There is a danger that Diane Henry is going to turn into one of my favourite cooks.

Despite the misgivings of various children her chicken steeped in tea was a big success this evening.

I think I have bought all of the books of hers that I have from the Good Things Cafe. The first was Crazy Water Pickled Lemons from which I first started to learn about Persian rice.

Earlier this year I picked up Food From Plenty from which I cooked a brilliant plate of grilled squid with peppers and chickpeas.

Today it was the turn of Salt Sugar Smoke. I bought it over the summer when we went to the Good Things Cafe for lunch. It is always difficult to resist a good cook book after a good three course lunch.

The chicken was supposed to have come from the stall on the Farmer’s Market but having got my days wrong it came from Edge & Sons. I had made the brine the evening before. Eight Earl Grey tea bags, salt sugar and hot water.The chicken was in there most of the day before I poured off the the thick brown liquid.

I roasted it as normal smeared with butter.

There was an added pungency to it when it came out of the oven and the cook’s treats tasted rich and sweet.

We are it with roast potatoes and salad from the garden.