake up every morning with her head on my shoulder, filled with excitement and passion for the day ahead and all the creative ventures that we share together.
When?
Since May 2016 when my wife, Lizzie, after listening to me badger her about food all day, every day, created a place where I could share my culinary experiments.
Where?
Northamptonshire, England. While at Oxford University, I commuted from there to London to continue a burgeoning rugby career with my first club, London Irish. From there, together, we moved to Leicester where I played for two years in a Tigers shirt. In 2015 I signed with Northampton Saints, which has brought us to a small pretty village on the outskirts of Northampton.
Why and what?
To document a bit of our life and my kitchen experiments. Being a rugby player means I get to spend a lot of time at home with my family. This means more time playing with my two sons and wife, exploring the great outdoors with them and cooking whatever comes to mind in the kitchen – both indoors and out. When the rugby took off, and I found myself needing to eat lots to put on weight, I began to collect cook books and experiment in the kitchen with anything I could get my hands on. Now I mix this passion with entertaining my sons and helping my wife establish Pannacotta. For a long time she has been a keen advocate of an organic and paleo lifestyle, which meant we threw out all the bottles and jars in the kitchen and wherever possible start with fresh ingredients, making our own sauces, preserves and stocks. Every now and again, we diverge from the paleo road, with a few little forays into baking and treats – some of my favourite moments have been covered in flour or sugar, laughing with my wife while we attempt some new and complicated recipe!
Why Butter Wouldn’t Melt?
Anyone with children will understand and know that moment when your little baby looks over at you with a disarming smile while toddling away from the most almighty mess. Butter also happens to be one of my favourite ingredients – spread on toast, thrown in a frying pan for steaks or simply added to warm vegetables as a garnish!
Anything else?
Apart from my beautiful wife and little toddler, we welcomed a second little monster in our lives a few months ago. On another note, if I’m lucky I might be able to steal a few of Lizzie’s brilliant baking recipes and show them in treats for you all!
