Going vegan this month has been a refresher course in essentials. What can be pared away to get back to the very basics - of food, and of us? Eggs Florentine is a delicious development in flavours; simply enjoying steamed kale with a dash of salt reminded my taste buds what each of those two flavours were and what they were together. In the same vein, my life at 34 is a combination of sweet and bitter, well-cooked and raw. With so much of it stripped bare now on my plate and in my life, what have I tasted of each day’s essentials?

As always human, I had forgotten as of late the value of those simple experiences, the basic tastes of life. I was upset that my bread lacked butter, that my meat was not cooked just so as I like. I looked for a cook to blame. I felt sorry for myself when my wine ran dry.

As always human, I then began to remember the delicious simplicity of flavour, what can be tasted directly from its source like a berry freshly plucked on a summer’s walk. I have this year been struck with reminders that winter is always on its way. When I heard it I went silent. I appreciated. I recalibrated.

Fruits change in flavour depending on what stage of development they’re in. If they’re plucked too early, they’ll be sour; too late and they’ll have lost their flavour’s power. Still-sour, I rest in the sun now and wonder: will I ripen or rot? Do I die, or do I dare?