Craving crumpet?

I once calculated on a flight over the channel that enough cheddar must be flown over to satisfy Expats to carve a life-size jumbo jet in a year. And some left over for stairs to disembark, a cheesy descent if you will!

Over the past couple of decades visiting this beautiful country, I have been asked to bring some strange items. Now we are residents, I understand those little things that bring comfort, like a reassuring brand of children's medicine for fevers for example. However recently watching a visitor doing the grand reveal of her carry on luggage stash for a friend, I was struck by how much of her haul one could buy in France anyway.

Ten years ago a lot of these treasures could not be found easily but now the majority can. So chuck that cheddar back, step away from these Lincolnshire sausages, end those crumpet cravings, it’s all here.

It’s almost as if a person can’t find a product once, then they stop looking, forever. So when I asked friends where to find coconut oil, gammon joints, star anise, or buttermilk, for example, heads shook with a knowing wry smile. Admittedly they might be a different size, design and packaging to good old Blighty's but isn't that part of the fun? Sometimes the price can be a bit scary, but then how essential it is. A test in itself.

So when we have a spare moment, we explore sections of the stores and markets not normally lingered in and see what we can discover. However I must confess that I am looking forward to a delivery of a certain reassuringly expensive Christmas pudding. Normally I make our own but this years little taste of home is a shop-bought pud! Merry Christmas All!