I have been poring over Alexandra Stacey’s new book, Salads For All Seasons, for the last few days, and there is not one recipe I wouldn’t want to try right away. The variety of ingredients, the food combinations – from the familiar to the surprising – and the irresistible visual appeal make each recipe a winner.  This is no surprise, as I have followed Alexandra’s Instagram account (@frenchfamilyfood) for over six years and I watched her consistently show her audience, in her warm and elegant style, how to create healthy and appetizing dishes from everyday ingredients. What started as a small personal project during a summer vacation spent in Corsica has evolved into a strong community of likeminded readers. Salads For All Seasons is not only a gift for them but also a beautiful visual incentive for every home cook to expand their salad repertoire.   Let’s start with a quick introduction. Who is Alexandra Stacey? What would you want our readers to know about you?  I grew up in a village not far from Versailles in a big bilingual family as my mother is British and my father is French. I was lucky to attend an international school in Saint-Germain-en-Laye until the age of 18 and then moved to England to study at university. I’ve lived in London for many years and cooking is my way of maintaining the link back to my French roots.  Alexandra Stacey by Ola Smit Growing up in France, were there early experiences around the family table that shaped the cook you’ve become today? I grew up in a family that loved to cook and entertain. Some of my earliest memories are of watching my French grandmother in her immaculately tidy, pale yellow Formica kitchen, cooking for her large brood of children and grandchildren. Her kitchen was full of delicious aromas of vegetable soups, hearty roasts and my favorite smell of her incredibly crispy and fluffy fried potatoes, which she cooked in goose fat and served with lots of sea salt and finely chopped parsley. My mother attended the Cordon Bleu cookery school in London before she married and her cooking skills were exceptional. My parents often invited their friends around for beautiful dinner parties. My mum always prepared delicious dishes – from fish mousses to scallop gratin, tender vegetables cooked in her pressure cooker and also her unparalleled crème caramel.