The French drink coffee but these die-hard Brits still drink tea, Yorkshire Tea with two sugars. Builders strong tea is a bit too tannin for us but a four minute brew and a dash of semi-skimmed milk is perfect.We manage to buy a few British brands here in France via a local couple who run a gite and shop. Usual things we love, custard, ginger biscuits, Branston pickle, thick cut orange marmalade, curry sauces and tea. The thought of no tea for me is unthinkable. I exist on tea. I need it to wake up, to go to sleep, to cool me on a hot day and warm me on a cold one. That’s why tea is amazing. And somehow the dogs have a liking to this beverage too. Better stock up then.

We can buy cheddar cheese but it’s not the blow your socks off mature I love. So next project is contacting a cheese shop in Paris who I know takes weekly deliveries from Paxtons in London. The mild cheese at the local shop is expensive at €7.50 per kilo, so I am probably only looking at a little more and will probably buy a trickle worth, the whole cheese, and freeze it. Cheese freezes fine and actually become more crumbly which is great for cooking. We cut ours into manageable blocks of about 250 grms and wrap in wax paper.

Somehow my post went from tea to cheese but these are both my favourites and I make no apologies. Enjoy your tea or coffee today. It’s raining but at least the heat has subsided. We are truly in Autumn at last and a hot brew will get all our toes and paws nice and warm!