We spent the Bank Holiday weekend in Dorset which is one of our favourite places in the world and where we got married last year.

The weekend actually turned out to be very memorable for a variety of reasons. My dad, not a man usually familiar with the kitchen, baked his first ever cake without assistance – a delicious lemon drizzle. And Matt managed to get him to swim in the sea!

In all of the years we’ve been going to Chideock and Seatown we have spent HOURS fishing. Well Matt, my dad and brother have, while mum and I sit and watch, drinking wine to stave off hypothermia.

Usually, we end up heading to the pub with three disappointed men in tow. But this time there was literally ‘something in the water’ – the fish couldn’t come out of it quick enough!

Matt with his catch

We estimated that we reeled in around 30-40 mackerel, sometimes four at a time. Just as I was about to give up, I was encouraged to have one last go and lo and behold, even I managed to hook four of them!!

We threw a lot of them back, but after years of failing, it would have been a crime not to take any home and eat them.

After watching a few YouTube videos, the boys did a great job of gutting and prepping the fish.

Meanwhile I made a tomato, red onion, garlic and cucumber salsa with some parsley, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We grilled the fish, skin up for about 5 minutes, with just some oil and salt and pepper and served it all with lemon slices and some brown bread and butter.

It was delicious.

Is there really anything more satisfying than catching your own dinner and cooking it? Not in my book!