Mmmmm

If you're ever in the vicinity of North Yorkshire and need some proper food, get yourself down to the The Star Inn at Harome, near Helmsley. Lunch today was marvellous - I had (a) new season asparagus wrapped in Yorkshire ham with bubble and squeak with a lightly fried quail's egg (b) chicken livers, with soda bread toast and salad with pickled celery (c) lemon tart with raspberry sauce. The ingredients were fab - fresh, tasty, and where possible local - and nothing was overly fussy or ridiculously overwhelming (I hate generalising, but in Yorkshire in the main the portions are pretty huge, and if you hate wasting food it's often a bit of a guilt trip even considering three courses). Everyone else's food looked rather good too (in fact I sneaked some of Rob's black pudding and fois gras, and a bit of his crab salad starter...). Another triumph for proper English food.

Off to France on Monday, for a week of sunshine, wine, cheese and tarts. It'll be such a hardship. I'll let you know how I cope...