Just back!

We’ve spent the last few days in France, revisiting old haunts – places I first came across when I accompanied a school trip from Barnet to Anizy le Chateau, a small town north east of Paris. We stayed in Laon this week, visiting the enormous cathedral and ramparts, then Chauny, Coucy le Chateau and Soissons, before going on to Le Touquet. The food has been delicious of course – raspberry and strawberry tarts filled with creme anglaise, a coffee religieuse but so many savoury dishes too, chicken and beef brochettes, boeuf bourgignon, turkey in a cream sauce, maigret de canard…but the new one to me was Tart Maroilles. Think quiche lorraine without the bacon and eggs, just cheese and white wine, the cheese made with unpasteurised milk and one of the most pungent odours I’ve come across..A picnic at Cap Blanc Nez rounded off the trip with Dover just about visible in the haze. What did we bring back? Mustard, tinned celery hearts and wine of course !! Happy days ❤