The beauty of a person is easily expressed in her home, the idea of mesubim, the centre of a person’s home, a place where life blossoms, and conversations happen. We were invited to cook with Harumi Kurihara, a well-known TV celebrity in Japan. We refer to her as the Martha Stewart of Japan, she is trim, very energetic and warm-hearted.

The music plays in the background, we stand and sit, five of us, talking, cooking and eating. She has a glowing personality, she is amazing, loves to talk English, she explains herself and guides me through her kitchen. A wonderful evening with five close friends, we cherish these moments and have the company of her 17-year-old cat. The night finishes with her signature cheese cake, it is absolutely delicious – I will post it separately.